RESUMO
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, with 1.2 million patients diagnosed annually. In late-stage colorectal cancer, the most commonly used targeted therapies are the monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab, which prevent epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation. Recent studies have identified alterations in KRAS and other genes as likely mechanisms of primary and secondary resistance to anti-EGFR antibody therapy. Despite these efforts, additional mechanisms of resistance to EGFR blockade are thought to be present in colorectal cancer and little is known about determinants of sensitivity to this therapy. To examine the effect of somatic genetic changes in colorectal cancer on response to anti-EGFR antibody therapy, here we perform complete exome sequence and copy number analyses of 129 patient-derived tumour grafts and targeted genomic analyses of 55 patient tumours, all of which were KRAS wild-type. We analysed the response of tumours to anti-EGFR antibody blockade in tumour graft models and in clinical settings and functionally linked therapeutic responses to mutational data. In addition to previously identified genes, we detected mutations in ERBB2, EGFR, FGFR1, PDGFRA, and MAP2K1 as potential mechanisms of primary resistance to this therapy. Novel alterations in the ectodomain of EGFR were identified in patients with acquired resistance to EGFR blockade. Amplifications and sequence changes in the tyrosine kinase receptor adaptor gene IRS2 were identified in tumours with increased sensitivity to anti-EGFR therapy. Therapeutic resistance to EGFR blockade could be overcome in tumour graft models through combinatorial therapies targeting actionable genes. These analyses provide a systematic approach to evaluating response to targeted therapies in human cancer, highlight new mechanisms of responsiveness to anti-EGFR therapies, and delineate new avenues for intervention in managing colorectal cancer.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorretais/genética , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Receptores ErbB/antagonistas & inibidores , Genoma Humano/genética , Genômica , Animais , Anticorpos Monoclonais/farmacologia , Anticorpos Monoclonais/uso terapêutico , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Cetuximab/farmacologia , Cetuximab/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Colorretais/metabolismo , Variações do Número de Cópias de DNA/genética , Receptores ErbB/química , Receptores ErbB/genética , Exoma/genética , Feminino , Humanos , Proteínas Substratos do Receptor de Insulina/genética , MAP Quinase Quinase 1/genética , Camundongos , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Mutação/genética , Panitumumabe , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas p21(ras)/genética , Receptor ErbB-2/genética , Receptor Tipo 1 de Fator de Crescimento de Fibroblastos/genética , Receptor alfa de Fator de Crescimento Derivado de Plaquetas/genética , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tankyrases are poly(adenosine diphosphate)-ribose polymerases that contribute to biological processes as diverse as modulation of Wnt signaling, telomere maintenance, vesicle trafficking, and microtubule-dependent spindle pole assembly during mitosis. At interphase, polarized reshaping of the microtubule network fosters oriented cell migration. This is attained by association of adenomatous polyposis coli with the plus end of microtubules at the cortex of cell membrane protrusions and microtubule-based centrosome reorientation towards the migrating front. RESULTS: Here we report a new function for tankyrases, namely, regulation of directional cell locomotion. Using a panel of lung cancer cell lines as a model system, we found that abrogation of tankyrase activity by two different, structurally unrelated small-molecule inhibitors (one introduced and characterized here for the first time) or by RNA interference-based genetic silencing weakened cell migration, invasion, and directional movement induced by the motogenic cytokine hepatocyte growth factor. Mechanistically, the anti-invasive outcome of tankyrase inhibition could be ascribed to sequential deterioration of the distinct events that govern cell directional sensing. In particular, tankyrase blockade negatively impacted (1) microtubule dynamic instability; (2) adenomatous polyposis coli plasma membrane targeting; and (3) centrosome reorientation. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings uncover an unanticipated role for tankyrases in influencing at multiple levels the interphase dynamics of the microtubule network and the subcellular distribution of related polarity signals. These results encourage the further exploration of tankyrase inhibitors as therapeutic tools to oppose dissemination and metastasis of cancer cells.
Assuntos
Movimento Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Inibidores Enzimáticos/farmacologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Pulmonares/patologia , Pulmão/efeitos dos fármacos , Tanquirases/antagonistas & inibidores , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Inibidores Enzimáticos/química , Humanos , Pulmão/metabolismo , Pulmão/patologia , Neoplasias Pulmonares/genética , Neoplasias Pulmonares/metabolismo , Microtúbulos/metabolismo , Microtúbulos/patologia , Invasividade Neoplásica/genética , Invasividade Neoplásica/patologia , Invasividade Neoplásica/prevenção & controle , Interferência de RNA , Tanquirases/genética , Tanquirases/metabolismoRESUMO
Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases actualized the biological concept of synthetic lethality in the clinical practice, yielding a paradigmatic example of translational medicine. The profound sensitivity of tumors with germline BRCA mutations to PARP1/2 blockade owes to inherent defects of the BRCA-dependent homologous recombination machinery, which are unleashed by interruption of PARP DNA repair activity and lead to DNA damage overload and cell death. Conversely, aspirant BRCA-like tumors harboring somatic DNA repair dysfunctions (a vast entity of genetic and epigenetic defects known as "BRCAness") not always align with the familial counterpart and appear not to be equally sensitive to PARP inhibition. The acquisition of secondary resistance in initially responsive patients and the lack of standardized biomarkers to identify "BRCAness" pose serious threats to the clinical advance of PARP inhibitors; a feeling is also emerging that a BRCA-centered perspective might have missed the influence of additional, not negligible and DNA repair-independent PARP contributions onto therapy outcome. While regulatory approval for PARP1/2 inhibitors is still pending, novel therapeutic opportunities are sprouting from different branches of the PARP family, although they remain immature for clinical extrapolation. This review is an endeavor to provide a comprehensive appraisal of the multifaceted biology of PARPs and their evolving impact on cancer therapeutics.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Inibidores Enzimáticos/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Inibidores de Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases , Adenosina Difosfato Ribose/metabolismo , Animais , Dano ao DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Reparo do DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/genética , Humanos , Poli(ADP-Ribose) Polimerases/metabolismoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with a survival rate near to 10% when diagnosed at an advanced stage. Hence, the identification of new molecular targets to design more selective and efficient therapies is urgently required. The Mitogen activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3) is a dual-specificity threonine/tyrosine protein kinase that, activated in response to cellular stress and inflammatory stimuli, regulates a plethora of biological processes. Previous studies revealed novel MKK3 roles in supporting tumor malignancy, as its depletion induces autophagy and cell death in cancer lines of different tumor types, including CRC. Therefore, MKK3 may represent an interesting new therapeutic target in advanced CRC, however selective MKK3 inhibitors are currently not available. METHODS: The study involved transcriptomic based drug repurposing approach and confirmatory assays with CRC lines, primary colonocytes and a subset of CRC patient-derived organoids (PDO). Investigations in vitro and in vivo were addressed. RESULTS: The repurposing approach identified the multitargeted kinase inhibitor AT9283 as a putative compound with MKK3 depletion-mimicking activities. Indeed, AT9283 drops phospho- and total-MKK3 protein levels in tested CRC models. Likely the MKK3 silencing, AT9283 treatment: i) inhibited cell proliferation promoting autophagy and cell death in tested CRC lines and PDOs; ii) resulted well-tolerated by CCD-18Co colonocytes; iii) reduced cancer cell motility inhibiting CRC cell migration and invasion; iv) inhibited COLO205 xenograft tumor growth. Mechanistically, AT9283 abrogated MKK3 protein levels mainly through the inhibition of aurora kinase A (AURKA), impacting on MKK3/AURKA protein-protein interaction and protein stability therefore uncovering the relevance of MKK3/AURKA crosstalk in sustaining CRC malignancy in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: Overall, we demonstrated that the anti-tumoral effects triggered by AT9283 treatment recapitulated the MKK3 depletion effects in all tested CRC models in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that AT9283 is a repurposed drug. According to its good tolerance when tested with primary colonocytes (CCD-18CO), AT9283 is a promising drug for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target MKK3 oncogenic functions in late-stage and metastatic CRC patients.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais , MAP Quinase Quinase 3 , Humanos , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorretais/patologia , Neoplasias Colorretais/metabolismo , Neoplasias Colorretais/genética , Animais , Camundongos , MAP Quinase Quinase 3/metabolismo , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Reposicionamento de Medicamentos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Autofagia/efeitos dos fármacos , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
The human plasma membrane sialidase NEU3 is a key enzyme in the catabolism of membrane gangliosides, is crucial in the regulation of cell surface processes, and has been demonstrated to be significantly up-regulated in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). In this report, we show that NEU3 regulates ß1 integrin trafficking in RCC cells by controlling ß1 integrin recycling to the plasma membrane and controlling activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling. NEU3 silencing in RCC cells increased the membrane ganglioside content, in particular the GD1a content, and changed the expression of key regulators of the integrin recycling pathway. In addition, NEU3 silencing up-regulated the Ras-related protein RAB25, which directs internalized integrins to lysosomes, and down-regulated the chloride intracellular channel protein 3 (CLIC3), which induces the recycling of internalized integrins to the plasma membrane. In this manner, NEU3 silencing enhanced the caveolar endocytosis of ß1 integrin, blocked its recycling and reduced its levels at the plasma membrane, and, consequently, inhibited EGFR and FAK/AKT. These events had the following effects on the behavior of RCC cells: they (a) decreased drug resistance mediated by the block of autophagy and the induction of apoptosis; (b) decreased metastatic potential mediated by down-regulation of the metalloproteinases MMP1 and MMP7; and (c) decreased adhesion to collagen and fibronectin. Therefore, our data identify NEU3 as a key regulator of the ß1 integrin-recycling pathway and FAK/AKT signaling and demonstrate its crucial role in RCC malignancy.
Assuntos
Carcinoma de Células Renais/patologia , Membrana Celular/enzimologia , Endocitose , Integrina beta1/metabolismo , Neoplasias Renais/patologia , Neuraminidase/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Células Renais/enzimologia , Carcinoma de Células Renais/genética , Adesão Celular , Diferenciação Celular/genética , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Regulação para Baixo , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Endocitose/genética , Receptores ErbB/metabolismo , Quinase 1 de Adesão Focal/metabolismo , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Inativação Gênica , Glicoesfingolipídeos/metabolismo , Humanos , Neoplasias Renais/enzimologia , Neoplasias Renais/genética , Metaloproteinase 1 da Matriz/genética , Metaloproteinase 1 da Matriz/metabolismo , Metaloproteinase 7 da Matriz/genética , Metaloproteinase 7 da Matriz/metabolismo , Invasividade Neoplásica , Transporte Proteico , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Transcriptional classification has been used to stratify colorectal cancer (CRC) into molecular subtypes with distinct biological and clinical features. However, it is not clear whether such subtypes represent discrete, mutually exclusive entities or molecular/phenotypic states with potential overlap. Therefore, we focused on the CRC Intrinsic Subtype (CRIS) classifier and evaluated whether assigning multiple CRIS subtypes to the same sample provides additional clinically and biologically relevant information. METHODS: A multi-label version of the CRIS classifier (multiCRIS) was applied to newly generated RNA-seq profiles from 606 CRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), together with human CRC bulk and single-cell RNA-seq datasets. Biological and clinical associations of single- and multi-label CRIS were compared. Finally, a machine learning-based multi-label CRIS predictor (ML2CRIS) was developed for single-sample classification. RESULTS: Surprisingly, about half of the CRC cases could be significantly assigned to more than one CRIS subtype. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that multiple CRIS membership can be a consequence of the concomitant presence of cells of different CRIS class or, less frequently, of cells with hybrid phenotype. Multi-label assignments were found to improve prediction of CRC prognosis and response to treatment. Finally, the ML2CRIS classifier was validated for retaining the same biological and clinical associations also in the context of single-sample classification. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that CRIS subtypes retain their biological and clinical features even when concomitantly assigned to the same CRC sample. This approach could be potentially extended to other cancer types and classification systems.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais , Animais , Humanos , Neoplasias Colorretais/patologia , Prognóstico , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Biomarcadores Tumorais/genéticaRESUMO
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a well-exploited therapeutic target in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Unfortunately, not all patients benefit from current EGFR inhibitors. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics were performed on 30 genomically and pharmacologically characterized mCRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) to investigate the molecular basis of response to EGFR blockade and identify alternative drug targets to overcome resistance. Both the tyrosine and global phosphoproteome as well as the proteome harbored distinctive response signatures. We found that increased pathway activity related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibition and abundant tyrosine phosphorylation of cell junction proteins, such as CXADR and CLDN1/3, in sensitive tumors, whereas epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased MAPK and AKT signaling were more prevalent in resistant tumors. Furthermore, the ranking of kinase activities in single samples confirmed the driver activity of ERBB2, EGFR, and MET in cetuximab-resistant tumors. This analysis also revealed high kinase activity of several members of the Src and ephrin kinase family in 2 CRC PDX models with genomically unexplained resistance. Inhibition of these hyperactive kinases, alone or in combination with cetuximab, resulted in growth inhibition of ex vivo PDX-derived organoids and in vivo PDXs. Together, these findings highlight the potential value of phosphoproteomics to improve our understanding of anti-EGFR treatment and response prediction in mCRC and bring to the forefront alternative drug targets in cetuximab-resistant tumors.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias do Colo , Neoplasias Colorretais , Humanos , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/uso terapêutico , Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Cetuximab/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Colorretais/metabolismo , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Transdução de Sinais , Fosfoproteínas , ProteomaRESUMO
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a frequently lethal tumor that occurs in childhood and originates from embryonic neural crest cells. The malignant and aggressive phenotype of NB is strictly related to the deregulation of pivotal pathways governing the proliferation/differentiation status of neural crest precursor cells, such as MYCN, Delta/Notch and Wnt/ß-catenin (CTNNB1) signaling. In this article, we demonstrate that sialidase NEU4 long (NEU4L) influences the differentiation/proliferation behavior of NB SK-N-BE cells by determining hyperactivation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. NEU4L overexpression in SK-N-BE cells induced significant increases in active, nonphosphorylated ß-catenin content, ß-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity and ß-catenin gene target expression including MYCN, MYC, CCND2 (cyclin D2) and CDC25A. In turn, these molecular features strongly modified the behavior of NEU4L SK-N-BE overexpressing cells, promoting the following: (1) an enhanced proliferation rate, mainly due to a faster transition from G1 to S phase in the cell cycle; (2) a more undifferentiated cell phenotype, which was similar to stem-like NB cells and possibly mediated by an increase of the expression of the pluripotency genes, MYC, NANOG, OCT-4, CD133 and NES (nestin); (3) the failure of NB cell differentiation after serum withdrawal. The molecular link between NEU4L and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling appeared to rely most likely on the capability of the enzyme to modify the sialylation level of cell glycoproteins. These findings could provide a new candidate for therapeutic treatment.
Assuntos
Diferenciação Celular , Proliferação de Células , Neuraminidase/metabolismo , Neuroblastoma/metabolismo , Neuroblastoma/patologia , Células-Tronco/citologia , Células-Tronco/metabolismo , Western Blotting , Comunicação Celular , Ciclo Celular , Meios de Cultura Livres de Soro/farmacologia , Glicoproteínas/metabolismo , Humanos , Potencial da Membrana Mitocondrial , Transdução de Sinais , Células-Tronco/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Tumorais Cultivadas , Via de Sinalização WntRESUMO
Blockade of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) causes tumor regression in some patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, residual disease reservoirs typically remain even after maximal response to therapy, leading to relapse. Using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), we observed that mCRC cells surviving EGFR inhibition exhibited gene expression patterns similar to those of a quiescent subpopulation of normal intestinal secretory precursors with Paneth cell characteristics. Compared with untreated tumors, these pseudodifferentiated tumor remnants had reduced expression of genes encoding EGFR-activating ligands, enhanced activity of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and HER3, and persistent signaling along the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. Clinically, properties of residual disease cells from the PDX models were detected in lingering tumors of responsive patients and in tumors of individuals who had experienced early recurrence. Mechanistically, residual tumor reprogramming after EGFR neutralization was mediated by inactivation of Yes-associated protein (YAP), a master regulator of intestinal epithelium recovery from injury. In preclinical trials, Pan-HER antibodies minimized residual disease, blunted PI3K signaling, and induced long-term tumor control after treatment discontinuation. We found that tolerance to EGFR inhibition is characterized by inactivation of an intrinsic lineage program that drives both regenerative signaling during intestinal repair and EGFR-dependent tumorigenesis. Thus, our results shed light on CRC lineage plasticity as an adaptive escape mechanism from EGFR-targeted therapy and suggest opportunities to preemptively target residual disease.
Assuntos
Neoplasias Colorretais , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Receptores ErbB , Humanos , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Neoplasia Residual , Celulas de Paneth , FenótipoRESUMO
MET oncogene amplification is emerging as a major mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR-directed therapy in lung and colorectal cancers. Furthermore, MET amplification predicts responsiveness to MET inhibitors currently in clinical trials. Among the anti-MET drugs available, ATP-competitive small-molecule kinase inhibitors abrogate receptor autophosphorylation and downstream activation of ERK1/2 and AKT, resulting in cell-cycle arrest. However, this antiproliferative effect allows persistence of a pool of cancer cells that are quiescent but alive. Once the inhibition is removed, rebound activation of MET-driven cell proliferative pathways and tumor growth may occur, an adverse event observed frequently in clinical settings after drug discontinuation. Here we show that inhibitor withdrawal prompts receptor phosphorylation to levels higher than those displayed at steady-state and generates a rebound effect pushing quiescent cancer cells back into the cell cycle, both in vitro and in experimental tumor models in vivo Mechanistically, we found that inhibitor treatment blocks MET endocytosis, causing a local increase in the number of receptors at the plasma membrane. Upon inhibitor washout, the receptor is readily rephosphorylated. The initial phosphorylation is not only increased but also prolonged in duration due to downmodulation of a phosphatase-mediated MET-negative feedback loop, which accompanies receptor internalization. Notably, treatment with a MET therapeutic antibody that induces proteolytic cleavage of the receptor at the cell surface substantially prevents this rebound effect, providing a rationale to combine or alternate these mechanistically different types of MET-targeted therapy. Cancer Res; 76(17); 5019-29. ©2016 AACR.
Assuntos
Anticorpos/farmacologia , Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/patologia , Neoplasias Experimentais/patologia , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-met/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Imunofluorescência , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos NOD , Camundongos SCID , Microscopia Confocal , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/metabolismo , Neoplasias Experimentais/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/farmacologia , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
Among patients with colorectal cancer who benefit from therapy targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), stable disease (SD) occurs more frequently than massive regressions. Exploring the mechanisms of this incomplete sensitivity to devise more efficacious treatments will likely improve patients' outcomes. We tested therapies tailored around hypothesis-generating molecular features in patient-derived xenografts ("xenopatients"), which originated from 125 independent samples that did not harbor established resistance-conferring mutations. Samples from xenopatients that responded to cetuximab, an anti-EGFR agent, with disease stabilization displayed high levels of EGFR family ligands and receptors, indicating high EGFR pathway activity. Five of 21 SD models (23.8%) characterized by particularly high expression of EGFR and EGFR family members regressed after intensified EGFR blockade by cetuximab and a small-molecule inhibitor. In addition, a subset of cases in which enhanced EGFR inhibition was unproductive (6 of 16, 37.5%) exhibited marked overexpression of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). Enrichment of IGF2 overexpressors among cases with SD was demonstrated in the entire xenopatient collection and was confirmed in patients by mining clinical gene expression data sets. In functional studies, IGF2 overproduction attenuated the efficacy of cetuximab. Conversely, interception of IGF2-dependent signaling in IGF2-overexpressing xenopatients potentiated the effects of cetuximab. The clinical implementation of IGF inhibitors awaits reliable predictors of response, but the results of this study suggest rational combination therapies for colorectal cancer and provide evidence for IGF2 as a biomarker of reduced tumor sensitivity to anti-EGFR therapy and a determinant of response to combined IGF2/EGFR targeting.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias Colorretais/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Colorretais/metabolismo , Receptores ErbB/química , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like II/química , Animais , Anticorpos Monoclonais Humanizados/uso terapêutico , Biomarcadores Tumorais/metabolismo , Cetuximab , Ensaios Clínicos como Assunto , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Éxons , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Ligantes , Camundongos , Mutação , Transplante de NeoplasiasRESUMO
Multiple myeloma is the second most common hematologic malignancy. It accounts for 20,580 new cancer cases in the USA in 2009, including 11,680 cases in men, 8,900 cases in women, and 10,580 deaths overall. Although the disease remains still incurable, outcomes have improved substantially over recent years thanks to the use of high-dose therapy and the availability of novel agents, such as the immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide and lenalidomide, and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Various trials have shown the advantages linked to the use of novel agents in the transplant and not-transplant settings. In particular, this paper will present an overview of the results achieved with lenalidomide-containing combinations in patients eligible for high-dose therapies, namely, young patients. The advantages obtained should always be outweighed with the toxicity profile associated with the regimen used. Therefore, here, we will also provide a description of the main adverse events associated with lenalidomide and its combination.
RESUMO
Chronic myeloid leukemia is a hematopoietic stem cell cancer, originated by the perpetually "switched on" activity of the tyrosine kinase Bcr-Abl, leading to uncontrolled proliferation and insensitivity to apoptotic stimuli. The genetic phenotype of myeloid leukemic K562 cells includes the suppression of cytosolic sialidase Neu2. Neu2 transfection in K562 cells induced a marked decrease (-30% and -80%) of the mRNA of the anti-apoptotic factors Bcl-XL and Bcl-2, respectively, and an almost total disappearance of Bcl-2 protein. In addition, gene expression and activity of Bcr-Abl underwent a 35% diminution, together with a marked decrease of Bcr-Abl-dependent Src and Lyn kinase activity. Thus, the antiapoptotic axis Bcr-Abl, Src, and Lyn, which stimulates the formation of Bcl-XL and Bcl-2, was remarkably weakened. The ultimate consequences of these modifications were an increased susceptibility to apoptosis of K562 cells and a marked reduction of their proliferation rate. The molecular link between Neu2 activity and Bcr-Abl signaling pathway may rely on the desialylation of some cytosolic glycoproteins. In fact, three cytosolic glycoproteins, in the range 45-66 kDa, showed a 50-70% decrease of their sialic acid content upon Neu2 expression, supporting their possible role as modulators of the Bcr-Abl complex.