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Phosphoinositide-3-kinase-γ (PI3Kγ) is implicated as a target to repolarize tumour-associated macrophages and promote antitumour immune responses in solid cancers1-4. However, cancer cell-intrinsic roles of PI3Kγ are unclear. Here, by integrating unbiased genome-wide CRISPR interference screening with functional analyses across acute leukaemias, we define a selective dependency on the PI3Kγ complex in a high-risk subset that includes myeloid, lymphoid and dendritic lineages. This dependency is characterized by innate inflammatory signalling and activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase regulatory subunit 5 (PIK3R5), which encodes a regulatory subunit of PI3Kγ5 and stabilizes the active enzymatic complex. We identify p21 (RAC1)-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) as a noncanonical substrate of PI3Kγ that mediates this cell-intrinsic dependency and find that dephosphorylation of PAK1 by PI3Kγ inhibition impairs mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Treatment with the selective PI3Kγ inhibitor eganelisib is effective in leukaemias with activated PIK3R5. In addition, the combination of eganelisib and cytarabine prolongs survival over either agent alone, even in patient-derived leukaemia xenografts with low baseline PIK3R5 expression, as residual leukaemia cells after cytarabine treatment have elevated G protein-coupled purinergic receptor activity and PAK1 phosphorylation. Together, our study reveals a targetable dependency on PI3Kγ-PAK1 signalling that is amenable to near-term evaluation in patients with acute leukaemia.
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Classe Ib de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinase , Leucemia , Transdução de Sinais , Quinases Ativadas por p21 , Animais , Humanos , Camundongos , Linhagem Celular , Classe Ib de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinase/genética , Classe Ib de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinase/metabolismo , Citarabina/farmacologia , Citarabina/uso terapêutico , Leucemia/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia/enzimologia , Leucemia/genética , Leucemia/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias/metabolismo , Fosforilação Oxidativa/efeitos dos fármacos , Quinases Ativadas por p21/antagonistas & inibidores , Quinases Ativadas por p21/metabolismo , Fosforilação , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
Deficiency in mevalonate kinase (MVK) causes systemic inflammation. However, the molecular mechanisms linking the mevalonate pathway to inflammation remain obscure. Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, a non-sterol intermediate of the mevalonate pathway, is the substrate for protein geranylgeranylation, a protein post-translational modification that is catalyzed by protein geranylgeranyl transferase I (GGTase I). Pyrin is an innate immune sensor that forms an active inflammasome in response to bacterial toxins. Mutations in MEFV (encoding human PYRIN) result in autoinflammatory familial Mediterranean fever syndrome. We found that protein geranylgeranylation enabled Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K) by promoting the interaction between the small GTPase Kras and the PI(3)K catalytic subunit p110δ. Macrophages that were deficient in GGTase I or p110δ exhibited constitutive release of interleukin 1ß that was dependent on MEFV but independent of the NLRP3, AIM2 and NLRC4 inflammasomes. In the absence of protein geranylgeranylation, compromised PI(3)K activity allows an unchecked TLR-induced inflammatory responses and constitutive activation of the Pyrin inflammasome.
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Alquil e Aril Transferases/metabolismo , Febre Familiar do Mediterrâneo/metabolismo , Inflamassomos/metabolismo , Macrófagos/fisiologia , Mutação/genética , Fosfotransferases (Aceptor do Grupo Álcool)/metabolismo , Pirina/genética , Alquil e Aril Transferases/genética , Animais , Células Cultivadas , Febre Familiar do Mediterrâneo/genética , Humanos , Imunidade Inata , Interleucina-1beta/metabolismo , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Fosfotransferases (Aceptor do Grupo Álcool)/genética , Fosfatos de Poli-Isoprenil/metabolismo , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional , Transdução de Sinais , Receptores Toll-Like/metabolismoRESUMO
The influence of demographic characteristics and social determinants on cancer outcomes is widely recognized in various malignancies but remains understudied in myelofibrosis (MF). This study aims to investigate social and demographic variables associated with MF survival. We retrospectively reviewed data of biopsy-proven MF patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database (2000-2021) and Montefiore Medical Center (2000-2023), an underserved inner-city hospital. The SEER cohort included 5,403 MF patients and was predominantly Non-Hispanic (NH) White (82%) with a median age of 69 years. The age-adjusted incidence rate of MF was 0.32 cases per 100,000 person-years, increasing annually by 1.3% from 2000 to 2021. Two- and five- year overall survival rates were 69% and 42%, respectively. Worse cause-specific survival was associated with older age, male sex, and diagnosis before 2011 (year of Ruxolitinib approval). NH-Black ethnicity, unmarried status and lower median income were independent predictors of worse overall survival. The single-center analysis included 84 cases, with a median age of 66 years. NH-White patients comprised 37% of the sample, followed by NH-Black (28.5%). Two- and five- year overall survival rates were 90% and 61%, respectively, with NH-Black patients exhibiting the lowest median survival, although the difference was not statistically significant. Age was a significant predictor of worse survival in this cohort. NH-Black and Hispanic patients lived in areas with higher socioeconomic and demographic stress compared to NH-White patients. Overall, this study highlights the association of social and demographic factors with MF survival and emphasizes the need for equitable healthcare and further exploration of social-demographic factors affecting MF survival.
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Mielofibrose Primária , Programa de SEER , Humanos , Mielofibrose Primária/epidemiologia , Mielofibrose Primária/mortalidade , Masculino , Feminino , Idoso , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Retrospectivos , Taxa de Sobrevida , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Fatores Socioeconômicos , Adulto , Bases de Dados Factuais , Estados Unidos/epidemiologia , IncidênciaRESUMO
Over the past two decades, there have been significant advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma which has led to an improvement in overall survival (OS) (1,2). However, a notable proportion of patients continue to experience early mortality (EM), defined as two years from the time of diagnosis. This raises the possibility that improvements in myeloma survival have not extended equally to all groups. Using the latest data drawn from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database of patients in the United States spanning 2000-2019, we study impact of important sociodemographic factors on EM. Through regression modeling, we demonstrate that patients diagnosed from 2000-2005, of older age, male sex, and of certain racial minority status (non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic) have higher odds of EM. Of these factors, minority status contributed to worse 2-year overall survival as well. We evaluate whether income, as a surrogate to access to care, could potentially explain this finding, but find that race has a distinct relationship with EM that is not modified by income. This is further reinforced by subgroup analysis. After characterizing groups vulnerable to EM, we examine reasons for these disparities and potential avenues to address them.
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INTRODUCTION: Myeloid malignancies are a heterogeneous group of clonal bone marrow disorders that are complex to manage in the community and therefore often referred to subspecialists at tertiary oncology referral centers. Many patients do not live in close proximity to tertiary referral centers and are unable to commute long distances due to age, comorbidities, and frailty. Interventions that minimize the travel time burden without compromising quality of care are an area of unmet need. We describe a cancer care delivery model for patients with myeloid malignancies that is built around telehealth and enables this vulnerable population access to care at an NCI-designated cancer center while receiving majority of their care close to home. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We report on a cohort of patients with myeloid malignancies who were co-managed by a general community oncologist and an academic leukemia subspecialist at Montefiore Einstein Cancer Center in New York. Patients were initially referred to our institute for a second opinion by community practices that are in partnership with Montefiore Health System, and initial visits were in-person or via telehealth. Treatment plans were made after discussion with patient's local community oncologist. Patients then continued to receive majority of their treatment and supportive care including transfusion support with their local oncologist, and follow-up visits were mainly via telehealth with the academic leukemia subspecialist. RESULTS: Our cohort of 12 patients had a median age of 81 years (range, 59-88 years). Patients remained on active treatment for a median time of 357 days (range, 154-557 days). Most of our patients had a performance status of ECOG 2 or higher. Three patients had myelodysplastic syndromes, 7 patients had acute myeloid leukemia, and 2 patients had myelofibrosis. The median number of hospitalizations over the total treatment time period was one. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate a shared academic and community care co-management model for the treatment of myeloid malignancies in elderly, frail patients using telehealth as a backbone with a very low hospitalization rate.
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COVID-19 , Atenção à Saúde , Gerenciamento Clínico , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas , Mielofibrose Primária , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/terapia , Atenção à Saúde/métodos , Idoso Fragilizado , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de Saúde , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/terapia , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/epidemiologia , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/epidemiologia , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/terapia , Pandemias , Mielofibrose Primária/epidemiologia , Mielofibrose Primária/terapia , Telemedicina , Cidade de Nova Iorque/epidemiologia , Centros Médicos Acadêmicos , Serviços de Saúde Comunitária , ComorbidadeRESUMO
Adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare T cell neoplasm that is endemic in Japanese, Caribbean, and Latin American populations. Most North American ATLL patients are of Caribbean descent and are characterized by high rates of chemo-refractory disease and worse prognosis compared with Japanese ATLL. To determine genomic differences between these 2 cohorts, we performed targeted exon sequencing on 30 North American ATLL patients and compared the results with the Japanese ATLL cases. Although the frequency of TP53 mutations was comparable, the mutation frequency in epigenetic and histone modifying genes (57%) was significantly higher, whereas the mutation frequency in JAK/STAT and T-cell receptor/NF-κB pathway genes was significantly lower. The most common type of epigenetic mutation is that affecting EP300 (20%). As a category, epigenetic mutations were associated with adverse prognosis. Dissimilarities with the Japanese cases were also revealed by RNA sequencing analysis of 9 primary patient samples. ATLL samples with a mutated EP300 gene have decreased total and acetyl p53 protein and a transcriptional signature reminiscent of p53-mutated cancers. Most importantly, decitabine has highly selective single-agent activity in the EP300-mutated ATLL samples, suggesting that decitabine treatment induces a synthetic lethal phenotype in EP300-mutated ATLL cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that North American ATLL has a distinct genomic landscape that is characterized by frequent epigenetic mutations that are targetable preclinically with DNA methyltransferase inhibitors.
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Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Decitabina/uso terapêutico , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T do Adulto/tratamento farmacológico , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T do Adulto/genética , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteína p300 Associada a E1A/genética , Epigênese Genética , Feminino , Humanos , Japão/epidemiologia , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T do Adulto/diagnóstico , Leucemia-Linfoma de Células T do Adulto/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Taxa de Mutação , Prognóstico , Transcriptoma , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/genética , Estados Unidos/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and leukemic stem cells (LSCs) utilize many of the same signaling pathways for their maintenance and survival. In this review, we will focus on several signaling pathways whose roles have been extensively studied in both HSCs and LSCs. Our main focus will be on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and several of its regulators and downstream effectors. We will also discuss several other signaling pathways of particular importance in LSCs, including the WNT/ß-catenin pathway, the NOTCH pathway, and the TGFß pathway. For each of these pathways, we will emphasize differences in how these pathways operate in LSCs, compared to their function in HSCs, to highlight opportunities for the specific therapeutic targeting of LSCs. We will also highlight areas of crosstalk between multiple signaling pathways that may affect LSC function.
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Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas , Transdução de Sinais , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/fisiologia , Humanos , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/fisiologia , Proteína Oncogênica v-akt/metabolismo , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Serina-Treonina Quinases TOR/metabolismoRESUMO
Poor clinical outcome of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has been attributed to failure of current chemotherapeutic regimens to target leukemic stem cells. We recently identified p21-activated kinase (PAK1) as a downstream effector molecule of H2.0-like homeobox (HLX), a gene functionally relevant for AML pathogenesis. In this study, we find that inhibition of PAK1 activity by small molecule inhibitors or by RNA interference leads to profound leukemia inhibitory effects both in vitro and in vivo. Inhibition of PAK1 induces differentiation and apoptosis of AML cells through downregulation of the MYC oncogene and a core network of MYC target genes. Importantly, we find that inhibition of PAK1 inhibits primary human leukemic cells including immature leukemic stem cell-enriched populations. Moreover, we find that PAK1 upregulation occurs during disease progression and is relevant for patient survival in MDS. Our studies highlight PAK1 as a novel target in AML and MDS and support the use of PAK1 inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy in these diseases.
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Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/terapia , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/terapia , Inibidores de Proteínas Quinases/uso terapêutico , Quinases Ativadas por p21/antagonistas & inibidores , Quinases Ativadas por p21/genética , Animais , Apoptose , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Genes myc , Humanos , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/genética , Leucemia Mieloide Aguda/patologia , Camundongos , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/genética , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/patologia , Interferência de RNA , Terapêutica com RNAi , Quinases Ativadas por p21/metabolismoAssuntos
Betacoronavirus , Infecções por Coronavirus/complicações , Gamopatia Monoclonal de Significância Indeterminada/complicações , Pneumonia Viral/complicações , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , COVID-19 , Comorbidade , Evolução Fatal , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pandemias , Prognóstico , SARS-CoV-2RESUMO
Recent advances in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis including post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) and abatacept have significantly improved outcomes following HLA-mismatched allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and have tremendous potential for reducing racial disparities in donor availability. A recent small study employing bone marrow as the source of stem cells showed similar outcomes after 5/8 versus 7/8 matches and is currently being tested in a larger study using peripheral blood stem cells. In this study, we examine real-world alternative donor HSCT options for a minority-predominant cohort in the Bronx, NY, focusing on the availability of lesser-matched (5/8 to 7/8) donors. Records of patients who underwent HLA typing at Montefiore Medical Center (2019 to 2022) were reviewed. The National Marrow Donor Program registry was queried to evaluate the availability of donors with at least 99% likelihood of HLA match at various levels (5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8). Two hundred forty-one patients were included, 70% were non-White. Although the availability of ≥7/8 donors was less common in non-White patients, 100% of patients from each group had at least one or more 5/8 and 6/8 HLA-matched donors and more than 80% of these patients had >100 potential 5/8 and 6/8 HLA-matched donors. There was no statistical difference by race or ethnicity in the mean number of donors at 5/8 and 6/8 HLA-match levels. We demonstrate through real-world data that patients from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds have access to 5/8 and 6/8 HLA-matched donors for allo-HSCT, potentially eliminating disparities in donor availability and allowing prioritization of other donor selection characteristics such as donor age, sex, ABO, and B leader matching. Further work is needed to study whether the use of mismatched donors offers a more potent graft-versus malignancy effect and optimal GVHD prophylaxis.
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Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Teste de Histocompatibilidade , Doadores não Relacionados , Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Transplante de Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro/prevenção & controle , Grupos Minoritários/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudos de Coortes , Antígenos HLA/imunologia , IdosoRESUMO
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous and aggressive hematologic malignancy that is associated with a high relapse rate and poor prognosis. Despite advances in immunotherapies in solid tumors and other hematologic malignancies, AML has been particularly difficult to treat with immunotherapies, as their efficacy is limited by the ability of leukemic cells to evade T cell recognition. In this review, we discuss the common mechanisms of T cell evasion in AML: (1) increased expression of immune checkpoint molecules; (2) downregulation of antigen presentation molecules; (3) induction of T cell exhaustion; and (4) creation of an immunosuppressive environment through the increased frequency of regulatory T cells. We also review the clinical investigation of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in AML. We discuss the limitations of ICIs, particularly in the context of T cell evasion mechanisms in AML, and we describe emerging strategies to overcome T cell evasion, including combination therapies. Finally, we provide an outlook on the future directions of immunotherapy research in AML, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between AML cells and the immune system.
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Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a clonal malignancy that develops from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but the underlying mechanisms of MDS initiation are not well understood. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway is often dysregulated in MDS. To investigate how PI3K inactivation affects HSC function, we generated a mouse model in which three Class IA PI3K genes were deleted in hematopoietic cells. Surprisingly, PI3K deficiency caused cytopenias, reduced survival, and multilineage dysplasia with chromosomal abnormalities, consistent with MDS initiation. PI3K-deficient HSCs had impaired autophagy, and pharmacologic treatment with autophagy-inducing reagents improved HSC differentiation. Furthermore, a similar autophagic degradation defect was observed in MDS patient HSCs. Therefore, our study uncovered a crucial protective role for Class IA PI3K in maintaining autophagic flux in HSCs to preserve the balance between self-renewal and differentiation.
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Ribosomal protein (Rp) gene haploinsufficiency can result in Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA), characterized by defective erythropoiesis and skeletal defects. Some mouse Rp mutations recapitulate DBA phenotypes, although others lack erythropoietic or skeletal defects. We generated a conditional knockout mouse to partially delete Rps12. Homozygous Rps12 deletion resulted in embryonic lethality. Mice inheriting the Rps12KO/+ genotype had growth and morphological defects, pancytopenia, and impaired erythropoiesis. A striking reduction in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitors in the bone marrow (BM) was associated with decreased ability to repopulate the blood system after competitive and non-competitive BM transplantation. Rps12KO/+ lost HSC quiescence, experienced ERK and MTOR activation, and increased global translation in HSC and progenitors. Post-natal heterozygous deletion of Rps12 in hematopoietic cells using Tal1-Cre-ERT also resulted in pancytopenia with decreased HSC numbers. However, post-natal Cre-ERT induction led to reduced translation in HSCs and progenitors, suggesting that this is the most direct consequence of Rps12 haploinsufficiency in hematopoietic cells. Thus, RpS12 has a strong requirement in HSC function, in addition to erythropoiesis.
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Anemia de Diamond-Blackfan , Pancitopenia , Animais , Camundongos , Anemia de Diamond-Blackfan/genética , Anemia de Diamond-Blackfan/metabolismo , Eritropoese/genética , Genes Essenciais , Haploinsuficiência , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/metabolismo , Camundongos Knockout , Pancitopenia/genética , Pancitopenia/metabolismo , Proteínas Ribossômicas/genética , Proteínas Ribossômicas/metabolismoRESUMO
Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in specialized microenvironments, also referred to as niches, and it has been widely believed that HSC numbers are determined by the niche size alone 1-5 . However, the vast excess of the number of niche cells over that of HSCs raises questions about this model. We initially established a mathematical model of niche availability and occupancy, which predicted that HSC numbers are restricted at both systemic and local levels. To address this question experimentally, we developed a femoral bone transplantation system, enabling us to increase the number of available HSC niches. We found that the addition of niches does not alter total HSC numbers in the body, regardless of whether the endogenous (host) niche is intact or defective, suggesting that HSC numbers are limited at the systemic level. Additionally, HSC numbers in transplanted wild-type femurs did not increase beyond physiological levels when HSCs were mobilized from defective endogenous niches to the periphery, indicating that HSC numbers are also constrained at the local level. Our study demonstrates that HSC numbers are not solely determined by niche availability, thereby rewriting the long-standing model for the regulation of HSC numbers.
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Functional stromal cells are known to support bone marrow regeneration after chemotherapy or radiation-induced injury to prevent prolonged myelosuppression. However, it is not known how stromal cells within the bone marrow are regenerated after injury. We have utilized a whole bone transplantation model that mimics the initial bone marrow necrosis and fatty infiltration that is seen after bone marrow injury and subsequent recovery. We demonstrate that periosteal skeletal stem cells (P-SSCs) can migrate into the bone marrow and contribute to stromal regeneration and hematopoietic recovery. Once in the bone marrow, P-SSCs are phenotypically and functionally reprogrammed into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), expressing high levels of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche factors, such as Cxcl12 and Kitl. Additionally, our results further indicate that P-SSCs are more resistant to acute stress than BM-MSCs. Here, we report a new function of P-SSCs, highlighting their major plasticity and the role of the periosteum as a potential source of BM-MSCs following acute bone marrow injury.
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Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a clonal malignancy arising in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The mechanisms of MDS initiation in HSCs are still poorly understood. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway is frequently activated in acute myeloid leukemia, but in MDS, PI3K/AKT is often down-regulated. To determine whether PI3K down-regulation can perturb HSC function, we generated a triple knockout (TKO) mouse model with Pik3ca, Pik3cb, and Pik3cd deletion in hematopoietic cells. Unexpectedly, PI3K deficiency caused cytopenias, decreased survival, and multilineage dysplasia with chromosomal abnormalities, consistent with MDS initiation. TKO HSCs exhibit impaired autophagy, and pharmacologic autophagy induction improved HSC differentiation. Using intracellular LC3 and P62 flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy, we also observed abnormal autophagic degradation in patient MDS HSCs. Therefore, we have uncovered an important protective role for PI3K in maintaining autophagic flux in HSCs to preserve the balance between self-renewal and differentiation and to prevent MDS initiation.
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Síndromes Mielodisplásicas , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases , Camundongos , Animais , Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-akt/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/metabolismo , Síndromes Mielodisplásicas/patologia , Diferenciação Celular , Camundongos KnockoutRESUMO
Even though overexpression of the immune checkpoint protein, programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), is observed in solid tumors, its expression patterns in acute myeloid leukemia remain understudied. As activation of the JAK/STAT pathway has been shown to enhance PD-L1 expression in preclinical models, we evaluated biopsies from AML patients with activating mutations in JAK2/STATs. PD-L1 expression was significantly upregulated in JAK2/STAT mutant cases when compared to JAK2 wildtype controls as demonstrated by PD-L1 immunohistochemistry staining and quantified using the combined positive score (CPS) system. There is significant overexpression of phosphorylated STAT3 expression in patients with oncogenic JAK2 activation and a positive correlation between p-STAT3 and PD-L1 expression. In conclusion, we demonstrate the CPS scoring system could be applied as a quantitative measure of PD-L1 expression in leukemias and that JAK2/STATs mutant AML can be potential candidates for checkpoint inhibitor trials.