Chronic phase-to-blast crisis transition in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is associated with differentiation arrest and down-regulation of C/EBPalpha, a transcription factor essential for granulocyte differentiation. Patients with CML in blast crisis (CML-BC) became rapidly resistant to therapy with the breakpoint cluster region-Abelson murine leukemia (BCR/ABL) kinase inhibitor imatinib (STI571) because of mutations in the kinase domain that interfere with drug binding. We show here that the restoration of C/EBPalpha activity in STI571-sensitive or -resistant 32D-BCR/ABL cells induced granulocyte differentiation, inhibited proliferation in vitro and in mice, and suppressed leukemogenesis. Moreover, activation of C/EBPalpha eradicated leukemia in 4 of 10 and in 6 of 7 mice injected with STI571-sensitive or -resistant 32D-BCR/ABL cells, respectively. Differentiation induction and proliferation inhibition were required for optimal suppression of leukemogenesis, as indicated by the effects of p42 C/EBPalpha, which were more potent than those of K298E C/EBPalpha, a mutant defective in DNA binding and transcription activation that failed to induce granulocyte differentiation. Activation of C/EBPalpha in blast cells from 4 patients with CML-BC, including one resistant to STI571 and BMS-354825 and carrying the T315I Abl kinase domain mutation, also induced granulocyte differentiation. Thus, these data indicate that C/EBPalpha has potent antileukemia effects even in cells resistant to ATP-binding competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and they portend the development of anti-leukemia therapies that rely on C/EBPalpha activation.

Leukemogenesis induced by wild-type and STI571-resistant BCR/ABL is potently suppressed by C/EBPα / Ferrari, Giovanna; Keeshan, K; Zattoni, Michela; Guerzoni, Clara; Iotti, G; Cattelani, Sara; Donato, Nj; Calabretta, Bruno. - In: BLOOD. - ISSN 0006-4971. - STAMPA. - 108:4(2006), pp. 1353-1362. [10.1182/blood-2006-01-011833]

Leukemogenesis induced by wild-type and STI571-resistant BCR/ABL is potently suppressed by C/EBPα

FERRARI, Giovanna;ZATTONI, Michela;GUERZONI, Clara;CATTELANI, Sara;CALABRETTA, Bruno
2006

Abstract

Chronic phase-to-blast crisis transition in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is associated with differentiation arrest and down-regulation of C/EBPalpha, a transcription factor essential for granulocyte differentiation. Patients with CML in blast crisis (CML-BC) became rapidly resistant to therapy with the breakpoint cluster region-Abelson murine leukemia (BCR/ABL) kinase inhibitor imatinib (STI571) because of mutations in the kinase domain that interfere with drug binding. We show here that the restoration of C/EBPalpha activity in STI571-sensitive or -resistant 32D-BCR/ABL cells induced granulocyte differentiation, inhibited proliferation in vitro and in mice, and suppressed leukemogenesis. Moreover, activation of C/EBPalpha eradicated leukemia in 4 of 10 and in 6 of 7 mice injected with STI571-sensitive or -resistant 32D-BCR/ABL cells, respectively. Differentiation induction and proliferation inhibition were required for optimal suppression of leukemogenesis, as indicated by the effects of p42 C/EBPalpha, which were more potent than those of K298E C/EBPalpha, a mutant defective in DNA binding and transcription activation that failed to induce granulocyte differentiation. Activation of C/EBPalpha in blast cells from 4 patients with CML-BC, including one resistant to STI571 and BMS-354825 and carrying the T315I Abl kinase domain mutation, also induced granulocyte differentiation. Thus, these data indicate that C/EBPalpha has potent antileukemia effects even in cells resistant to ATP-binding competitive tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and they portend the development of anti-leukemia therapies that rely on C/EBPalpha activation.
2006
108
4
1353
1362
Leukemogenesis induced by wild-type and STI571-resistant BCR/ABL is potently suppressed by C/EBPα / Ferrari, Giovanna; Keeshan, K; Zattoni, Michela; Guerzoni, Clara; Iotti, G; Cattelani, Sara; Donato, Nj; Calabretta, Bruno. - In: BLOOD. - ISSN 0006-4971. - STAMPA. - 108:4(2006), pp. 1353-1362. [10.1182/blood-2006-01-011833]
Ferrari, Giovanna; Keeshan, K; Zattoni, Michela; Guerzoni, Clara; Iotti, G; Cattelani, Sara; Donato, Nj; Calabretta, Bruno
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/595366
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