Restoration of miR-424 suppresses BCR-ABL activity and sensitizes CML cells to imatinib treatment.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that participate in many biological processes by posttranscriptionally regulating gene expression. Dysregulation of miRNA expression has been shown to be typical of many neoplasms. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a disorder of hematopoietic stem cells carrying the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and an oncogenic BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase fusion gene. While the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) like imatinib has revolutionized treatment of CML, it has become increasingly clear in recent years that TKI treatment alone will not be curative in many cases. Thus, further dissection of the regulatory networks that drive BCR-ABL-induced malignant transformation may help to identify other novel therapeutic approaches that complement TKI treatment. In this study we demonstrate that the expression of miR-424 is markedly low in CML cell lines and patient samples at time of diagnosis. With the aid of bioinformatics analysis we revealed a conserved target site for miR-424 in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the ABL gene. Via luciferase assays, we showed that miR-424 directly targets BCR-ABL. Overexpression of miR-424 was shown to suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis of K562 cells as well as sensitize these cells to imatinib treatment. These findings strongly suggest that miR-424 acts as a tumor suppressor by downregulating BCR-ABL expression. Up-regulation of miR-424 in CML cells may therefore have a therapeutic effect against this disease.

Hershkovitz-Rokah O ，Modai S ，Pasmanik-Chor M ，Toren A ，Shomron N ，Raanani P ，Shpilberg O ，Granot G ... -  《-》

MiR-30e induces apoptosis and sensitizes K562 cells to imatinib treatment via regulation of the BCR-ABL protein.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a disorder of hematopoietic stem cell carrying the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome and an oncogenic BCR-ABL fusion gene. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of the BCR-ABL kinase are the treatment of choice for CML patients. Imatinib was the first TKI used in clinical practice with excellent results. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding regulatory RNAs that control gene expression and play an important role in cancer development and progression. Aberrant miRNA expression profiles have been shown to be characteristic of many cancers. Here, we demonstrate that miR-30e is expressed at low levels in CML cell lines and patient samples. Bioinformatics analysis reveals a putative target site for miR-30e in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the ABL gene. In agreement, luciferase assay verified that miR-30e directly targets ABL. Enforced expression of miR-30e in K562 cells suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis of these cells and sensitized them to imatinib treatment. These findings strongly suggest that miR-30e acts as a tumor suppressor by downregulating BCR-ABL expression. Up-regulation of miR-30e in CML cells may therefore have a therapeutic efficacy against this disease.

Hershkovitz-Rokah O ，Modai S ，Pasmanik-Chor M ，Toren A ，Shomron N ，Raanani P ，Shpilberg O ，Granot G ... -  《-》

BCR-ABL/GATA1/miR-138 mini circuitry contributes to the leukemogenesis of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Xu C ，Fu H ，Gao L ，Wang L ，Wang W ，Li J ，Li Y ，Dou L ，Gao X ，Luo X ，Jing Y ，Chim CS ，Zheng X ，Yu L ... -  《-》

ApoptomiRs expression modulated by BCR-ABL is linked to CML progression and imatinib resistance.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease characterized by the presence of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) leading to expression of a BCR-ABL1 fusion oncogene. The BCR-ABL protein has a constitutive tyrosine kinase activity which is responsible for CML pathogenesis by promoting cell apoptosis resistance; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with BCR-ABL expression and apoptosis impairment in CML leukemic cells have not been fully elucidated. This study evaluated apoptomiRs and their predicted apoptotic genes in BCR-ABL(+) cells from patients in different phases of CML treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) according to their imatinib (IM) response by qPCR. Phosphotyrosine and c-ABL expressions in HL-60.BCR-ABL cells treated with TKI were done by Western blot. We found that dasatinib (DAS) modulated miR-let-7d, miR-let-7e, miR-15a, miR-16, miR-21, miR-130a and miR-142-3p expressions while IM modulated miR-15a and miR-130a levels. miR-16, miR-130a and miR-145 expressions were modulated by nilotinib (NIL). We observed higher miR-15a, miR-130b and miR-145; and lower miR-16, miR-26a and miR-146a expressions in CML-CP in comparison with controls. CML-AP patients showed low miR-let-7d, miR-15a, miR-16, miR-29c, miR-142-3p, miR-145, and miR-146a levels in comparison with CML-CP. We noted that the miR-26a, miR-29c, miR-130b and miR-146a expressions were downregulated in IM resistant patients in comparison with IM responsive patients. This study showed the modulation of apoptomiRs by BCR-ABL kinase activity and the deregulation of apoptomiRs and their predicted apoptotic target genes in different CML phases and after treatment with TK inhibitors. ApoptomiRs may be involved in the BCR-ABL(+) cell apoptosis regulation.

Ferreira AF ，Moura LG ，Tojal I ，Ambrósio L ，Pinto-Simões B ，Hamerschlak N ，Calin GA ，Ivan C ，Covas DT ，Kashima S ，Castro FA ... -  《-》

HS-438, a new inhibitor of imatinib-resistant BCR-ABL T315I mutation in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Imatinib is a selective breakpoint cluster region-Abelson (BCR-ABL) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has significantly improved the prognosis of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, T315I gene mutations of the BCR-ABL kinase domain have been shown to confer resistance to imatinib. In the present study, we synthesized a novel BCR-ABL inhibitor, HS-438, and identified its anti-leukemic effects in vitro and in vivo. We found that HS-438 strongly inhibited the expression of BCR-ABL signaling pathways in wild-type BCR-ABL (BaF3/WT) cells as well as T315I-mutated BCR-ABL (BaF3/T315I) cells with resistance to imatinib. HS-438 induced cell cycle arrest, particularly during the G0/G1 cell cycle phase, and induced apoptosis. In BaF3/T315I xenograft models, HS-438 significantly delayed tumor growth, unlike imatinib. In summary, we suggest that HS-438 may be a novel drug candidate with the therapeutic potential to target BCR-ABL and overcome imatinib resistance in patients with CML.

Yun SM ，Jung KH ，Kim SJ ，Fang Z ，Son MK ，Yan HH ，Lee H ，Kim J ，Shin S ，Hong S ，Hong SS ... -  《-》