Activity of tyrosine kinase inhibitors against human NUP214-ABL1-positive T cell malignancies

Leukemia. 2008 Jun;22(6):1117-24. doi: 10.1038/leu.2008.80. Epub 2008 Apr 10.

Abstract

Amplification of the NUP214-ABL1 oncogene can be detected in patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We screened 29 patients with T cell malignancies for the expression of NUP214-ABL1 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NUP214-ABL1 was detected in three (10%) patients. These results were confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization techniques. We also studied the activity of imatinib, nilotinib and dasatinib against the human NUP214-ABL1-positive cell lines PEER and BE-13. All three tyrosine kinase inhibitors decreased the viability of PEER and BE-13 cells, but nilotinib and dasatinib had >1-log lower IC(50) values than imatinib (P<0.001). In contrast, the NUP214-ABL-negative T-ALL cell line Jurkat, was remarkably resistant to tyrosine kinase inhibition. The inhibition of cellular proliferation was associated with time-dependent induction of apoptosis and inhibition of ABL, CrKL and STAT5 phosphorylation. Moreover, dasatinib was active in a NUP214-ABL1-positive leukemia xenograft murine model and in marrow lymphoblasts from a patient with NUP214-ABL1-positive T-ALL. On the basis of these results, ABL1 kinase inhibitors warrant clinical investigation in patients with NUP214-ABL1-positive T-cell malignancies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Benzamides
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dasatinib
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Leukemia, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Experimental / enzymology
  • Leukemia, Experimental / genetics
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / enzymology
  • Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / genetics
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Thiazoles / therapeutic use
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Benzamides
  • CRKL protein
  • NUP214-ABL1 fusion protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • Thiazoles
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • nilotinib
  • Dasatinib