Combining the ABL1 kinase inhibitor ponatinib and the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat: a potential treatment for BCR-ABL-positive leukemia

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 28;9(2):e89080. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089080. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Resistance to imatinib (Gleevec®) in cancer cells is frequently because of acquired point mutations in the kinase domain of BCR-ABL. Ponatinib, also known as AP24534, is an oral multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), and it has been investigated in a pivotal phase 2 clinical trial. The histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid) has been evaluated for its significant clinical activity in hematological malignancies. Thus, treatments combining ABL TKIs with additional drugs may be a promising strategy in the treatment of leukemia. In the current study, we analyzed the efficacy of ponatinib and vorinostat treatment by using BCR-ABL-positive cell lines. Treatment with ponatinib for 72 h inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in K562 cells in a dose-dependent manner. We found that ponatinib potently inhibited the growth of Ba/F3 cells ectopically expressing BCR-ABL T315I mutation. Upon BCR-ABL phosphorylation, Crk-L was decreased, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was activated in a dose-dependent manner. Combined treatment of Ba/F3 T315I mutant cells with vorinostat and ponatinib resulted in significantly increased cytotoxicity. Additionally, the intracellular signaling of ponatinib and vorinostat was examined. Caspase 3 and PARP activation increased after combination treatment with ponatinib and vorinostat. Moreover, an increase in the phosphorylation levels of γH2A.X was observed. Previously established ponatinib-resistant Ba/F3 cells were also resistant to imatinib, nilotinib, and dasatinib. We investigated the difference in the efficacy of ponatinib and vorinostat by using ponatinib-resistant Ba/F3 cells. Combined treatment of ponatinib-resistant cells with ponatinib and vorinostat caused a significant increase in cytotoxicity. Thus, combined administration of ponatinib and vorinostat may be a powerful strategy against BCR-ABL mutant cells and could enhance the cytotoxic effects of ponatinib in those BCR-ABL mutant cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / metabolism
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Hydroxamic Acids / therapeutic use*
  • Imidazoles / therapeutic use*
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mutation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Pyridazines / therapeutic use*
  • Vorinostat

Substances

  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • Hydroxamic Acids
  • Imidazoles
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridazines
  • ponatinib
  • Vorinostat
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a “High-Tech Research Center” Project for private universities—a matching fund subsidy from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)—and by the “University-Industry Joint Research Project” for private universities—a matching fund subsidy from the MEXT. This work was also supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the MEXT. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.