Combined effects of novel tyrosine kinase inhibitor AMN107 and histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 against Bcr-Abl expressing human leukemia cells

Authors:
Fiskus W, Pranpat M, Bali P, Balasis M, Kumaraswamy S, Boyapalle S, Rocha K, Wu J, Giles F, Manley PW, Atadja P, Bhalla K
In:
Source: Blood
Publication Date: (2006)
Issue: 108(2): 645-52
Research Area:
Cancer Research/Cell Biology
Immunotherapy / Hematology
Cells used in publication:
BA/F3
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin:
Platform:
Nucleofector® I/II/2b
Abstract
AMN107 (Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Basel, Switzerland) has potent in vitro and in vivo activity against the un-mutated and most common mutant forms of Bcr-Abl. Treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 (Novartis) depletes Bcr-Abl levels. We determined the effects of AMN107 and/or LBH589 in Bcr-Abl-expressing, human K562 and LAMA-84 cells, as well as in primary CML cells. AMN107 was more potent than imatinib mesylate (IM) in inhibiting Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase (TK) activity and attenuating p-STAT5, p-AKT, Bcl-xL, and c-Myc levels in K562 and LAMA-84 cells. Co-treatment with LBH589 and AMN107 exerted synergistic apoptotic effects with more attenuation of p-STAT5, p-ERK1/2, c-Myc and Bcl-xL and increase in p27 and Bim levels. LBH589 attenuated Bcr-Abl levels and induced apoptosis of mouse pro-B BaF3 cells containing ectopic expression of Bcr-Abl or the IM-resistant, point-mutant Bcr-AblT315I and Bcr-AblE255K. Treatment with LBH589 also depleted Bcr-Abl levels and induced apoptosis of IM-resistant primary human CML cells, including those with expression of Bcr-AblT315I. As compared to either agent alone, co-treatment with AMN107 and LBH589 induced more loss of cell viability of primary IM-resistant CML cells. Thus, co-treatment with LBH589 and AMN107 is active against cultured or primary IM-resistant CML cells, including those with expression of Bcr-AblT315I.