scholarly journals The Anti-Tumor Effect of the Ubiquitin-Activating Enzyme (UAE) Inhibitor TAK-243 on Pre-Clinical Models of Multiple Myeloma

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 3296-3296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junling Zhuang ◽  
Hans Lee ◽  
Isere Kuiatse ◽  
Hua Wang ◽  
Fazal Shirazi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been validated as a target in multiple myeloma (MM) through the success of proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib, but drug resistance is an emerging challenge. Targeting some of the upstream components of the UPS, such as the E1 ubiquitin activating enzyme (UAE), could therefore be a promising alternative. TAK-243 (MLN7243) specifically blocks the ubiquitin conjugation cascade through the formation of a TAK-243-ubiquitin adduct, thereby inhibiting the UAE. Our aim was to explore the effectiveness of TAK-243 against pre-clinical myeloma models, and to understand some its mechanisms of action. Methods: We performed pre-clinical studies in myeloma cell lines and mouse models using TAK-243. Downstream effects were evaluated using viability, apoptosis assays, western blotting, gene expression profiling (GEP), and Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) techniques. Results: MM1.S and MOLP-8 TP53 wild-type cell lines were sensitive to TAK-243, with median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 25 nM at 24 hours based on viability assays. In otherwise isogenic cell lines in which TP53 was suppressed using genome editing techniques, the IC50 was ~40 nM, but higher TAK-243 concentrations of 100 nM overcame resistance due to TP53 inactivation. Similarly, TAK-243 was able to overcome resistance to both conventional (dexamethasone) and novel (bortezomib, lenalidomide) drugs in paired sensitive and resistant cell line models. After treatment with TAK-243, Annexin V and TO-PRO3 staining determined that viable MM1.S cells were induced into early or late apoptosis. This was accompanied by a significant increase in cleaved caspase-3, -8, and -9 as detected by flow cytometry, and in cleaved caspase-7 detected by RPPA and western blot. Exposure to TAK-243 reduced the cellular content of ubiquitin-protein conjugates, and did not enhance expression levels of a fusion protein degraded by the proteasome in a ubiquitin-independent manner, indicating the lack of direct proteasome inhibition. GEP analysis and RPPA detected enhanced expression of p53-pathway related proteins, including MDM2, TP53, and p21 in TAK-243 treated MM1.S cells. Several mRNAs and proteins in the ER stress pathway, including ATF6, ATF4, IRE1a and XBP1 were also elevated, as were many non-coding RNAs and DNA-damage related genes. Combination experiments in MM cell lines demonstrated synergy between TAK-243 and lenalidomide, pomalidomide, panobinostat, melphalan and doxorubicin. Finally, TAK-243 demonstrated in vivo antitumor activity against MM1.S and MOLP-8 xenograft models when dosed at 12.5 mg/kg IV twice-weekly for 2 weeks (tumor growth inhibition of 60% and 73%, respectively). Elevation of BiP, ATF4, XBP1s and cleaved-caspase 3 was detected within the first 24 hrs after dosing in the sensitive MM1.S xenografts. In contrast, RPMI 8226 cells, which showed a 2000 nM IC50 in cell culture, were also resistant to TAK-243 in vivo, with no tumor growth inhibition detected. Conclusions: TAK-243 is a UAE inhibitor that is active against myeloma cells in vitro and in xenograft models in vivo, overcomes conventional and novel drug resistance, and its action is associated with stimulation of the TP53 and ER stress pathways. Thus, it may deserve further evaluation as an anti-myeloma agent. Disclosures Berger: Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Hyer:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Chattopadhyay:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Syed:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Shi:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Yu:Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co, Cambridge, MA: Employment. Shinde:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Kreshock:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Tirrell:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Menon:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Employment. Orlowski:Takeda Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding.

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1844-1844
Author(s):  
John Richards ◽  
Myriam N Bouchlaka ◽  
Robyn J Puro ◽  
Ben J Capoccia ◽  
Ronald R Hiebsch ◽  
...  

AO-176 is a highly differentiated, humanized anti-CD47 IgG2 antibody that is unique among agents in this class of checkpoint inhibitors. AO-176 works by blocking the "don't eat me" signal, the standard mechanism of anti-CD47 antibodies, but also by directly killing tumor cells. Importantly, AO-176 binds preferentially to tumor cells, compared to normal cells, and binds even more potently to tumors in their acidic microenvironment (low pH). Hematological neoplasms are the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancers in both men and women and account for approximately 10% of all cancers. Here we describe AO-176, a highly differentiated anti-CD47 antibody that potently targets hematologic cancers in vitro and in vivo. As a single agent, AO-176 not only promotes phagocytosis (15-45%, EC50 = 0.33-4.1 µg/ml) of hematologic tumor cell lines (acute myeloid leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and T cell leukemia) but also directly targets and kills tumor cells (18-46% Annexin V positivity, EC50 = 0.63-10 µg/ml) in a non-ADCC manner. In combination with agents targeting CD20 (rituximab) or CD38 (daratumumab), AO-176 mediates enhanced phagocytosis of lymphoma and multiple myeloma cell lines, respectively. In vivo, AO-176 mediates potent monotherapy tumor growth inhibition of hematologic tumors including Raji B cell lymphoma and RPMI-8226 multiple myeloma xenograft models in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitant with tumor growth inhibition, immune cell infiltrates were observed with elevated numbers of macrophage and dendritic cells, along with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in AO-176 treated animals. When combined with bortezomib, AO-176 was able to elicit complete tumor regression (100% CR in 10/10 animals treated with either 10 or 25 mg/kg AO-176 + 1 mg/kg bortezomib) with no detectable tumor out to 100 days at study termination. Overall survival was also greatly improved following combination therapy compared to animals treated with bortezomib or AO-176 alone. These data show that AO-176 exhibits promising monotherapy and combination therapy activity, both in vitro and in vivo, against hematologic cancers. These findings also add to the previously reported anti-tumor efficacy exhibited by AO-176 in solid tumor xenografts representing ovarian, gastric and breast cancer. With AO-176's highly differentiated MOA and binding characteristics, it may have the potential to improve upon the safety and efficacy profiles relative to other agents in this class. AO-176 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03834948) for the treatment of patients with select solid tumors. Disclosures Richards: Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Other: Salary. Bouchlaka:Arch Oncology Inc.: Consultancy, Equity Ownership. Puro:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Capoccia:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Hiebsch:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Donio:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Wilson:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Chakraborty:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Sung:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership. Pereira:Arch Oncology Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1592-1592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica J Huck ◽  
Mengkun Zhang ◽  
Marc L Hyer ◽  
Mark G Manfredi

Abstract Aurora A kinase is a serine/threonine protein kinase that is essential for normal transit of cells through mitosis. In many tumor types the Aurora A gene is amplified and/or the protein is over-expressed. The Aurora A small-molecule inhibitor MLN8237 demonstrated robust tumor growth inhibition in xenograft models of solid tumors grown subcutaneously (S.C.) in immunocompromised mice. Here we explored the antitumor activity of MLN8237 in models of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) both in vitro and in vivo. In vivo three established DLBCL xenograft models (OCI-Ly7, OCI-Ly19, and WSU-DLCL2; all cells expressing luciferase) and a primary DLBCL tumor model PHTX-22-06 were tested using MLN8237 at different doses. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that is active against CD20+ malignant B cells and is a standard of care agent was used for comparison. Using these model systems, tumor cells were injected either I.V. (to evaluate disseminated disease), or S.C. in severe combined immunodeficient mice (SCID). Animals were dosed orally for 21 days with MLN8237 (QD or BID) at various doses, or Rituximab dosed at 10mg/kg IV (once/week) and tumor growth inhibition was monitored using either bioluminescent imaging for the disseminated models or vernier calipers for the S.C. models. Tumor growth inhibition by MLN8237 was dose dependent with 20 mg/kg bid being the most efficacious dose (TGI>100% in both disseminated OCI-Ly19 and WSU models). All animals in the OCI-Ly19 disseminated model 20 mg/kg BID treatment group demonstrated regressions and remained disease free until the end of the study, day 65. In this study the Rituximab treated animals were euthanized on day 31 due to a high level of tumor burden. In the primary tumor model, PHTX-22-06, MLN8237 dosed at 20 mg/kg BID was also the most efficacious with a TGI of 95%. Moreover, tumor growth inhibition was durable as determined by prolonged tumor growth delay (>50 days). Significant efficacy was achieved in all models tested, whether grown as disseminated or subcutaneous models. A noted increase in durability of response was observed with MLN8237 treatment when compared with previous data from solid tumor models. In vitro, MLN8237 treatment increased levels of apoptosis in the OCI-Ly19 cells in comparison to the solid tumor cell line HCT-116 (colon). Greater Annexin V positive cells and greater cleaved PARP and Caspase-3 signals were detected in the MLN8237 treated OCI-Ly19 cells when compared to HCT-116 cells. The demonstration of robust and durable anti-tumor activity in preclinical models treated with MLN8237 provides the basis for its clinical evaluation as a treatment option for DLBCL. MLN8237 is currently in multiple Phase I clinical trials.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. e48654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Bianchi ◽  
Fabio Morandi ◽  
Michele Cilli ◽  
Antonio Daga ◽  
Chiara Bocelli-Tyndall ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emine Öksüzoğlu ◽  
Gül Kozalak

AbstractBackgroundMultiple myeloma (MM), a malignancy of plasma cells, is the second most prevalent hematological cancer. Bortezomib is the most effective chemotherapeutic drug used in treatment. However, drug-resistance prevents success of chemotherapy. One of the factors causing drug-resistance is dysfunction of apoptotic-pathways. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3 and p-53 genes involved in apoptosis and the development of bortezomib-resistance in MM cell lines.Materials and methodsMultiple myeloma KMS20 (bortezomib-resistant) and KMS28 (bortezomib-sensitive) cell lines were used. 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl] 1-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to determine IC50 values of bortezomib. RNAs were isolated from bortezomib-treated cell lines, followed by cDNA synthesis. Expression levels of the genes were analyzed by using q-Realtime-PCR.ResultsAs a result, Bcl-2/Bax ratio was higher in KMS20 (resistant) cells than in KMS28 (sensitive) cells. Expression of caspase-3 decreased in KMS20-cells, whereas increased in KMS28-cells. The results indicate that apoptosis was suppressed in resistant cells.ConclusionThese findings will enable us to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to drug-resistance in MM cells and to develop new methods to prevent the resistance. Consequently, preventing the development of bortezomib resistance by eliminating the factors which suppress apoptosis may be a new hope for MM treatment.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 3820-3820
Author(s):  
Yi Tao ◽  
Zhimin Gu ◽  
Ye Yang ◽  
Hongwei Xu ◽  
Xiaojing Hu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We have recently established that increased chromosomal instability (CIN) signature is linked to drug resistance and poor outcome in multiple myeloma (MM) and other cancers. Thyroid Hormone Receptor Interactor 13 (Trip13), one of the 56 drug-resistant genes, plays a key role in chromosomal recombination and structure development during meiosis and has been reported to be increased in some malignancies including lung cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer. In this study, we investigated how important Trip13 is in myelomagenesis and progression. Materials and Methods Gene expression profiling (GEP) was analyzed on plasma cells from 22 healthy donors, 44 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), 351 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, and 9 human myeloma cell lines, as well as on 36 sequential samples at diagnosis, pre-1st, pre-2nd and post-2nd autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Over-expression and knock-down experiments of Trip13 were performed on myeloma cell lines by lentivirus transfection. Cell viability was assessed by trypan exclusion assay. Western blots were used to detect the expression of Trip13, P31 comet, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP, and checkpoint related proteins MAD2 and CDC20 in Trip13 overexpressed or Trip13 shRNA-transfected myeloma cells. Results Sequential GEP samples showed that Trip13 expression increased in 8 of 9 patients after chemotherapy and ASCT compared to the samples at diagnosis strongly suggesting that increased Trip13 is associated with drug resistance. Trip13 was already significantly increased in MGUS patients, newly diagnosed MM patients and MM cell lines compared with normal plasma cells. Furthermore, Trip13 was significantly higher in high-risk MMs than in low-risk MMs and increased Trip13 was linked to an inferior event-free survival (EFS) (p<0.01) and overall survival (OS) (p<0.01) in 351 newly diagnosed MMs. In contrast, the Trip13-interacting gene P31 comet was down-regulated in high-risk MMs and high expression of P31 was associated with good outcome. Interestingly, patients with high Trip13 and low P31 comet have the worst outcome compared to patients with only one of these, suggesting the interaction of Trip 13 and p31 has a synergistic effect on MM progression. Transfection of Trip13 into ARP1 and OCI-My5 cells significantly increased cell proliferation, while knock-down Trip13 in OCI-My5, H929, RPMI8226 cells inhibited cell growth and induced MM cell apoptosis with increases of cleaved caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP. Mechanistic studies showed that Trip13 over-expression decreased P31comet and MAD2 expression by western blotting, but increased CDC20. Conclusions The association of increased Trip13 and decreased p31 is a good biomarker for MM drug resistance and poor prognosis. Our results also show Trip13 and P31 comet could be potential targets to overcome drug resistance in MM. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 3022-3022
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Carew ◽  
Claudia M. Espitia ◽  
Weiguo Zhao ◽  
Valeria Visconte ◽  
Kevin R. Kelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy and represents the second most common adult hematologic malignancy in the United States. MM is relatively asymptomatic during its early stages and as a result, the majority of patients have advanced disease at diagnosis. Innovations in the treatment of MM, including the development of proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib (Velcade) have improved clinical outcomes. However, many patients fail to respond to these agents or relapse after initial response highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Constitutive activation of the MYC oncogene is a frequent pathogenic event in MM that drives disease progression. Aberrant MYC transcriptional activity can increase the levels of a number of factors that are associated with disease progression and drug resistance making it an appealing therapeutic target. Recent studies have demonstrated that inhibition of bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) protein family members including BRD4 decreases the expression of c-MYC and other key oncogenic factors. Here, we demonstrate that shRNA-mediated knockdown of BRD4 or treatment with the BET antagonist JQ1 decreased the expression of c-MYC, BCL-xL, and BCL-2, induced p21 levels, diminished cell viability, and triggered apoptosis in MM cell lines. Comprehensive gene expression profiling of the pharmacodynamic effects of JQ1 revealed that the histone deacetylase HDAC6 was also highly significantly elevated in all MM cell lines and primary patient specimens treated with this agent. Several earlier studies demonstrated that aberrant HDAC6 expression/activity contributes to malignant progression and resistance to a number of classes of anticancer agents including proteasome inhibitors. Based on the roles of HDAC6 in malignant pathogenesis, we hypothesized that its induction may reduce the anti-myeloma activity of JQ1. To test this hypothesis, we utilized both genetic and pharmacological approaches to impair HDAC6 function [shRNA-mediated knockdown of HDAC6, the pan-HDAC inhibitor vorinostat, and the HDAC6-selective inhibitor ACY-1215 (rocilinostat)] and evaluated the consequential impact on the anti-MM effects of JQ1. Notably, antagonzing HDAC6 activity synergistically enhanced the activity of JQ1 in a panel of MM cell lines. These effects were also observed in primary CD138+ cells obtained from patients with MM in a manner that was not affected by prior treatment history. The increased efficacy of these therapeutic combinations was associated with further reductions in c-MYC, BCL-2, and BCL-xL along with significant increases in apoptosis induction as evidenced by enhanced caspase-3 cleavage and DNA fragmentation. Importantly, administration of ACY-1215 was very well tolerated (less than 5% mean transient reduction in body weight) and significantly augmented the in vivo anti-myeloma activity of JQ1 in the RPMI-8226 MM xenograft model as disease burden in combination treated animals was substantially lower than those that received either monotherapy. Immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that the combination of JQ1 and ACY-1215 led to significantly lower MM cell proliferation (PCNA), increased apoptosis (active caspase-3), and diminished expression of c-MYC and BCL-2. These data suggest for the first time that induction of HDAC6 may represent a key mechanism that promotes drug resistance and limits the efficacy of bromodomain inhibitor therapy. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that abrogation of HDAC6 activity with ACY-1215 or vorinostat is a novel approach to augment the efficacy of bromodomain inhibitors in MM that warrants further investigation. Disclosures Carew: Boehringer Ingelheim: Research Funding.


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