Microrna-138 Regulates Osteogenic Differentiation and Its Inhibition Presents a Novel Therapeutic Line to Prevent Bone Lytic Lesions in Multiple Myeloma

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 4483-4483
Author(s):  
Shokichi Tsukamoto ◽  
Karma Salem ◽  
Salomon Manier ◽  
Michaela R. Reagan ◽  
Daisy Huynh ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction The bone marrow (BM) microenvironment in multiple myeloma (MM) plays a pivotal role in tumor growth and bone destructive process. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in MM exhibit different genomic and cytokine secretion profiles that ultimately impair their osteogenic differentiation abilities compared to normal MSCs. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In the present study, we explored the role of miR-138 in MSCs derived from MM patients (MM-MSCs) and the potential for anti-miR-138 treatment to rescue impaired osteogenic differentiation in MM, both in vitro and in vivo using a human xenograft MM model. Materials and methods Primary BM aspirates were obtained from MM patients and normal healthy donors, after obtaining informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. MiR-138 expression in MM-MSCs was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Publicly available microarray data sets (GSE17306 and E-TABM-508) were analyzed for miR-138 expression in MM cells compared to normal plasma cells. To test the effect of inhibiting miR-138 function, a high-affinity 15-mer locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified anti-miR oligonucleotide and a corresponding scramble sequence control oligonucleotide were used (In collaboration with Dr. Kauppinen, Denmark). Anti-miR-138 oligonucleotides were transfected into MM-MSCs or normal MSCs co-cultured with MM cell lines and osteogenic differentiation in MSCs was assessed by alizarin red staining. For the in vivo studies, 6-week-old female SCID-beige mice (n=6, each group) were injected intravenously with anti-miR-138 or scramble control oligonucleotides (15 mg/kg) 2 times a week. 3 weeks later, GFP+Luc+ MM.1S cells (3 × 106) were injected into mice. Anti-miR-138 or control oligonucleotides were continued until day 28 after injection of myeloma cells. At day 28, the effect of anti-miR138 was assessed by the number of osteoblastic lineage cell (OBC: Lin-/CD45-/CD31-/CD51+/Sca-1-) from hematopoietic cell-depleted, collagenase-treated crushed bones of mice by flow cytometry. Results MiR-138 expression in MSCs from MM patients (n=10) was significantly higher than MSCs from normal donors (n = 4) (P<0.05). In addition, miR-138 expression was significantly higher in MM patient tumor cells compared to normal plasma cells using two independent data sets (GSE17306 and E-TABM-508), (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively). In three-dimensional co-culture system of MSCs from normal donors (n=6) with MM.1S cells for 2 weeks (GSE60423), miR-138 expression was increased in 4 out of 6 donors compared to MSCs cultured alone (P<0.05). MM-MSCs (n≥3) transfected in vitro with anti-miR-138 oligonucleotides showed significantly increased osteogenic differentiation after 3-4 weeks compared to MSCs with scramble control oligonucleotides (P<0.01). Under in vitro two-dimensional co-culture conditions with MM cell lines, normal MSCs transfected with anti-miR-138 oligonucleotides showed significantly increased osteogenic differentiation compared to MSCs with scramble control oligonucleotides (P<0.001). In an in vivo human xenograft MM model, treatment of anti-miR-138 significantly increased the number of OBCs in the endosteal (Lin-/CD45-) BM stromal fraction of MM bearing SCID-beige mice at day 28 compared to scramble control oligonucleotides (P<0.05). Conclusions These findings indicate that miR-138 plays an important role in impaired osteogenic differentiation in MSCs in MM. Inhibition of miR-138 promotes osteogenic differentiation of MSCs in MM and anti-miR-138 treatment holds the potential to prevent MM induced bone loss and lytic lesions. Additional studies are ongoing to further understand the connection between MM cells and MSCs mediated by miR-138. Disclosures Roccaro: Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited: Honoraria. Ghobrial:Novartis: Honoraria; Noxxon: Honoraria; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding.

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 1831-1831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Mangone ◽  
Luigi Scotto ◽  
Enrica Marchi ◽  
Owen A. O'Connor ◽  
Hearn J. Cho

Abstract Abstract 1831 Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy. Although there are effective new agents that can induce remission, relapse is inevitable and the disease is currently incurable. Progress in the treatment of this disease demands development of novel therapeutics and identification of functional biomarkers that may be used to distinguish tumors that are susceptible to specific targeted agents, creating a “personalized” therapeutic strategy for individual patients. We investigated these principles with anti-folates, which are not commonly used in MM but have demonstrated activity in this disease. Pralatrexate (PDX, 10-propargyl 10-deazaaminopterin) is a folate analogue that was rationally designed to have high affinity for Reduced Folate Carrier (RFC)-1, an oncofetal protein expressed in many cancers that actively transports folates into cells. PDX induced dose-dependent apoptotic cell death in a subset of human myeloma cell lines (HMCL) and CD138+ MM cells isolated from a clinical specimen. In sensitive cell lines, PDX exhibited 10-fold greater potency compared to the structurally related drug methotrexate (MTX). PDX induced dose-dependent, intrinsic apoptosis in sensitive HMCLs, characterized by cleavage of caspase-3 and -9 and accompanied by the loss of full-length Mcl-1, a Bcl-2 family protein that plays a critical role in drug-induced apoptosis in MM. Furthermore, the activity of PDX is not abrogated by the presence of exogenous interleukin-6 or by co-culture with HS-5 bone marrow stromal cells, both of which exert powerful survival effects on MM cells and can antagonize apoptosis in response to some cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs. Sensitivity to PDX-induced apoptosis correlated with higher relative levels of RFC-1 mRNA in sensitive compared to resistant HMCL. Resistant HMCL also exhibited a dose-dependent up-regulation of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) protein, a primary molecular target for anti-folates, in response to PDX exposure, whereas sensitive HMCL did not. These changes in functional folate metabolism biomarkers, high baseline RFC-1 expression and upregulation of DHFR in response to PDX, appeared to be mutually exclusive to sensitive or resistant HMCL, respectively. Importantly, PDX was also effective against sensitive HMCL in vivo in a novel mouse xenograft model. NOD/Shi-scid/IL-2Rγnull (NOG) mice were inoculated with MM.1s HMCL stably transduced to express both GFP and luciferase (GFP-luc). GFP-luc MM.1s cells engrafted into the long bones, pelvis, and vertebral column of NOG mice within 4–7 days after injection of cells, as assessed by in vivo bioluminescent imaging. Treatment with PDX resulted in a significant reduction in tumor burden after two doses. These results demonstrate that PDX has potent anti-myeloma activity in vitro and in vivo, and that RFC-1 expression and DHFR upregulation are robust functional biomarkers that may identify patients who are likely to benefit from PDX therapy. These data support further exploration of PDX therapy in clinical trials for MM and investigation of folate metabolism biomarkers as indices for treatment with this class of drugs. Improved anti-folates such as PDX are a promising class of agents that may be a valuable addition to the arsenal against MM. Disclosures: O'Connor: Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Merck: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Spectrum: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 277-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inger S. Nijhof ◽  
Willy A. Noort ◽  
Jeroen Lammerts van Bueren ◽  
Berris van Kessel ◽  
Joost M. Bakker ◽  
...  

Abstract Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable malignancy of clonal plasma cells. Although the new generation of immunomodulatory agents, such as lenalidomide (LEN), and the potent proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BORT) have significantly improved the overall survival of MM patients, all chemotherapy strategies are eventually hampered by the development of drug-resistance. The outcome of patients who are refractory to thalidomide, lenalidomide (LEN) and bortezomib (BORT) is very poor. Set out with the idea that targeted immunotherapy with human antibodies may offer new perspectives for MM patients, we have recently developed daratumumab (DARA), a CD38 human antibody with broad-spectrum killing activity, mainly via ADCC (antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity) and CDC (complement dependent cytotoxicity). In our previous preclinical studies and in current clinical phase I/II trials, DARA induces marked anti-MM activity. Based on these encouraging results, we now explored the potential activity of DARA for patients who are refractory to LEN- and/or BORT. In a recently developed human-mouse hybrid model that allows the in vivo engraftment and outgrowth of patient-derived primary myeloma cells in immune deficient Rag2-/-gc-/- mice, single dose DARA treatment appeared to effectively inhibit the malignant expansion of primary MM cells derived from a LEN- and BORT-refractory patient, indicating the potential efficacy of DARA even in LEN/BORT refractory patients. To substantiate the conclusions of these in vivo data, we conducted in vitro assays, in which full BM-MNCs from LEN (n=11) and LEN/BORT (n=8) refractory patients were treated with DARA alone or the combination of DARA with LEN or BORT to induce MM cell lysis. As expected, LEN alone induced no or little lysis of MM cells in the LEN-refractory patients and also BORT was not able to induce any lysis in the BORT-refractory patients. On the contrary, DARA induced substantial levels of MM cell lysis in all LEN and LEN/BORT-refractory patients. This lysis was significantly enhanced by combination with LEN or BORT. The combination of DARA and BORT improved MM lysis by additive mechanisms. However, LEN improved DARA-mediated lysis of MM cells in a synergistic manner through the activation of effector cells involved in DARA-mediated ADCC. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that DARA is also effective against multiple myeloma cells derived from LEN- and BORT-refractory patients. Especially LEN seems to improve responses in a synergistic manner. Our results provide a rationale for clinical evaluation of DARA in combination with LEN to achieve more effective results in LEN- and BORT-refractory patients. Disclosures: Lammerts van Bueren: Genmab: Employment. Bakker:Genmab: Employment. Parren:Genmab: Employment. van de Donk:Celgene: Research Funding. Lokhorst:Genmab A/S: Consultancy, Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria; Johnson-Cilag: Honoraria; Mudipharma: Honoraria.


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 3493-3493
Author(s):  
Ahmad-Samer Samer Al-Homsi ◽  
Zhongbin Lai ◽  
Tara Sabrina Roy ◽  
Niholas Kouttab

Abstract Introduction Constitutive and immunoproteasome inhibitors (C&IPI) were thought to suppress nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway by preventing IκB degradation, which prevents NF-κB translocation into the nucleus. This mechanism of action has since been questioned by a number of studies. First, bortezomib promoted constitutive NF-κB activity in endothelial cell carcinoma. Second, NF-κB constitutive activity was resistant to bortezomib in multiple myeloma cell lines. Third, bortezomib increased IκB mRNA but post-transcriptionally downregulated IκB in normal cells and in multiple myeloma cell lines resulting in induced canonical NF-κB activation. Lastly, bortezomib increased nuclear levels of IκB as opposed to lowering cytoplasmic levels in cutaneous T cell lymphoma cell line suggesting that nuclear translocation of IκB was possibly responsible for NF-κB inhibition. The inhibitory activity of C&IPI on dendritic cells (DC) is of interest in the prevention of graft versus host disease (GvHD). It has been shown that different C&IPI impede DC maturation and T cell priming both in vitro and in vivo. Herein we sought to understand the mechanism of action of proteasome and immunoproteasome inhibitors on DC and to test their effect on IκB and NF-IκB expression. Materials and Methods We first performed RT PCR on lysates of DC obtained from the peripheral blood of 7 patients who received post-transplant cyclophosphamide and bortezomib as prevention of GvHD on a phase I clinical trial. Patients received allogeneic transplantation from matched-related or unrelated donors. Patients received no other immunosuppressive therapy except for rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin for those receiving graft from unrelated donor. Steroids were not allowed on the study. Samples were obtained on days +1, +4, and +7. The results were analyzed in comparison to samples obtained on day 0 before stem cell infusion. We then performed the same experiment on lysates of DC obtained from the peripheral blood of healthy volunteer donors. DC were untreated or incubated with bortezomib (10 nM for 4 h), carfilzomib (30 nM for 1 h), oprozomib (100 nM and 300 nM for 4 h), ONX 0914 (200 nM for 1 h), PR-825 (125 nM for 1 h), or PR-924 (1000 nM for 1 h). The drug concentration and duration of exposure were chosen based on the IC50 on proteasome activity and to reproduce in vivo conditions. We also performed IκB western blot on DC isolated from peripheral blood of healthy volunteers, untreated or incubated with bortezomib (10 nM for 4 h) or oprozomib (300 nM for 4 h). Each experiment was performed at least in triplicate. Results We found that the combination of cyclophosphamide and bortezomib significantly and progressively increased IκB mRNA while decreasing NF-κB mRNA in DC studied ex vivo. We also found that all studied C&IPI increased IκB mRNA to a variable degree while only oprozomib (300 nM) decreased NF-κB mRNA in DC in vitro. Finally, both bortezomib and oprozomib increased IκB protein level in DC in vitro (figure). Conclusion Our data suggest that C&IPI increase IκB expression in DC. As opposed to the previously reported data in other cell types, the effect is not associated with post-transcriptional downregulation. Cyclophosphamide and bortezomib also decrease NF-κB expression in DC in vivo while only oprozomib had the same effect in vitro. The effect of C&IPI on IκB and NF-κB expression may represent a new mechanism of action and suggests their effect may be cell-type dependent. Disclosures: Al-Homsi: Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding. Off Label Use: The use of cyclophosphamide and bortezomib for GvHD prevention. Lai:Millennium Pharmaceuticals: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3100-3100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Flanagan ◽  
Muntasir M Majumder ◽  
Romika Kumari ◽  
Juho Miettinen ◽  
Ana Slipicevic ◽  
...  

Background: Immunoglobulin light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare disease caused by plasma cell secretion of misfolded light chains that assemble as amyloid fibrils and deposit on vital organs including the heart and kidneys, causing organ dysfunction. Plasma cell directed therapeutics, aimed at preferentially eliminating the clonal population of amyloidogenic cells in bone marrow are expected to reduce production of toxic light chain and alleviate deposition of amyloid thereby restoring healthy organ function. Melphalan flufenamide ethyl ester, melflufen, is a peptidase potentiated alkylating agent with potent toxicity in myeloma cells. Melflufen is highly lipophilic, permitting rapid cellular uptake, and is subsequently enzymatically cleaved by aminopeptidases within cells resulting in augmented intracellular concentrations of toxic molecules, providing a more targeted and localized treatment. Previous data demonstrating multiple myeloma plasma cell sensitivity for melflufen suggests that the drug might be useful to directly eliminate amyloidogenic plasma cells, thereby reducing the amyloid load in patients. Furthermore, the increased intracellular concentrations of melflufen in myeloma cells indicates a potential reduction in systemic toxicity in patients, an important factor in the fragile amyloidosis patient population. To assess potential efficacy in amyloidosis patients and to explore the mechanism of action, we examined effects of melflufen on amyloidogenic plasma cells invitro and invivo. Methods: Cellular toxicity and apoptosis were measured in response to either melflufen or melphalan in multiple malignant human plasma cell lines, including the amyloidosis patient derived light chain secreting ALMC-1 and ALMC-2 cells, as well as primary bone marrow cells from AL amyloidosis patients, using annexin V and live/dead cell staining by multicolor flow cytometry, and measurement of cleaved caspases. Lambda light chain was measured in supernatant by ELISA, and intracellular levels were detected by flow cytometry. To assess efficacy of melflufen in vivo, the light chain secreting human myeloma cell line, JJN3, was transduced with luciferase and adoptively transferred into NSG mice. Cell death in response to melflufen or melphalan was measured by in vivo bioluminescence, and serum light chain was monitored. Results: Melflufen demonstrated increased potency against multiple myeloma cell lines compared to melphalan, inducing malignant plasma cell death at lower doses on established light chain secreting plasma cell lines. While ALMC-1 cells were sensitive to both melphalan and melflufen, the IC50 for melphalan at 960 nM was approximately 3-fold higher than melflufen (334 nM). However, ALMC-2 cells were relatively insensitive to melphalan (12600 nM), but maintained a 100-fold increase in sensitivity to melflufen (121 nM). Furthermore, while 40% of primary CD138+ plasma cells from patients with diagnosed AL amyloidosis responded to melflufen treatment in vitro, only 20% responded to melphalan with consistently superior IC50 values for melflufen (Figure 1). Light chain secreting cell lines and AL amyloidosis patient samples were further analyzed by single cell sequencing. We further examined differential effects on apoptosis and the unfolded protein response in vitro in response to either melflufen or melphalan. This is of particular interest in amyloidosis, where malignant antibody producing plasma cells possess an increased requirement for mechanisms to cope with the amplified load of unfolded protein and associated ER stress. As AL amyloidosis is ultimately a disease mediated by secretion of toxic immunoglobulin, we assessed the effects of melflufen on the production of light chain invitro, measuring a decrease in production of light chain in response to melflufen treatment. Finally, we took advantage of a recently described adoptive transfer mouse model of amyloidosis to assess the efficacy of melflufen and melphalan in eliminating amyloidogenic clones and reducing the levels of toxic serum light chain in vivo. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that melflufen mediated toxicity, previously described in myeloma cells, extends to amyloidogenic plasma cells and further affects the ability of these cells to produce and secrete toxic light chain. This data supports the rationale for the evaluation of melflufen in patients with AL amyloidosis. Figure 1 Disclosures Flanagan: Oncopeptides AB: Employment. Slipicevic:Oncopeptides AB: Employment. Holstein:Celgene: Consultancy; Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Adaptive Biotechnologies: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GSK: Consultancy; Genentech: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sorrento: Consultancy. Lehmann:Oncopeptides AB: Employment. Nupponen:Oncopeptides AB: Employment. Heckman:Celgene: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Oncopeptides: Research Funding; Orion Pharma: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1419-1419
Author(s):  
Soraya Wuilleme-Toumi ◽  
Nelly Robillard ◽  
Patricia Gomez-Bougie ◽  
Philippe Moreau ◽  
Steven Le Gouill ◽  
...  

Abstract Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a fatal malignancy of B-cell origin characterized by the accumulation of plasma cells within the bone marrow. The expression of the pro-survival members of the Bcl-2 family has been shown to be a key process in the survival of myeloma cells. More particularly, Mcl-1 expression turned out to be critical for their survival. Indeed, knockdown of Mcl-1 by antisenses induces apoptosis in myeloma cells. Finally, Mcl-1 was found to be the only anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member which level of expression was modified by cytokine treatment of myeloma cells. For these reasons, we have evaluated the expression of Mcl-1 in vivo in normal, reactive and malignant plasma cells (PC) i.e., myeloma cells from 55 patients with MM and 20 human myeloma cell lines using flow cytometry. We show that Mcl-1 is overexpressed in MM in comparison with normal bone marrow PC. Forty-seven percent of patients with MM at diagnosis (p=.017) and 80% at relapse (p=.014 for comparison with diagnosis) overexpress Mcl-1. Of note, only myeloma cell lines but not reactive plasmocytoses have abnormal Mcl-1 expression, although both plasmocyte expansion entities share similar high proliferation rates (&gt;20%). Of interest, Bcl-2 as opposed to Mcl-1, does not discriminate malignant from normal PC. This shows that the overexpression of Mcl-1 is clearly related to malignancy rather than to proliferation. It will be important to know whether the overexpression of Mcl-1 is related to an abnormal response to cytokines like Interleukin-6 or to mutations of the promoter of the Mcl-1 gene as already described in B chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Finally, level of Mcl-1 expression is related to disease severity, the highest values being correlated with the shortest event-free survival (p=.01). In conclusion, Mcl-1 which has been shown to be essential for the survival of human myeloma cells in vitro is overexpressed in vivo in MM and correlates with disease severity. Mcl-1 represents a major therapeutical target in MM.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 508-508
Author(s):  
Carolina D. Schinke ◽  
Pingping Qu ◽  
Shmuel Yaccoby ◽  
Valeriy V Lyzogubov ◽  
Veronica MacLeod ◽  
...  

Introduction - Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by clonal growth of differentiated plasma cells (PCs). Despite improvement in MM therapy, the disease remains mostly incurable and is characterized by recurrent relapses with development of resistant clones that eventually lead to patient death. The pathways that lead to resistant and aggressive MM are not fully understood highlighting the need to improve our understanding of MM biology to identify potential new pathways and therapeutical targets. PHD Finger Protein 19 (PHF19) is a regulator of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), the sole methyltransferase complex capable of catalyzing H3K27me3 to induce and enforce gene repression. PRC2 employs enhancer of zeste homolog 1 and 2 (EZH1/EZH2) as enzymatic subunits to hypermethylate H3K27. While overexpression and gain of function mutations of EZH1/2 have been observed in many cancers the role of this particular pathway in MM remains poorly understood. In the present study, we report on PHF19 as a new candidate gene to play a potential crucial role in MM oncogenesis. Methods- Gene expression profiling (GEP; Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0) was performed on 739 MM patients (from total therapy trials [TT] 3-5; low risk MM n=636, high risk MM n=103), 42 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), 73 smoldering MM patients, 42 patients with primary plasma cell leukemia and 34 healthy donors. Myeloma risk was determined by the GEP 70 signature as previously defined. To test the implications of functional PHF19 knock down (KD) we used TRIPZ inducible PHF19 shRNA vs. scrambled control (Dharmacon) in two MM cell lines (JJN3 and ARP1). Real time PCR as well as western blotting was used to confirm PHF19 KD as well as to elucidate the effect on H3K27me3 (Cell Signaling). Functional in vitro studies included proliferation (Promega), clonogenic assays (StemCell), cell cycle and apoptosis assays (both Invitrogen). In vivo studies were performed using SCID mice that were subjected to tail vain injection with PHF19 KD JJN3 cells (n=10) or scrambled shRNA control (n=10). Weekly ELISA (Bethyl) and in vivo imaging (Xenogen) were performed and survival was recorded. Results- GEP of the previously mentioned patient populations and healthy controls identified PHF19 (chr9q33.2) as a candidate gene that was consistently dysregulated in MM patients. Mean expression levels at different MM stages correlated with disease aggressiveness (ANOVA, p&lt;0.0001), Figure 1. High expression of PHF19 (log2&gt;10.46) at diagnosis correlated significantly with adverse clinical parameters, including ISS III, anemia and elevated LDH, as well as worse overall survival (5 yr OS = 29% for patients with high PHF19 expression vs 77% for patients with low PHF19 expression [log2&lt;10.46], p&lt; 0.0001). These results led us to test the implications of functional PHF19 KD using TRIPZ inducible PHF19 shRNA vs. scrambled control in the JJN3 and ARP1 MM cell lines. PHF19 KD led to a drastic reduction of H3K27me3 thereby resulting in significantly reduced proliferation via cell cycle arrest, while apoptosis was not substantially altered. Clonogenic assays showed a significant reduction in colony numbers and size of MM cells with PHF19 KD compared to the control (&gt;75% reduction in both cell lines, p&lt;0.05). Xenograft studies showed consistently less tumor burden in the mice injected with PHF19 KD cells compared to scrambled control, evident through ELISA testing for IgG Kappa (Median =180 mg/ml for scrambled control vs 80 mg/ml for PHF19 KD at week 8, p=0.07) and bioimaging (Median bioilumisence 2.1x108 p/s for scrambled control vs. 0.8x108 p/s for PHF19 KD at week 8, non-significant). Median OS in mice injected with PHF19 KD cell was substantially longer (66 days) compared to mice subjected to scrambled control cells (54 days), p=0.052. Conclusion- In summary we show that PHF19 is upregulated in malignant plasma cells of MM patients and that PHF19 expression levels increase with advanced MM stages. High PHF19 expression was a marker of adverse prognosis in our total therapy (TT 3-5) cohort. Most importantly, in-vitro and in-vivo functional studies showed that PHF19 has important biological functions in MM. These results suggest that epigenetic regulation through histone methylation, in particular, H3K27 trimethylation, plays a crucial role in MM and the affected downstream pathways should be further elucidated. Disclosures Boyle: Janssen: Honoraria, Other: Travel; Abbvie: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria, Other: travel; Takeda: Honoraria, Other: travel; Celgene Corporation: Honoraria, Other: Travel. van Rhee:Kite Pharma: Consultancy; Adicet Bio: Consultancy; Karyopharm Therapeutics: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Sanofi Genzyme: Consultancy; Castleman Disease Collaborative Network: Consultancy; EUSA: Consultancy. Walker:Celgene: Research Funding.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 103 (6) ◽  
pp. 2332-2336 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Matsui ◽  
Carol Ann Huff ◽  
Qiuju Wang ◽  
Matthew T. Malehorn ◽  
James Barber ◽  
...  

Abstract The identity of the cells responsible for the initiation and maintenance of multiple myeloma (MM) remains unclear largely because of the difficulty growing MM cells in vitro and in vivo. MM cell lines and clinical specimens are characterized by malignant plasma cells that express the cell surface antigen syndecan-1 (CD138); however, CD138 expression is limited to terminally differentiated plasma cells during B-cell development. Moreover, circulating B cells that are clonally related to MM plasma cells have been reported in some patients with MM. We found that human MM cell lines contained small (&lt; 5%) subpopulations that lacked CD138 expression and had greater clonogenic potential in vitro than corresponding CD138+ plasma cells. CD138- cells from clinical MM samples were similarly clonogenic both in vitro and in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice, whereas CD138+ cells were not. Furthermore, CD138- cells from both cell lines and clinical samples phenotypically resembled postgerminal center B cells, and their clonogenic growth was inhibited by the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab. These data suggest that MM “stem cells” are CD138- B cells with the ability to replicate and subsequently differentiate into malignant CD138+ plasma cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (7) ◽  
pp. 995-1002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilyas Sahin ◽  
Yawara Kawano ◽  
Romanos Sklavenitis-Pistofidis ◽  
Michele Moschetta ◽  
Yuji Mishima ◽  
...  

Abstract Citron Rho-interacting serine/threonine kinase (CIT) is a serine/threonine kinase that acts as a key component of the midbody and is essential for cytokinesis. CIT has been reported to be highly expressed in some tumor tissues and to play a role in cancer proliferation; however, the significance of CIT has not been investigated in multiple myeloma (MM). Here, we identified, by protein microarray and immunohistochemistry, that CIT is 1 of the upregulated proteins in the plasma cells of MM patients compared with healthy controls. Analysis of a gene expression profile data set showed that MM patients with high CIT gene expression had significantly worse overall survival compared with MM patients with low CIT gene expression. CIT silencing in MM cell lines induced cytokinesis failure and resulted in decreased MM cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. TP53 expression was found to be an independent predictor of CIT dependency, with low-TP53 cell lines exhibiting a strong dependency on CIT. This study provides the rationale for CIT being a potential therapeutic target in MM in future trials.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1821-1821
Author(s):  
Mario I Vega ◽  
Yijiang Shi ◽  
Patrick Frost ◽  
Sara Huerta-Yepez ◽  
Alan Lichtenstein

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological disorder characterized by a proliferation of malignant monoclonal plasma cells in the bone marrow (BM) and / or in extramedullary sites. Despite recent progress in OS rates, MM remains an incurable disease and most patients will relapse and require treatment. Deptor is a component of mTOR complexes and a constitutive inhibitor of their activities. It is known that the inhibition of Deptor results in the inhibition of the proliferation and induction of apoptosis in MM cells. In addition, high levels of Deptor are predictive of a poor response to conventional therapies, indicating that Deptor expression are important as a prognostic marker for patients with myeloma and is a possible therapeutic target. Our group previously identified a drug which prevents mTOR-Deptor binding (NSC126405) and induces cellular cytotoxicity in MM (Shi Y, et al 2016). In this study, we developed a new related chemical inhibitor (43 M) capable of inducing the inhibition of the mTOR / Deptor interaction and results in the negative regulation of Deptor that leads to the inhibition of proliferation and induces apoptosis in several MM cell lines. The cytotoxic effect of 43 M is not dependent of caspase activation and induces the activation of p70 and AKT (T308). This leads to the induction of apoptosis in MM cell lines and tumor cells derived from MM patients. The degradation of Deptor induced by 43 M is dependent on the proteasome complex since it was prevented in the presence of MG132. In vivo, 43 M prevents the expression of Deptor in a xenograft tumor, and delayed tumor growth and interestingly, induces the eradication of tumors in 40% of mice in a murine model of MM, without significant toxic implications. Recent studies show that Deptor expression protects MM cells against Bortezomib treatment, suggesting that anti-Deptor drugs can synergize with proteasome inhibitors (PIs). However, the combination of 43 M + Bortezomib was not synergistic, and was antagonistic in vitro. These results are probably due to the prevention of the proteasomal degradation of Deptor, suggesting a possible use of the 43 M inhibitor in MM in the absence of the current PIs. This study describes for the first time the possible role of Deptor as a therapeutic target using a chemical inhibitor capable of degrading and inducing a cytotoxic effect in MM cell lines. In addition, Deptor is reported as an important therapeutic target in an in vivo MM model. Shi Y, Daniels-Wells TR, Frost P, Lee J, Finn RS, Bardeleben C, Penichet ML, Jung ME, Gera J, Lichtenstein A. Cytotoxic Properties of a DEPTOR-mTOR Inhibitor in Multiple Myeloma Cells. Cancer Res. 2016 Oct 1;76(19):5822-5831 Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 4914-4914
Author(s):  
Huihui Ma ◽  
Caisheng Lu ◽  
Judith Ziegler ◽  
Rentian Feng ◽  
Suzanne Lentzsch ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4914 Constitutive activation of Janus Kinase-2 (JAK-2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) has been implicated to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Multiple Myeloma (MM). Therefore, targeted inhibition of STAT3 is an attractive therapy for MM patients. JSI-124 is a natural product isolated from various plant families and has been recently described as a specific inhibitor of JAK2/STAT3. It has been shown to exert strong apoptosis-inducing effects against STAT3+ tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo. However, there is little information available about the anti-tumor effects of JSI-124 on myeloma cells. We therefore tested the role of JSI-124 as a potential novel anti-MM compound and were able to determine that JSI-124 has potent anti-myeloma properties against human MM cell lines. Our results revealed that JSI-124 could inhibit both constitutively expressed and IL-6 induced phosphorylation of Tyr705 STAT3 as well as other important cell signal pathways that regulate cell proliferation in MM cell lines. However, the anti-myeloma effects were not restricted to STAT3+ MM cells. In STAT3+ cells JSI-124 induced cell death, which was predominantly caspase dependent. In contrast, JSI-124 induced both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent cell death in STAT3-MM cells. Furthermore, JSI-124 induced DNA damage only in STAT3- MM cells. Surprisingly, STAT3- cell lines were more sensitive to JSI-124-induced growth inhibition and induction of cell death than STAT3+ MM cell lines. Further analysis revealed that JSI-124 led to induction of autophagy only in STAT3+ MM cells as determined by upregulation of LC3B. A dramatic increase of JSI-124-dependent apoptosis was observed when the autophagy pathway was blocked by Chloroquine suggesting that STAT3-inhibition in STAT3+ MM cells leads to protective autophagy, which can be overcome by Chlorquine treatment. Interestingly, inhibition of autophagy by Chloroquine or 3-mA in STAT3+ cell lines U266 or ARH 77 resulted in AIF release and well as caspase-independent cell death. The results in this study suggest that JSI-124 could be an effective anti-myeloma agent regardless of STAT3 activation status and that combination with Chloroquine may enhance its anti-MM effect. Disclosures Lentzsch: celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; cephalon: Consultancy, Research Funding. Mapara:Resolvyx: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Genzyme: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; GENTIUM: STOCK OWNERSHIP.


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