Banús-Mulet A, Etxabe A, Cornet-Masana JM, Torrente MÁ, Lara-Castillo MC, Palomo L, Nomdedeu M, Díaz-Beyá M, Solé F, Nomdedeu B, Esteve J, Risueño RM
Serotonin receptor type 1B constitutes a therapeutic target for MDS and CMML.
Sci Rep 17 Sep 2018, 8 (1) 13883. Epub 17 Sep 2018Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) are chronic myeloid clonal neoplasms. To date, the only potentially curative therapy for these disorders remains allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation (HCT), although patient eligibility is limited due to high morbimortality associated with this procedure coupled with advanced age of most patients. Dopamine receptors (DRs) and serotonin receptors type 1 (HTR1s) were identified as cancer stem cell therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia. Given their close pathophysiologic relationship, expression of HTR1s and DRs was interrogated in MDS and CMML. Both receptors were differentially expressed in patient samples compared to healthy donors. Treatment with HTR1B antagonists reduced cell viability. HTR1 antagonists showed a synergistic cytotoxic effect with currently approved hypomethylating agents in AML cells. Our results suggest that HTR1B constitutes a novel therapeutic target for MDS and CMML. Due to its druggability, the clinical development of new regimens based on this target is promising.
Más informaciónEtxabe A, Lara-Castillo MC, Cornet-Masana JM, Banús-Mulet A, Nomdedeu M, Torrente MA, Pratcorona M, Díaz-Beyá M, Esteve J, Risueño RM
Inhibition of serotonin receptor type 1 in acute myeloid leukemia impairs leukemia stem cell functionality: a promising novel therapeutic target.
Leukemia 10 Mar 2017, . Epub 10 Mar 2017Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous neoplasia with poor outcome, organized as a hierarchy initiated and maintained by a sub-population with differentiation and self-renewal capacities called leukemia stem cells (LSCs). Although currently used chemotherapy is capable of initially reducing the tumor burden producing a complete remission, most patients will ultimately relapse and will succumb to their disease. As such, new therapeutic strategies are needed. AML cells differentially expressed serotonin receptor type 1 (HTR1) compared with healthy blood cells and the most primitive hematopoietic fraction; in fact, HTR1B expression on AML patient samples correlated with clinical outcome. Inhibition of HTR1s activated the apoptosis program, induced differentiation and reduced the clonogenic capacity, while minimal effect was observed on healthy blood cells. In vivo regeneration capacity of primary AML samples was disrupted upon inhibition of HTR1. The self-renewal capacity remaining in AML cells upon in vivo treatment was severely reduced as demonstrated by serial transplantation. Thus, treatment with HTR1 antagonists showed antileukemia effect, especially anti-LSC activity while sparing healthy blood cells. Our results highlight the importance of HTR1 in leukemogenesis and LSC survival and identify this receptor family as a new target for therapy in AML with prognostic value.Leukemia advance online publication, 10 March 2017; doi:10.1038/leu.2017.52.
Más informaciónCornet-Masana JM, Moreno-Martínez D, Lara-Castillo MC, Nomdedeu M, Etxabe A, Tesi N, Pratcorona M, Esteve J, Risueño RM
Emetine induces chemosensitivity and reduces clonogenicity of acute myeloid leukemia cells.
Oncotarget 15 Mar 2016, . Epub 15 Mar 2016Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an hematologic neoplasia characterized by the accumulation of transformed immature myeloid cells in bone marrow. Although the response rate to induction therapy is high, survival rate 5-year after diagnosis is still low, highlighting the necessity of new novel agents. To identify agents with the capability to abolish the self-renewal capacity of AML blasts, an in silico screening was performed to search for small molecules that induce terminal differentiation. Emetine, a hit compound, was validated for its anti-leukemic effect in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Emetine, a second-line anti-protozoa drug, differentially reduced cell viability and clonogenic capacity of AML primary patient samples, sparing healthy blood cells. Emetine treatment markedly reduced AML burden in bone marrow of xenotransplanted mice and decreased self-renewal capacity of the remaining engrafted AML cells. Emetine also synergized with commonly used chemotherapeutic agents such as ara-C. At a molecular level, emetine treatment was followed by a reduction in HIF-1α protein levels. This study validated the anti-leukemiceffect of emetine in AML cell lines, a group of diverse AML primary samples, and in a human AML-transplanted murine model, sparing healthy blood cells. The selective anti-leukemic effect of emetine together with the safety of the dose range required to exert this effect support the development of this agent in clinical practice.
Más informaciónMoreno-Martínez D, Nomdedeu M, Lara-Castillo MC, Etxabe A, Pratcorona M, Tesi N, Díaz-Beyá M, Rozman M, Montserrat E, Urbano-Ispizua A, Esteve J, Risueño RM
XIAP inhibitors induce differentiation and impair clonogenic capacity of acute myeloid leukemia stem cells.
Oncotarget 30 Jun 2014, 5 (12) 4337-46. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a neoplasia characterized by the rapid expansion of immature myeloid blasts in the bone marrow, and marked by poor prognosis and frequent relapse. As such, new therapeutic approaches are required for remission induction and prevention of relapse. Due to the higher chemotherapy sensitivity and limited life span of more differentiated AML blasts, differentiation-based therapies are a promising therapeutic approach. Based on public available gene expression profiles, a myeloid-specific differentiation-associated gene expression pattern was defined as the therapeutic target. A XIAP inhibitor (Dequalinium chloride, DQA) was identified in an in silico screening searching for small molecules that induce similar gene expression regulation. Treatment with DQA, similarly to Embelin (another XIAP inhibitor), induced cytotoxicity and differentiation in AML. XIAP inhibition differentially impaired cell viability of the most primitive AML blasts and reduced clonogenic capacity of AML cells, sparing healthy mature blood and hematopoietic stem cells. Taken together, these results suggest that XIAP constitutes a potential target for AML treatment and support the evaluation of XIAP inhibitors in clinical trials.
Más informaciónSachlos E, Risueño RM, Laronde S, Shapovalova Z, Lee JH, Russell J, Malig M, McNicol JD, Fiebig-Comyn A, Graham M, Levadoux-Martin M, Lee JB, Giacomelli AO, Hassell JA, Fischer-Russell D, Trus MR, Foley R, Leber B, Xenocostas A, Brown ED, Collins TJ, Bhatia M
Identification of drugs including a dopamine receptor antagonist that selectively target cancer stem cells.
Cell 8 Jun 2012, 149 (6) 1284-97. Epub 24 May 2012Selective targeting of cancer stem cells (CSCs) offers promise for a new generation of therapeutics. However, assays for both human CSCs and normal stem cells that are amenable to robust biological screens are limited. Using a discovery platform that reveals differences between neoplastic and normal human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC), we identify small molecules from libraries of known compounds that induce differentiation to overcome neoplastic self-renewal. Surprisingly, thioridazine, an antipsychotic drug, selectively targets the neoplastic cells, and impairs human somatic CSCs capable of in vivo leukemic disease initiation while having no effect on normal blood SCs. The drug antagonizes dopamine receptors that are expressed on CSCs and on breast cancer cells as well. These results suggest that dopamine receptors may serve as a biomarker for diverse malignancies, demonstrate the utility of using neoplastic hPSCs for identifying CSC-targeting drugs, and provide support for the use of differentiation as a therapeutic strategy.
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