Gene expression profiling of imatinib and PD166326-resistant CML cell lines identifies Fyn as a gene associated with resistance to BCR-ABL inhibitors

Mol Cancer Ther. 2009 Jul;8(7):1924-33. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-09-0168. Epub 2009 Jun 30.

Abstract

Imatinib is used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), but resistance develops in all phases of this disease. The purpose of the present study was to identify the mode of resistance of newly derived imatinib-resistant (IM-R) and PD166326-resistant (PD-R) CML cells. IM-R and PD-R clones exhibited an increase in viability and a decrease in caspase activation in response to various doses of imatinib and PD166326, respectively, as compared with parental K562 cells. Resistance involved neither mutations in BCR-ABL nor increased BCR-ABL, MDR1 or Lyn expression, all known modes of resistance. To gain insight into the resistance mechanisms, we used pangenomic microarrays and identified 281 genes modulated in parental versus IM-R and PD-R cells. The gene signature was similar for IM-R and PD-R cells, accordingly with the cross-sensitivity observed for both inhibitors. These genes were functionally associated with pathways linked to development, cell adhesion, cell growth, and the JAK-STAT cascade. Especially relevant were the increased expression of the tyrosine kinases AXL and Fyn as well as CD44 and HMGA2. Small interfering RNA experiments and pharmacologic approaches identified FYN as a candidate for resistance to imatinib. Our findings provide a comprehensive picture of the transcriptional events associated with imatinib and PD166326 resistance and identify Fyn as a new potential target for therapeutic intervention in CML.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Benzamides
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / pathology
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn / metabolism
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • PD 166326
  • Piperazines
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • FYN protein, human
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fyn
  • Caspases