Role of stromal microenvironment in nonpharmacological resistance of CML to imatinib through Lyn/CXCR4 interactions in lipid rafts

Leukemia. 2012 May;26(5):883-92. doi: 10.1038/leu.2011.291. Epub 2011 Oct 18.

Abstract

We and others have previously demonstrated that p210 Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibits stromal cell-derived factor-1α/CXCR4 chemokine receptor signaling, contributing to the deficient adhesion of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells to bone marrow stroma. Conversely, exposure of CML cells to a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) enhances migration of CML cells towards stromal cell layers and promotes non-pharmacological resistance to imatinib. Src-related kinase Lyn is known to interact with CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling and is directly activated by p210 Bcr-Abl. In this study, we demonstrate that TKI treatment promoted CXCR4 redistribution into the lipid raft fraction, in which it co-localized with active phosphorylated form of Lyn (LynTyr396) in CML cells. Lyn inhibition or cholesterol depletion abrogated imatinib-induced migration, and dual Src/Abl kinase inhibitor dasatinib induced fewer CML cells to migrate to the stroma. These findings demonstrate the novel mechanism of microenvironment-mediated resistance through lipid raft modulation, which involves compartmental changes of the multivalent CXCR4 and Lyn complex. We propose that pharmacological targeting of lipid rafts may eliminate bone marrow-resident CML cells through interference with microenvironment-mediated resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzamides
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / pathology
  • Membrane Microdomains / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Phosphorylation
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Protein Binding
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism*
  • src-Family Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • lyn protein-tyrosine kinase
  • src-Family Kinases