Nutlin-1 strengthened anti-proliferation and differentiation-inducing activity of ATRA in ATRA-treated p-glycoprotein deregulated human myelocytic leukemia cells

Invest New Drugs. 2012 Feb;30(1):37-47. doi: 10.1007/s10637-010-9512-5. Epub 2010 Aug 5.

Abstract

Unlike its cytotoxicity in p53-functional cell lines, Nutlin-1, the small-molecule inhibitor of murine double minute (MDM2), significantly enhanced the differentiation-inducing activity of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in HL60 and NB4 cells (p53-nonfunctional) but not in U937 cells (p53 wild-type). Moreover, we demonstrated that the synergistic differentiation-inducing activity of Nutlin-1 combined with ATRA appeared in a p53-independent manner. In the present study, we found that ATRA could selectively induce expression of p-glycoprotein (p-gp) in HL60 and NB4 cells but not in U937 cells. Investigation of p-gp-ATPase activity showed that Nutlin-1 and ATRA were likely to act as p-gp transport substrates. Furthermore, Nutlin-1 enhanced the ability of ATRA to induce expression of the myeloid differentiation-related transcription factor C/EBPβ and to reduce expression of c-myc. Additionally, the expression of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) was further reduced in cells treated with ATRA in combination with Nutlin-1. Taken together, the mechanisms of synergistic differentiation-inducing activity of Nutlin-1 combined with ATRA could be attributed to Nutlin-1 competitive binding to p-gp, leading to ATRA efflux inhibition, and then the differentiation pathways involved were therefore further activated. Nutlin-1 might be a useful adjuvant with ATRA for patients with retinoid-resistant leukemia induced by overexpression of p-gp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / genetics
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology*
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Biological Transport
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Synergism
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / metabolism
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / metabolism*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / pathology
  • Piperazines / metabolism
  • Piperazines / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid / metabolism
  • Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha
  • Time Factors
  • Transfection
  • Tretinoin / metabolism
  • Tretinoin / pharmacology
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
  • U937 Cells
  • Verapamil / pharmacology

Substances

  • ABCB1 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta
  • CEBPB protein, human
  • Imidazoles
  • MYC protein, human
  • Piperazines
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • RARA protein, human
  • Receptors, Retinoic Acid
  • Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • nutlin 1
  • Tretinoin
  • Verapamil
  • MDM2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2