A role for FOXO1 in BCR-ABL1-independent tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia

Leukemia. 2016 Jul;30(7):1493-501. doi: 10.1038/leu.2016.51. Epub 2016 Mar 8.

Abstract

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients who relapse on imatinib due to acquired ABL1 kinase domain mutations are successfully treated with second-generation ABL1-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ABL-TKIs) such as dasatinib, nilotinib or ponatinib. However, ~40% of relapsed patients have uncharacterized BCR-ABL1 kinase-independent mechanisms of resistance. To identify these mechanisms of resistance and potential treatment options, we generated ABL-TKI-resistant K562 cells through prolonged sequential exposure to imatinib and dasatinib. Dual-resistant K562 cells lacked BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutations, but acquired other genomic aberrations that were characterized by next-generation sequencing and copy number analyses. Proteomics showed that dual-resistant cells had elevated levels of FOXO1, phospho-ERK and BCL-2, and that dasatinib no longer inhibited substrates of the PI3K/AKT pathway. In contrast to parental cells, resistant cells were sensitive to growth inhibition and apoptosis induced by the class I PI3K inhibitor, GDC-0941 (pictilisib), which also induced FOXO1 nuclear translocation. FOXO1 was elevated in a subset of primary specimens from relapsed CML patients lacking BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutations, and these samples were responsive to GDC-0941 treatment ex vivo. We conclude that elevated FOXO1 contributes to BCR-ABL1 kinase-independent resistance experienced by these CML patients and that PI3K inhibition coupled with BCR-ABL1 inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach.

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dasatinib / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Drug Tolerance
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / analysis
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / physiology*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate / pharmacology
  • Indazoles / pharmacology
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • 2-(1H-indazol-4-yl)-6-(4-methanesulfonylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-4-morpholin-4-ylthieno(3,2-d)pyrimidine
  • FOXO1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Indazoles
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Sulfonamides
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • Dasatinib