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Kong C, Wu M, Lu Q, Ke B, Xie J, Li A. PI3K/AKT confers intrinsic and acquired resistance to pirtobrutinib in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leuk Res 2024; 144:107548. [PMID: 39018782 DOI: 10.1016/j.leukres.2024.107548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pirtobrutinib, a non-covalent Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, has been approved as the first agent to overcome resistance to covalent BTK inhibitors (such as ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and zanubrutinib). However, the mechanisms of pirtobrutinib resistance in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remain poorly understood. METHODS To investigate pirtobrutinib resistance, we established resistant cell models using BTK knock-out via CRISPR-Cas9 or chronic exposure to pirtobrutinib in MEC-1 cells. These models mimicked intrinsic or acquired resistance, respectively. We then analyzed differential protein expression between wild-type (WT) and resistant MEC-1 cells using Revers Phase Protein microArray (RPPA) and confirmed the findings through Western Blot. Additionally, we evaluated potential drugs to overcome pirtobrutinib resistance by conducting cell proliferation assays, apoptosis studies, and animal experiments using both sensitive and resistant cells. RESULTS MEC-1 cells developed resistance to pirtobrutinib either through BTK knock-out or prolonged drug exposure over three months. RPPA analysis revealed significant activation of proteins related to the PI3K/AKT pathway, including AKT and S6, in the resistant cells. Western Blot confirmed increased phosphorylation of AKT and S6 in pirtobrutinib-resistant MEC-1 cells. Notably, both the PI3K inhibitor (CAL101) and the AKT inhibitor (MK2206) effectively reduced cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in the resistant cells. The anti-tumor efficacy of these drugs was mediated by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT pathway. In vivo animal studies further supported the potential of targeting PI3K/AKT to overcome both intrinsic and acquired resistance to pirtobrutinib. CONCLUSION The PI3K/AKT pathway plays a crucial role in both intrinsic and acquired resistance to pirtobrutinib in CLL. Therapeutically targeting this pathway may offer a promising strategy to overcome pirtobrutinib resistance.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/drug therapy
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/pathology
- Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell/metabolism
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Animals
- Mice
- Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
- Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase/antagonists & inhibitors
- Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase/metabolism
- Pyrimidines/pharmacology
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Adenine/analogs & derivatives
- Adenine/pharmacology
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Pyrazoles/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunfang Kong
- Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Mei Wu
- Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Qilin Lu
- Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Bo Ke
- Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Jianhui Xie
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Hematology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang 330006, China.
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2
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Vijayakumar S, Dhakshanamoorthy R, Baskaran A, Sabari Krishnan B, Maddaly R. Drug resistance in human cancers - Mechanisms and implications. Life Sci 2024; 352:122907. [PMID: 39004273 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Cancers have complex etiology and pose a significant impact from the health care perspective apart from the socio-economic implications. The enormity of challenge posed by cancers can be understood from the fact that clinical trials for cancer therapy has yielded minimum potential promises compared to those obtained for other diseases. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy continue to be the mainstay therapeutic options for cancers. Among the challenges posed by these options, induced resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs is probably the most significant contributor for poor prognosis and ineffectiveness of the therapy. Drug resistance is a property exhibited by almost all cancer types including carcinomas, leukemias, myelomas, sarcomas and lymphomas. The mechanisms by which drug resistance is induced include the factors within the tumor microenvironment, mutations in the genes responsible for drug metabolism, changes in the surface drug receptors and increased drug efflux. We present here comprehensively the drug resistance in cancers along with their mechanisms. Also, apart from resistance to regularly used chemotherapeutic drugs, we present resistance induction to new generation therapeutic agents such as monoclonal antibodies. Finally, we have discussed the experimental approaches to understand the mechanisms underlying induction of drug resistance and potential ways to mitigate induced drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudikshaa Vijayakumar
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India
| | - Raveena Dhakshanamoorthy
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India
| | - Akshaya Baskaran
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India
| | - B Sabari Krishnan
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India
| | - Ravi Maddaly
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600116, India.
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Wong RL, Choi MY, Wang HY, Kipps TJ. Mutation in Bruton Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) A428D confers resistance To BTK-degrader therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:1818-1821. [PMID: 39048721 PMCID: PMC11286506 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02317-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Targeting BTK has profoundly changed the face of CLL treatment over the past decade. Iterative advances in the cat and mouse game of resistance and redesign have moved BTK inhibitors from covalent to non-covalent and now targeted protein degraders. However, contrary to the presumption that protein degraders may be impervious to mutations in BTK, we now present clinical evidence that a mutation in the kinase domain of BTK, namely A428D, can confer disease resistance to a BTK degrader currently in clinical trials, that is BGB-16673. Modeling of a BTK A428D mutation places a negatively charged aspartic acid in place of the hydrophobic side chain of alanine within the binding pocket of another BTK-degrader in clinical development, namely NX-2127, suggesting that CLL cells with BTK A428D also may be resistant to NX-2127, as they already are known to be with either non-covalent or covalent inhibitors of BTK. Consequently, the two BTK degraders furthest advanced in clinical trials potentially may select for CLL cells with BTK A428D that are resistant to all approved BTKi's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Wong
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael Y Choi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Huan-You Wang
- Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thomas J Kipps
- Center for Novel Therapeutics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Moores Cancer Center, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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4
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Bauvois B, Nguyen-Khac F, Merle-Béral H, Susin SA. CD38/NAD + glycohydrolase and associated antigens in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: From interconnected signalling pathways to therapeutic strategies. Biochimie 2024:S0300-9084(24)00165-2. [PMID: 39009062 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a heterogenous disease characterized by the accumulation of neoplastic CD5+/CD19+ B lymphocytes. The spreading of the leukaemia relies on the CLL cell's ability to survive in the blood and migrate to and proliferate within the bone marrow and lymphoid tissues. Some patients with CLL are either refractory to the currently available therapies or relapse after treatment; this emphasizes the need for novel therapeutic strategies that improving clinical responses and overcome drug resistance. CD38 is a marker of a poor prognosis and governs a set of survival, proliferation and migration signals that contribute to the pathophysiology of CLL. The literature data evidence a spatiotemporal association between the cell surface expression of CD38 and that of other CLL antigens, such as the B-cell receptor (BCR), CD19, CD26, CD44, the integrin very late antigen 4 (VLA4), the chemokine receptor CXCR4, the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2), and the neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin receptor (NGAL-R). Most of these proteins contribute to CLL cell survival, proliferation and trafficking, and cooperate with CD38 in multilayered signal transduction processes. In general, these antigens have already been validated as therapeutic targets in cancer, and a broad repertoire of specific monoclonal antibodies and derivatives are available. Here, we review the state of the art in this field and examine the therapeutic opportunities for cotargeting CD38 and its partners in CLL, e.g. by designing novel bi-/trispecific antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Bauvois
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMRS1138, Drug Resistance in Hematological Malignancies Team, F-75006, Paris, France.
| | - Florence Nguyen-Khac
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMRS1138, Drug Resistance in Hematological Malignancies Team, F-75006, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service d'Hématologie Biologique, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Hélène Merle-Béral
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMRS1138, Drug Resistance in Hematological Malignancies Team, F-75006, Paris, France.
| | - Santos A Susin
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Inserm UMRS1138, Drug Resistance in Hematological Malignancies Team, F-75006, Paris, France.
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5
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Mehra S, Nicholls M, Taylor J. The Evolving Role of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in B Cell Lymphomas. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7516. [PMID: 39062757 PMCID: PMC11276629 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase crucial for B cell development and function, acts downstream of the B cell receptor (BCR) in the BCR pathway. Other kinases involved downstream of the BCR besides BTK such as Syk, Lyn, PI3K, and Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases also play roles in relaying signals from the BCR to provide pro-survival, activation, and proliferation cues. BTK signaling is implicated in various B-cell lymphomas such as mantle cell lymphoma, Waldenström Macroglobulinemia, follicular lymphoma, and diffuse large B cell lymphoma, leading to the development of transformative treatments like ibrutinib, the first-in-class covalent BTK inhibitor, and pirtobrutinib, the first-in-class noncovalent BTK inhibitor. However, kinase-deficient mutations C481F, C481Y, C481R, and L528W in the BTK gene confer resistance to both covalent and non-covalent BTK inhibitors, facilitating B cell survival and lymphomagenesis despite kinase inactivation. Further studies have revealed BTK's non-catalytic scaffolding function, mediating the assembly and activation of proteins including Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1), hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK), and integrin-linked kinase (ILK). This non-enzymatic role promotes cell survival and proliferation independently of kinase activity. Understanding BTK's dual roles unveils opportunities for therapeutics targeting its scaffolding function, promising advancements in disrupting lymphomagenesis and refining B cell lymphoma treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefali Mehra
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
| | - Miah Nicholls
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA;
| | - Justin Taylor
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA;
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6
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Wiśniewski K, Puła B. A Review of Resistance Mechanisms to Bruton's Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5246. [PMID: 38791284 PMCID: PMC11120758 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitors have become one of the most vital drugs in the therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Inactivation of BTK disrupts the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling pathway, which leads to the inhibition of the proliferation and survival of CLL cells. BTK inhibitors (BTKi) are established as leading drugs in the treatment of both treatment-naïve (TN) and relapsed or refractory (R/R) CLL. Furthermore, BTKi demonstrate outstanding efficacy in high-risk CLL, including patients with chromosome 17p deletion, TP53 mutations, and unmutated status of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region (IGHV) gene. Ibrutinib is the first-in-class BTKi which has changed the treatment landscape of CLL. Over the last few years, novel, covalent (acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib), and non-covalent (pirtobrutinib) BTKi have been approved for the treatment of CLL. Unfortunately, continuous therapy with BTKi contributes to the acquisition of secondary resistance leading to clinical relapse. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that the predominant mechanisms of resistance to BTKi are mutations in BTK or phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCG2). Some differences in the mechanisms of resistance to covalent BTKi have been identified despite their similar mechanism of action. Moreover, novel mutations resulting in resistance to non-covalent BTKi have been recently suggested. This article summarizes the clinical efficacy and the latest data regarding resistance to all of the registered BTKi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Wiśniewski
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland;
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7
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Davis RE, Westin JR. Degradation trumps mutations in cancer. Science 2024; 383:480-481. [PMID: 38301021 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn4945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Redirecting targeted proteins for degradation can overcome acquired drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Eric Davis
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jason R Westin
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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8
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Joseph RE, Wales TE, Jayne S, Britton RG, Fulton DB, Engen JR, Dyer MJS, Andreotti AH. Impact of the clinically approved BTK inhibitors on the conformation of full-length BTK and analysis of the development of BTK resistance mutations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.18.572223. [PMID: 38187560 PMCID: PMC10769265 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.18.572223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) has proven to be highly effective in the treatment of B-cell malignancies such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), autoimmune disorders and multiple sclerosis. Since the approval of the first BTK inhibitor (BTKi), Ibrutinib, several other inhibitors including Acalabrutinib, Zanubrutinib, Tirabrutinib and Pirtobrutinib have been clinically approved. All are covalent active site inhibitors, with the exception of the reversible active site inhibitor Pirtobrutinib. The large number of available inhibitors for the BTK target creates challenges in choosing the most appropriate BTKi for treatment. Side-by-side comparisons in CLL have shown that different inhibitors may differ in their treatment efficacy. Moreover, the nature of the resistance mutations that arise in patients appears to depend on the specific BTKi administered. We have previously shown that Ibrutinib binding to the kinase active site causes unanticipated long-range effects on the global conformation of BTK (Joseph, R.E., et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.60470 ). Here we show that binding of each of the five approved BTKi to the kinase active site brings about distinct allosteric changes that alter the conformational equilibrium of full-length BTK. Additionally, we provide an explanation for the resistance mutation bias observed in CLL patients treated with different BTKi and characterize the mechanism of action of two common resistance mutations: BTK T474I and L528W.
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