Reduction of Bcr-Abl function leads to erythroid differentiation of K562 cells via downregulation of ERK

The chimeric bcr-abl gene encodes a constitutively active tyrosine kinase that leads to abnormal transduction of growth and survival signals leading to chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). According to our previous observations, in vitro differentiation of several erythroid cell lines is accompanied by the downregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK)1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activities. In this work we investigated whether ERKs have a decisive role in either the erythroid differentiation process or apoptosis of bcr-abl+ K562 cells by means of direct (MEK1/2 inhibitor UO126) and indirect (reduced Bcr-Abl function) inhibition of their activities. We found that both Gleevec and UO126 induced hemoglobin expression. Gleevec treatment reduced the phosphorylation of Bcr-Abl, ERK and STAT-5 for up to 24 h, decreased Bcl-XL levels, and induced caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. In contrast, UO126 treatment resulted in only a transient decrease of ERK activity and did not induce cell death. For studying the effect of reduced Bcr-Abl function on erythroid differentiation at the level of the bcr-abl transcript, we applied the siRNA approach. Stable degradation of bcr-abl mRNA was achieved by using a retroviral vector with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter. Despite a high (>90%) transduction efficiency we detected only a transient decrease in Bcr-Abl protein and in phosphorylated ERK1/2 levels. This transient change in Bcr-Abl signaling was sufficient to induce hemoglobin expression without significant cell death. These results suggest that by transiently reducing Bcr-Abl function it is possible to overcome the differentiation blockade without evoking apoptosis in CML cells and that reduced ERK activity may have a crucial role in this process.

Unregulated activation of STAT-5, ERK1/2 and c-Fos may contribute to the phenotypic transformation from myelodysplastic syndrome to acute leukaemia

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterised by ineffective erythropoiesis and poor progenitor response to erythropoietin (Epo). The aim of this study was to determine the role of the Epo-R mediated signalling in the rise of MDS and whether alteration of signalling pathways contribute to the leukeamogenesis from MDS to acute leukaemia. We analysed Epo and GM-CSF induced ERK1/2 activation, c-Fos expression, STAT-5 and AP-1 DNA binding activities in mononuclear cells of umbilical cord blood (UCBMNC), normal marrow (NBMMNC) or marrow with MDS, AML with prior MDS and de novo AML. In UCBMNC and NBMMNC, Epo and GM-CSF induced the activation of STAT-5 DNA binding and ERK 1/2 activation (n = 6). In contrast, in MDS RA, both signalling pathways were activated only by GM-CSF but not by Epo (n = 7). In acute leukaemia, elevated basal activity of STAT-5 DNA binding appeared in 8/8 cases, which was independent of Epo or GM-CSF treatment. In normal and MDS samples, c-Fos and Egr-1 proteins were not detectable and the expression levels were not increased by Epo or GM-CSF treatment. In contrast, we found an elevated level of c-Fos expression in 5/8 acute leukemia cases, which was not further increased in the presence of Epo or GM-CSF. The elevated c-Fos expression was accompanied by an extremely high blast number in 5/5 cases. These results suggest that impaired ERK/MAPK activation, similarly to impaired STAT-5 activation in Epo-R signalling, may be responsible for the apoptotic process and the block of maturation in MDS RA. The results also suggest that the appearance of the constitutively activated STAT-5 DNA binding and c-Fos expression may be used as a predictor of the blastic transformation.

Activation of Raf/ERK1/2 MAP kinase pathway is involved in GM-CSF-induced proliferation and survival but not in erythropoietin-induced differentiation of TF-1 cells

The involvement of MAPK pathways in differentiation, proliferation and survival was investigated by comparing Epo and GM-CSF signalling in human factor-dependent myeloerythroid TF-1 cells with abnormal Epo-R. GM-CSF withdrawal induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis accompanied by increased caspase-3 activity, DNA degradation and reduced expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl proteins. Readministration of GM-CSF but not Epo reversed these processes and induced proliferation. The GM-CSF promoted cell survival and proliferation correlated with MEK-1 dependent ERK1/2, Elk-1 and CREB phosphorylation and Egr-1, c-Fos expression as well as with increased STAT-5, AP-1, c-Myb and NF-kappaB DNA-binding. In contrast, Epo failed to activate the Raf-1/ERK1/2 MAPK pathway or to induce Egr-1 and/or c-Fos expression, while it induced erythroid differentiation in GM-CSF-deprived cells. In addition, the Epo-induced haemoglobin production was inhibited in the presence of GM-CSF. These results demonstrate that the activation of MAPK cascade is not necessary for Epo-induced haemoglobin production in TF-1 cells and suggest a negative cross-talk between the signalling of GM-CSF-stimulated cell proliferation and Epo-induced erythroid differentiation.