Skip to Content
Merck
  • ERK Activity in Immature Leukemic Cells Drives Clonal Selection during Induction Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

ERK Activity in Immature Leukemic Cells Drives Clonal Selection during Induction Therapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Scientific reports (2020-05-21)
Michal Hayun, Maria Zaatra, Chen Itzkovich, Dvora Sahar, Dina Rosenberg, Margarita Filatova, Shimrit Ringelstein-Harlev, Hagit Baris, Nivin Moustafa-Hawash, Igal Louria-Hayon, Yishai Ofran
ABSTRACT

Selection of resistant clones following intensive chemotherapy is a common obstacle for cure in many cancers, particularly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In AML, clone-specific sensitivity to chemotherapy varies even within the same patient. Multiple mutations and genetic aberrations are associated with clones surviving chemotherapy. The current study explored the role of activated signaling pathways in chemoresistance as a function of cell maturation, reflected by CD34 expression. In-vitro, Kasumi-1 leukemic cell line, sorted by CD34 expression, showed increased apoptosis only in the CD34- subpopulation after exposure to cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) or daunorubicin. The resistant CD34+ subset demonstrated higher expression of ERK1/2 and BCL-2 proteins than CD34- cells. MEK1/2 inhibition elevated Ara-C ability to induce apoptosis in CD34+ cells, suggesting that MEK1/2-ERK1/2 is surviving signaling, which correlates to cell maturation levels and plays a role in chemoresistance. Deep sequencing of sorted CD34+/- populations, both derived from the same patient samples, demonstrated various subclonal distribution of NPM1, DNMT3A and FLT3-ITD mutations. Interestingly, in these samples, p-ERK levels and apoptosis rates following chemotherapy exposure significantly differed between CD34+/- populations. Hence, clones may be selected due to their ability to escape apoptosis rather than a direct effect of chemotherapy on a specific mutated clone.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Cytosine β-D-arabinofuranoside, crystalline, ≥90% (HPLC)
Pricing and availability is not currently available.
Sigma-Aldrich
Daunorubicin hydrochloride, meets USP testing specifications
Pricing and availability is not currently available.