title: The immunomodulator AS101 induces growth arrest and apoptosis in multiple myeloma: association with the Akt/survivin pathway.
abstract: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a clonal B-cell malignancy affecting both the immune and the skeletal systems, and accounts for 10% of all hematological cancers. The immunomodulator ammonium trichloro (dioxoethylene-O,O') tellurate (AS101) is a non-toxic compound which has direct anti-tumoral properties in several tumor models. The present study examined the anti-tumoral activity of AS101 in MM by targeting the Akt/Survivin signaling pathway, crucial for survival. We showed that AS101 inhibites cell proliferation and colonies formation of MM cell lines, in a dose-dependent manner. AS101 induced G(2)/M growth arrest and increased both cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(waf1) protein levels and Cdk1 (p34(cdc2))-inhibitory phosphorylation. Longer incubation of MM cells with AS101 resulted in accumulation of apoptotic cell population and in increased caspase 9, 3 and 7 activities. We also showed that AS101 down-regulated Akt phosphorylation and decreased expression of the inhibitor of apoptosis, survivin. Since Akt and survivin are potentials targets for MM therapy, we suggest that AS101, currently being used in clinical studies, may have therapeutic implications in myeloma and other hematopoietic malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Safdié Institute for AIDS and Immunology Research, The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayun
authors.forename: Yaniv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Naor
authors.forename: Merav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albeck
authors.forename: Alpha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peled
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Don
authors.forename: Nechama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haran-Ghera
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sredni
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C117749:Birc5 protein, mouse; D005030:Ethylenes; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; C054105:ammonium trichloro(dioxoethylene-O,O'-)tellurate; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt