title: Targeting aurora kinases as therapy in multiple myeloma.
abstract: The aurora kinases facilitate transit from G2 through cytokinesis and, thus, are targets in cancer therapy. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignancy characterized by genetic instability, suggesting a disruption of checkpoints that arrest cells at G2M when injury to the mitotic machinery occurs. Since deficient checkpoints would prevent cell cycle arrest and may render cells susceptible to apoptosis in mitosis and since aurora kinases are intermediaries in checkpoint pathways, we tested antimyeloma effects of 2 agents that inhibit aurora kinases. Both inhibited growth of MM lines and primary myeloma samples at nanomolar concentrations while having less of an effect on proliferating lymphocytes and hematopoietic cells. MM cells were not protected by IL-6 or activating mutations of Ras. Antimyeloma effects included induction of tetraploidy followed by apoptosis. Apoptosis correlated with inhibition of aurora activity as shown by reduction of histone 3B phosphorylation. Ectopic expression of aurora A protected MM cells against aurora inhibitors but had no effect on apoptosis induced by bortezomib. As expression of RHAMM in MM contributes to genetic instability, we tested effects of RHAMM. RHAMM overexpression enhanced sensitivity to apoptosis and RHAMM silencing decreased sensitivity. These results suggest potential for aurora kinase inhibitors in MM especially in patients in whom RHAMM is overexpressed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Veterans Administration West Los Angeles-UCLA Medical School and Jonsson Cancer Center, University of California-Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Yijiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reiman
authors.forename: Weiqun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Subrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pilarski
authors.forename: Tracy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Manuel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Penichet
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lichtenstein
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000069286:Bortezomib; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000187:drug effects*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011003:Ploidies; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001897:Boronic Acids; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006657:Histones; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines; C098946:hyaluronan-mediated motility receptor; D000069286:Bortezomib; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)