title: Lestaurtinib (CEP701) is a JAK2 inhibitor that suppresses JAK2/STAT5 signaling and the proliferation of primary erythroid cells from patients with myeloproliferative disorders.
abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) frequently have acquired activating mutations in the JAK2 tyrosine kinase. A multikinase screen determined that lestaurtinib (formerly known as CEP-701) inhibits wild type JAK2 kinase activity with a concentration that inhibits response by 50% (IC(50)) of 1 nM in vitro. We hypothesized that lestaurtinib would inhibit mutant JAK2 kinase activity and suppress the growth of cells from patients with MPDs. We found that lestaurtinib inhibits the growth of HEL92.1.7 cells, which are dependent on mutant JAK2 activity for growth in vitro and in xenograft models. Erythroid cells expanded from primary CD34(+) cells from patients with MPDs were inhibited by lestaurtinib at concentrations of 100 nM or more in 15 of 18 subjects, with concomitant inhibition of phosphorylation of STAT5 and other downstream effectors of JAK2. By contrast, growth of erythroid cells derived from 3 healthy controls was not significantly inhibited. These results demonstrate that lestaurtinib, in clinically achievable concentrations, inhibits proliferation and JAK2/STAT5 signaling in cells from patients with MPDs, and therefore holds promise as a therapeutic agent for patients with these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Hexner
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serdikoff
authors.forename: Mahfuza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jan
authors.forename: Cezary R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Swider
authors.forename: Candy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Thelma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Angeles
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ruggeri
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dobrzanski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D041905:Erythroid Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005663:Furans; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053614:Janus Kinase 2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009154:Mutation; D009196:Myeloproliferative Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D002227:Carbazoles; D005663:Furans; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; C119379:lestaurtinib; C507924:JAK2 protein, human; D053614:Janus Kinase 2