title: BCL-2 phosphorylation modulates sensitivity to the BH3 mimetic GX15-070 (Obatoclax) and reduces its synergistic interaction with bortezomib in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells.
abstract: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a B-cell lymphoid neoplasm with deregulated apoptosis and overexpression of several antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins. GX15-070/Obatoclax is a small-molecule BH3 mimetic compound that has shown activity against several hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. In the present work, we report that GX15-070 led to the disruption of BCL-2/BIM and MCL-1/BAK complexes in CLL cells, followed by the activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. CLL cells showed lower sensitivity to GX15-070 than primary mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) ones, in correlation with higher levels of phosphorylated BCL-2 at serine 70 residue (pBCL-2(Ser70)) in CLL cells. Decrease in BCL-2 phosphorylation by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 inhibition increased CLL sensitivity to GX15-070, while blocking BCL-2 dephosphorylation using a PP2A antagonist reduced the activity of this BH3 mimetic. GX15-070 activity was increased by cotreatment with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. However, as proteasome inhibition led to the accumulation of phosphorylated BCL-2, the degree of interaction between GX15-070 and bortezomib was regulated by basal pBCL-2(Ser70) levels. These results support the role of BCL-2 phosphorylation as a mechanism of resistance to BH3 mimetic compounds, and demonstrate that combination approaches including ERK inhibitors could enhance BH3 mimetics activity both alone or in combination with proteasome inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Unit, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pérez-Galán
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roué
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Guerra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Villamor
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montserrat
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Shore
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Colomer
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069286:Bortezomib; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D020522:Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D001897:Boronic Acids; D007211:Indoles; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011719:Pyrazines; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069286:Bortezomib; C520962:obatoclax