title: Polo-like kinase 1 is overexpressed in acute myeloid leukemia and its inhibition preferentially targets the proliferation of leukemic cells.
abstract: Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a major mitotic regulator overexpressed in many solid tumors. Its role in hematopoietic malignancies is still poorly characterized. In this study, we demonstrate that Plk1 is highly expressed in leukemic cell lines, and overexpressed in a majority of samples from patients with acute myeloid leukemia compared with normal progenitors. A pharmacologic inhibitor, BI2536, blocks proliferation in established cell lines, and dramatically inhibits the clonogenic potential of leukemic cells from patients. Plk1 knockdown by small interfering RNA also blocked proliferation of leukemic cell lines and the clonogenic potential of primary cells from patients. Interestingly, normal primary hematopoietic progenitors are less sensitive to Plk1 inhibition than leukemic cells, whose proliferation is dramatically decreased by the inhibitor. These results highlight Plk1 as a potentially interesting therapeutic target for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.
authors.affiliation: INSERM Unité 563-IFR30, Centre de Physiopathologie Toulouse-Purpan, Département Oncogenèse et Signalisation dans les cellules hématopoïétiques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Purpan, Toulouse.
authors.forename: Annelies G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Renner
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Recher
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bailly
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Créancier
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kruczynski
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Payrastre
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manenti
mesh_terms: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011621:Pteridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011621:Pteridines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1; C518477:BI 2536