Glyoxalase-I is a novel target against Bcr-Abl+ leukemic cells acquiring stem-like characteristics in a hypoxic environment.
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Glyoxalase-I is a novel target against Bcr-Abl+ leukemic cells acquiring stem-like characteristics in a hypoxic environment.
Cell Death Differ. 2010 Jul;17(7):1211-20
Authors: Takeuchi M, Kimura S, Kuroda J, Ashihara E, Kawatani M, Osada H, Umezawa K, Yasui E, Imoto M, Tsuruo T, Yokota A, Tanaka R, Nagao R, Nakahata T, Fujiyama Y, Maekawa T
Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as imatinib and dasatinib are ineffective against Bcr-Abl(+) leukemic stem cells. Thus, the identification of novel agents that are effective in eradicating quiescent Bcr-Abl(+) stem cells is needed to cure leukemias caused by Bcr-Abl(+) cells. Human Bcr-Abl(+) cells engrafted in the bone marrow of immunodeficient mice survive under severe hypoxia. We generated two hypoxia-adapted (HA)-Bcr-Abl(+) sublines by selection in long-term hypoxic cultures (1.0% O(2)). Interestingly, HA-Bcr-Abl(+) cells exhibited stem cell-like characteristics, including more cells in a dormant, increase of side population fraction, higher beta-catenin expression, resistance to Abl TKIs, and a higher transplantation efficiency. Compared with the respective parental cells, HA-Bcr-Abl(+) cells had higher levels of protein and higher enzyme activity of glyoxalase-I (Glo-I), an enzyme that detoxifies methylglyoxal, a cytotoxic by-product of glycolysis. In contrast to Abl TKIs, Glo-I inhibitors were much more effective in killing HA-Bcr-Abl(+) cells both in vitro and in vivo. These findings indicate that Glo-I is a novel molecular target for treatment of Bcr-Abl(+) leukemias, and, in particular, Abl TKI-resistant quiescent Bcr-Abl(+) leukemic cells that have acquired stem-like characteristics in the process of adapting to a hypoxic environment.
PMID: 20139893 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]