The BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph⁺) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). STI571 is a novel anticancer agent that selectively inhibits the BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase. The cytotoxic effects of STI571 were studied in combination with antileukemic agents against Ph⁺leukemia cell lines, KU812, K-562, TCC-S, and TCC-Y. The cells were exposed to STI571 and to other agents simultaneously for 5 or 7 days. Cell growth inhibition was determined by MTT assay. The cytotoxic effects in combinations at the inhibitory concentration of 80% level were evaluated by the isobologram. STI571 produced synergistic effects with recombinant and natural α-interferons in 2 of 3 and 3 of 3 cell lines, respectively. STI571 produced additive effects with hydroxyurea, cytarabine, homoharringtonine, doxorubicin, and etoposide in all 4 cell lines. STI571 with 4-hydroperoxy-cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, or vincristine produced additive, antagonistic, and synergistic effects in 3 of 4 cell lines, respectively. These findings suggest that the simultaneous administration of STI571 with other agents except methotrexate would be advantageous for cytotoxic effects against Ph⁺ leukemias. Among them, the simultaneous administration of STI571 and α-interferons or vincristine would be highly effective against Ph⁺ leukemias and these combinations would be worthy of clinical trials. In contrast, the simultaneous administration of STI571 with methotrexate would have little therapeutic efficacy. Although there are gaps between in vitro studies and clinical trials, the present findings provide useful information for the establishment of clinical protocols involving STI571.

The product of the cdc2 gene, designated p34 ^cdc2 , is a serine-threonine protein kinase that controls entry of eukaryotic cells into mitosis. Freshly isolated human T lymphocytes (G ₀ phase) were found to have very low amounts of p34 ^cdc2 and cdc2 messenger RNA. Expression of cdc2 increased 18 to 24 hours after exposure of T cells to phytohemagglutinin, coincident with the G ₁ to S transition. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides could reduce the increase in cdc2 expression and inhibited DNA synthesis, but had no effect on several early and mid-G ₁ events, including blastogenesis and expression of interleukin-2 receptors, transferrin receptors, c- myb , and c- myc . Induction of cdc2 required prior induction of c- myb and c- myc . These results suggest that cdc2 induction is part of an orderly sequence of events that occurs at the G ₁ to S transition in T cells.

The retinoblastoma-susceptibility gene product (RB) undergoes cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. We characterized RB phosphorylation after mitogenic stimulation of primary human T lymphocytes, initially arrested in the G0 state. RB is phosphorylated in at least three steps when T cells are driven into the cell cycle. The first event occurs during mid G1 phase, the second during S phase, and the third in G2/M. Tryptic phosphopeptide mapping indicates that the different phosphorylation events occur, at least in part, on different residues in RB. Given the known relationship of the RB phosphorylation state to function, it is possible that RB regulates growth at multiple points in the cell cycle.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is incurable, mainly because of cell adhesion-mediated drug resistance (CAM-DR). In this study, we performed functional screening using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to define the molecule(s) responsible for CAM-DR of MM. Using four bona fide myeloma cell lines (KHM-1B, KMS12-BM, RPMI8226 and U266) and primary myeloma cells, we identified CD29 (β1-integrin), CD44, CD49d (α4-integrin, a subunit of VLA-4), CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)), CD138 (syndecan-1) and CD184 (CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4)) as major adhesion molecules expressed on MM. shRNA-mediated knockdown of CD49d but not CD44, CD54, CD138 and CD184 significantly reversed CAM-DR of myeloma cells to bortezomib, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone. Experiments using blocking antibodies yielded almost identical results. Bortezomib was relatively resistant to CAM-DR because of its ability to specifically downregulate CD49d expression. This property was unique to bortezomib and was not observed in other anti-myeloma drugs. Pretreatment with bortezomib was able to ameliorate CAM-DR of myeloma cells to vincristine and dexamethasone. These results suggest that VLA-4 plays a critical role in CAM-DR of MM cells. The combination of bortezomib with conventional anti-myeloma drugs may be effective in overcoming CAM-DR of MM.

Bortezomib is now widely used for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM); however, its action mechanisms are not fully understood. Despite the initial results, recent investigations have indicated that bortezomib does not inactivate nuclear factor-κB activity in MM cells, suggesting the presence of other critical pathways leading to cytotoxicity. In this study, we show that histone deacetylases (HDACs) are critical targets of bortezomib, which specifically down-regulated the expression of class I HDACs (HDAC1, HDAC2, and HDAC3) in MM cell lines and primary MM cells at the transcriptional level, accompanied by reciprocal histone hyperacetylation. Transcriptional repression of HDACs was mediated by caspase-8–dependent degradation of Sp1 protein, the most potent transactivator of class I HDAC genes. Short-interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of HDAC1 enhanced bortezomib-induced apoptosis and histone hyperacetylation, whereas HDAC1 overexpression inhibited them. HDAC1 overexpression conferred resistance to bortezomib in MM cells, and administration of the HDAC inhibitor romidepsin restored sensitivity to bortezomib in HDAC1-overexpressing cells both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that bortezomib targets HDACs via distinct mechanisms from conventional HDAC inhibitors. Our findings provide a novel molecular basis and rationale for the use of bortezomib in MM treatment.