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Phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase inhibition potentiates glucocorticoid response in B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Author(s) -
Evangelisti Cecilia,
Cappellini Alessandra,
Oliveira Mariana,
Fragoso Rita,
Barata João T.,
Bertaina Alice,
Locatelli Franco,
Simioni Carolina,
Neri Luca M.,
Chiarini Francesca,
Lonetti Annalisa,
Buontempo Francesca,
Orsini Ester,
Pession Andrea,
Manzoli Lucia,
Martelli Alberto Maria,
Evangelisti Camilla
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.26135
Subject(s) - pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , p110α , cancer research , apoptosis , protein kinase b , phosphatidylinositol , glucocorticoid , kinase , leukemia , biology , pharmacology , medicine , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
Despite remarkable progress in polychemotherapy protocols, pediatric B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL) remains fatal in around 20% of cases. Hence, novel targeted therapies are needed for patients with poor prognosis. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are drugs commonly administrated for B‐ALL treatment. Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway is frequently observed in B‐ALL and contributes to GC‐resistance. Here, we analyzed for the first time to our knowledge, the therapeutic potential of pan and isoform‐selective PI3K p110 inhibitors, alone or combined with dexamethasone (DEX), in B‐ALL leukemia cell lines and patient samples. We found that a pan PI3K p110 inhibitor displayed the most powerful cytotoxic effects in B‐ALL cells, by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Both a pan PI3K p110 inhibitor and a dual γ/δ PI3K p110 inhibitor sensitized B‐ALL cells to DEX by restoring nuclear translocation of the GC receptor and counteracted stroma‐induced DEX‐resistance. Finally, gene expression analysis documented that, on one hand the combination consisting of a pan PI3K p110 inhibitor and DEX strengthened the DEX‐induced up‐ or down‐regulation of several genes involved in apoptosis, while on the other, it rescued the effects of genes that might be involved in GC‐resistance. Overall, our findings strongly suggest that PI3K p110 inhibition could be a promising strategy for treating B‐ALL patients by improving GC therapeutic effects and/or overcoming GC‐resistance.