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PRL-3, a metastasis associated tyrosine phosphatase, is involved in FLT3-ITD signaling and implicated in anti-aml therapy

  • Jianbiao Zhou
  • , Chonglei Bi
  • , Wee Joo Chng
  • , Lip Lee Cheong
  • , Shaw Cheng Liu
  • , Sylvia Mahara
  • , Kian Ghee Tay
  • , Qi Zeng
  • , Jie Li
  • , Ke Guo
  • , Cheng Peow Bobby Tan
  • , Hanry Yu
  • , Daniel H. Albert
  • , Chien Shing Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Combination with other small molecule drugs represents a promising strategy to improve therapeutic efficacy of FLT3 inhibitors in the clinic. We demonstrated that combining ABT-869, a FLT3 inhibitor, with SAHA, a HDAC inhibitor, led to synergistic killing of the AML cells with FLT3 mutations and suppression of colony formation. We identified a core gene signature that is uniquely induced by the combination treatment in 2 different leukemia cell lines. Among these, we showed that downregulation of PTP4A3 (PRL-3) played a role in this synergism. PRL-3 is downstream of FLT3 signaling and ectopic expression of PRL-3 conferred therapeutic resistance through upregulation of STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) pathway activity and anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein. PRL-3 interacts with HDAC4 and SAHA downregulates PRL-3 via a proteasome dependent pathway. In addition, PRL-3 protein was identified in 47% of AML cases, but was absent in myeloid cells in normal bone marrows. Our results suggest such combination therapies may significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy of FLT3 inhibitors. PRL-3 plays a potential pathological role in AML and it might be a useful therapeutic target in AML, and warrant clinical investigation.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere19798
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume6
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • General

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