Wnt/Ca2+/NFAT Signaling Maintains Survival of Ph+ Leukemia Cells upon Inhibition of Bcr-Abl

Mark A. Gregory, Tzu L. Phang, Paolo Neviani, Francesca Alvarez-Calderon, Christopher A. Eide, Thomas O'Hare, Vadym Zaberezhnyy, Richard T. Williams, Brian J. Druker, Danilo Perrotti, James DeGregori

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

153 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitors have proven effective in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), they generally fail to eradicate Bcr-Abl+ leukemia cells. To identify genes whose inhibition sensitizes Bcr-Abl+ leukemias to killing by Bcr-Abl inhibitors, we performed an RNAi-based synthetic lethal screen with imatinib mesylate in CML cells. This screen identified numerous components of a Wnt/Ca2+/NFAT signaling pathway. Antagonism of this pathway led to impaired NFAT activity, decreased cytokine production, and enhanced sensitivity to Bcr-Abl inhibition. Furthermore, NFAT inhibition with cyclosporin A facilitated leukemia cell elimination by the Bcr-Abl inhibitor dasatinib and markedly improved survival in a mouse model of Bcr-Abl+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Targeting this pathway in combination with Bcr-Abl inhibition could improve treatment of Bcr-Abl+ leukemias.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)74-87
Number of pages14
JournalCancer Cell
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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