THE SMALL MOLECULE BCL-2 INHIBITOR HA14-1 POTENTIATES THE LETHALITY OF A REGIMEN COMBINING MEK1/2 AND CHK1 INHIBITORS IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA CELLS

摘要

Previously, we have found that the co-administration of MEK1/2 inhibitors and Chk1 inhibitors synergistically induce multiple myeloma cell apoptosis through upregulation of the BH3-only pro-apoptotic protein Bim. However, these apoptotic events were largely blocked by the characteristic over-expression of Bcl-2 of Bcl-xL in multiple myeloma cells. HA14-1, a small molecule Bcl-2 inhibitor, may therefore circumvent this resistance to apoptosis by blocking Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL anti-apoptotic protein actions. In our project, we hypothesize that the co-administration of HA14-1 with MEK/Chk1 inhibitors will enhance apoptosis in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. To test this hypothesis, we exposed MM cells U266 and RPMI8226, or those cells with Bcl-2 over-expressing stable clones to minimally toxic concentrations of MEK1/2 inhibitor (PD184352) with Chk1 inhibitor (CEP3891) for 24 hours, followed by the Bcl-2 inhibitor (HA14-1). To date, our data indicates that co-administration of HA14-1 with the PD184352/CEP3891 regimen significantly enhances apoptotic death in U266/Bcl-2 multiple myeloma cells compared with the PD184352/CEP3891 regimen. Future studies are designed to elucidate mechanisms underlying Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL anti-apoptotic protein interactions with the Bak and Bim apoptotic proteins, focusing release of Bak and Bim from Bcl-2/Bcl-xL, and subsequent Bax/Bak activation.