Expression Of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Research Articles

Bioinformatics analysis of BTK expression in lung adenocarcinoma: implications for immune infiltration, prognostic biomarkers, and therapeutic targeting.

In recent years, as more and more lung-cancer patients have been treated with immunotherapeutic agents, their survival has been prolonged compared to before. It is well known that BTK (Bruton's tyrosine kinase) is predominantly found in cells of the hematopoietic system. However, there is a distinct lack of literature on BTK expression in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients and its effect on the immune microenvironment. Consequently, the main goal of this investigation was to analyze how BTK expression in lung adenocarcinoma affects its progression, along with its prognostic significance, through the utilization of bioinformatics online resources and publicly available databases. Data on the sequencing results and clinical records of lung adenocarcinoma patients were gathered from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Based on the expression level of BKT, TCGA categorized lung adenocarcinoma patients into BTK high-expression and low-expression groups. We investigated the effects of BKT on clinicopathologic, genomic, and immunologic characteristics of lung adenocarcinoma patients. We analyzed BTK mRNA expression in tumors and normal tissues using two key resources: Tumor Immuno Estimation Resource 2.0 (TIMER 2.0) and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA 2). We analyzed the prognosis of the patients using GEPIA2 and validated the results using univariate and multivariate analyses. In addition, we assessed BTK protein expression by Human Protein Atlas (HPA). We sought to elucidate the clinical prognostic significance of BTK in The TCGA using the online tool GEPIA 2. Furthermore, to clarify the biologic roles and pathways linked to BTK, we conducted a genomic enrichment analysis of the information. To predict the proportion of various immune cell infiltrations in the immune microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma patients diagnosed in the TCGA database, we performed an analysis using the TIMER online tool. Using TIMER and CIBERSORT, the correlation between genes co-expressed with BTK and the corresponding tumor-infiltrating immune cells was explored; finally, the relationship between BTK expression and immune infiltration and immune checkpoints in the TMB group and the high and low groups was analyzed by R language analysis using the TCGA database. The expression of BTK provides some hints about the prognosis of the patients. The high expression of BTK is involved in immune response regulation signaling pathways, leukocyte-mediated immunity, leukocyte intercellular adhesion, graft rejection, and complement. Analysis of the GEPIA 2 database showed that BTK was co-expressed with the genes FGD2, SASH3, NCKAP1L, CD53, ARHGAP30 and LPXN. Increased expression of the above-mentioned genes resulted in increased proportions of CD8 + T cells, memory CD4 + T cells, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells, and decreased proportions of Treg cells and TH2 cells. In addition, our study revealed a strong positive correlation between various key immune checkpoints (e.g., PDCD1, CD274, PDCD1LG2, CTLA4, HAVCR2, LAG3, TIGIT, and SIGLEC15) and BTK expression. In conclusion, increased BTK expression in lung adenocarcinoma is closely associated with prolonged survival of lung-cancer patients. Moreover, the genes classified under the BTK high-expression group exhibit significant enrichment in immune-related pathways, suggesting a potential impact on the tumor microenvironment. We investigated the potential of BTK as a tumor suppressor gene in predicting prolonged patient survival. In addition, we further investigated the possibility that BTK further affects the immunotherapeutic response of patients by influencing the microenvironment of tumor immune infiltration, but the relevant mechanisms remain to be further studied.

The relation between BTK expression and iron accumulation of myeloid cells in multiple sclerosis.

Activation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) has been shown to play a crucial role in the proinflammatory response of B cells and myeloid cells upon engagement with B cell, Fc, Toll-like receptor, and distinct chemokine receptors. Previous reports suggest BTK actively contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The BTK inhibitor Evobrutinib has been shown to reduce the numbers of gadolinium-enhancing lesions and relapses in relapsing-remitting MS patients. In vitro, BTK inhibition resulted in reduced phagocytic activity and modulated BTK-dependent inflammatory signaling of microglia and macrophages. Here, we investigated the protein expression of BTK and CD68 as well as iron accumulation in postmortem control (n = 10) and MS (n = 23) brain tissue, focusing on microglia and macrophages. MS cases encompassed active, chronic active, and inactive lesions. BTK+ and iron+ cells positively correlated across all regions of interests and, along with CD68, revealed highest numbers in the center of active and at the rim of chronic active lesions. We then studied the effect of BTK inhibition in the human immortalized microglia-like HMC3 cell line in vitro. In particular, we loaded HMC3 cells with iron-dextran and subsequently administered the BTK inhibitor Evobrutinib. Iron treatment alone induced a proinflammatory phenotype and increased the expression of iron importers as well as the intracellular iron storage protein ferritin light chain (FTL). BTK inhibition of iron-laden cells dampened the expression of microglia-related inflammatory genes as well as iron-importers, whereas the iron-exporter ferroportin was upregulated. Our data suggest that BTK inhibition not only dampens the proinflammatory response but also reduces iron import and storage in activated microglia and macrophages with possible implications on microglial iron accumulation in chronic active lesions in MS.

HZ-A-018, a novel inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase, exerts anti-cancer activity and sensitizes 5-FU in gastric cancer cells.

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related death worldwide. Due to the complexity and heterogeneity of gastric cancer, the development of targeted drugs is somehow limited, but is urgently needed. Since the expression of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) was significantly associated with the prognosis of gastric cancer patients, we aimed to determine the anti-cancer activity of HZ-A-018, which was a novel derivative of ACP-196, in gastric cancer cells. As a result, HZ-A-018 presented a stronger anti-proliferation activity than ACP-196 via the substantial suppression of AKT/S6 pathway. In addition, HZ-A-018, but not ACP-196, exerted the synergistic effects in combined treatment with 5-FU both in vitro and in vivo, without exacerbating the adverse effects of 5-FU. Mechanismly, the combination of HZ-A-018 and 5-FU remarkably reduced the expression of RRM2, which played an essential role in proliferation and drug sensitivity in gastric cancer cells. In summary, our work demonstrated the stronger anti-cancer activity of HZ-A-018 than ACP-196 in gastric cancer cells, and revealed synergistic effects of HZ-A-018 and 5-FU combination probably through the inhibition of RRM2 via AKT/S6 pathway, thereby providing a promising therapeutic strategy in gastric cancer.

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (BTKIs): Review of Preclinical Studies and Evaluation of Clinical Trials.

In the last few decades, there has been a growing interest in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and the compounds that target it. BTK is a downstream mediator of the B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling pathway and affects B-cell proliferation and differentiation. Evidence demonstrating the expression of BTK on the majority of hematological cells has led to the hypothesis that BTK inhibitors (BTKIs) such as ibrutinib can be an effective treatment for leukemias and lymphomas. However, a growing body of experimental and clinical data has demonstrated the significance of BTK, not just in B-cell malignancies, but also in solid tumors, such as breast, ovarian, colorectal, and prostate cancers. In addition, enhanced BTK activity is correlated with autoimmune disease. This gave rise to the hypothesis that BTK inhibitors can be beneficial in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), allergies, and asthma. In this review article, we summarize the most recent findings regarding this kinase as well as the most advanced BTK inhibitors that have been developed to date and their clinical applications mainly in cancer and chronic inflammatory disease patients.

A Novel BTK Inhibitor Induces Cells Death and Enhances the Efficacies of Venetoclax in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by clonal expansion of immature blast cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. AML accounts for nearly 80% of adult leukemia cases. Importantly, receptor tyrosine kinases mutations, as well as high expression of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) have been identified in AML. BTK is responsible for regulating cell survival and activation through the B-cell receptor signaling pathway, as well as tumor cell adhesion to bone marrow stromal cells. Additionally, anti-apoptotic proteins, especially B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), are involved in the survival and resistance of AML cells. BCL-2 is overexpressed and is associated with a higher rate of relapse and a decreased sensitivity to chemotherapy. Patients treated with venetoclax, a selective BCL-2 inhibitor, have shown chemotherapeutic resistance in hematologic malignancies, including AML. Drug resistance gradually develops through increasing the expression of BTK and other anti-apoptotic proteins. However, combination therapy can be an effective treatment option for patients to achieve durable chemotherapeutic responses. Multiple combination strategies in the clinic suggest the use of venetoclax with well-established agents in order to increase venetoclax efficacy towards AML and overcome resistance challenges. To identify new therapies for AML, we proposed the use of a novel BTK inhibitor, KS151, alone and in combination with venetoclax to provide an alternative strategy for patients. Interestingly, KS151, a novel BTK inhibitor, induces AML cell death with an average IC50 of 4 μM. Moreover, KS151 was able to increase the efficacy of venetoclax towards AML cells. In our panel of three AML cell lines: Kusami-1, U937, and THP-1, our western blot showed Kusami-1 had the highest expression of BTK and BCL-2 proteins. Remarkably, in a dose-dependent manner, KS151 induces Kusami-1 cell death by targeting BTK and enhances the downregulation of BCL-2 in combination with venetoclax. Annexin V staining in flow cytometry also demonstrated KS151 in combination therapy with venetoclax resulted in apoptosis in nearly 95% of AML cells. Taken together, our findings propose KS151 alone or in combination with venetoclax as a promising potential AML killer and may represent a new viable treatment. Future studies will uncover the mechanism of action of KS151 and include the assessment in patient samples and in vivo studies.

Disruption of Lipid Raft Microdomains, Regulation of CD38, TP53, and MYC Signaling, and Induction of Apoptosis by Lomitapide in Multiple Myeloma Cells

Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by accumulation of a malignant clone of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Curative treatments are not yet available. Therefore, we undertook a drug repurposing approach to identify possible candidates from a chemical library of 1,230 FDA-approved drugs by virtual drug screening. As a target, we have chosen the non-receptor Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) which is one of the main regulators of the MM biomarker CD38. In silico virtual screening was performed by using PyRx. Flow cytometry was applied for cell cycle and apoptosis analysis. Furthermore, protein and gene expression was determined by western blotting and microarray hybridization. Lipid raft staining was observed by confocal microscopy. The in silico identified lipid-lowering lomitapide presented with the strongest cytotoxicity among the top 10 drug candidates. This drug arrested the cell cycle in the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis in MM cells. Western blot analyses revealed that treatment with lomitapide induced cleavage of the apoptosis regulator PARP and reduced the expression of CD38, an integral part of lipid rafts. Using confocal microscopy, we further observed that lipid raft microdomain formation in MM cells was inhibited by lomitapide. In four MM cell lines (KMS-12-BM, NCI-H929, RPMI-8226, and MOLP-8) treated with lomitapide, microarray analyses showed not only that the expression of CD38 and BTK was down-regulated, but also that the tumor suppressor gene TP53 and the oncogene c-MYC were among the top deregulated genes. Further analysis of these data by Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) suggested that lomitapide interferes with the cross-talk of CD38 and BTK and apoptosis-regulating genes via TP53 and c-MYC. Lomitapide treatment led to disruption of lipid raft domains and induction of pro-apoptotic factors and might, therefore, be considered as a potential therapeutic agent in MM.

Synergistic effect of Bruton's tyrosine kinase and TNF-α in the regulation of rheumatoid arthritis and underlying mechanisms.

The presence of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) in macrophages has been recommended as a promising therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, activated macrophages in the inflamed joints of patients with RA can also produce a plethora of cytokines, such as TNF-α. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential role of BTK and TNF-α in the regulation of RA. The results demonstrated that higher levels of BTK and TNF-α were observed in macrophages in inflamed RA joints compared with those in normal joint tissues. Subsequently, the role of BTK and TNF-α in the regulation of cellular process in inflammatory macrophages was analyzed. It was demonstrated that aberrant expression of BTK and TNF-α in inflammatory macrophages can lead to higher cell proliferation rates. Once the expression of BTK or TNF-α was restricted by using short interfering (si)RNAs (siBTK or siTNF-α), the activity of inflammatory macrophages was significantly downregulated. Of note, when the expression of BTK and TNF-α was simultaneously decreased, the proliferation rate of inflammatory macrophages was inhibited to the greatest extent. Subsequently, the underlying mechanisms through which BTK and TNF-α can regulate RA were investigated. The results demonstrated that BTK mainly regulated the ERK/JNK pathway, while TNF-α mainly affected the inactive rhomboid protein 2/B-cell-activating factor pathway. Finally, animal experiments demonstrated that simultaneous silencing of both BTK and TNF-α can significantly alleviate the symptoms associated with RA.

Bivalent Histone Modifications By Reiibp Leads to Transcriptional Reprogramming and TLR7-BTK Driven IL-6 Pro-Inflammatory Response in t(4;14) Myelomagenesis

▪Multiple Myeloma (MM) is characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of malignant plasma cells that are incapable of producing functional antibodies. Current treatment regime involves novel drug classes such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs and monoclonal antibodies, which have significantly improved survival outcomes in patients. Patients with t(4;14) translocation represents ~15% of MM cases, and displays a dysregulation of the MMSET locus. It has one of the worst prognosis when compared to other subgroups, but represents an intermediate-risk group given its response towards bortezomib. REIIBP is a t(4;14)-deregulated isoform arising from alternative promoter usage within the MMSET locus. Despite sharing identical sequence with the C-terminus of MMSET II, we found that REIIBP displayed mutually exclusive expression with the full-length MMSET II arising from MB4-1 breakpoint. Additionally, the expression of REIIBP can be regulated through microRNAs by another histone methyltransferase, EZH2 in a Dicer-dependent manner. We generated a stable cell line that overexpresses REIIBP in the t(4;14)-negative human myeloma cells, RPMI8226, and revealed REIIBP as an epigenetic regulator of repressive H3K27me3 and active H3K4me3 modifications. Transcriptome profiling and ChIP-sequencing identified an upregulation of Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) by REIIBP through the enrichment of H3K4me3 on its promoter coupled with decrease in intragenic H3K27me3. This led to a BCR-independent activation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and NF-ĸB signaling in t(4;14) myeloma cells. Using Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and DepMap portal (Broad Institute) to compare the expression of BTK and BTK dependency scores across lineages revealed that BTK is an important target in MM, and REIIBP expression correlated with BTK in the CoMMpass dataset. Activation of TLR7-BTK by REIIBP conferred bortezomib resistance through the dysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression such as IL-6. Importantly, cells with REIIBP overexpression displayed enhanced lethality towards BTK inhibitor Ibrutinib, and combination with Bortezomib potentiated inhibition in myeloma cell lines and mice engrafted with RPMI8226-REIIBP tumors. Altogether, our results indicated that blockade of REIIBP in t(4;14) cells through combining proteasome and BTK inhibitors is a therapeutic strategy in the clinic for further evaluation. DisclosuresChng: Novartis: Honoraria, Research Funding; Antengene: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria; Sanofi: Honoraria; AbbVie: Honoraria; Amgen: Honoraria; BMS/Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding; Johnson & Johnson: Honoraria, Research Funding; Takeda: Honoraria; Aslan: Research Funding.

Preclinical Mechanisms of Topical PRN473, a Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, in Immune-Mediated Skin Disease Models.

The expression of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) in B cells and innate immune cells provides essential downstream signaling for BCR, Fc receptors, and other innate immune cell pathways. The topical covalent BTK inhibitor PRN473 has shown durable, reversible BTK occupancy with rapid on-rate and slow off-rate binding kinetics and long residence time, resulting in prolonged, localized efficacy with low systemic exposure in vivo. Mechanisms of PRN473 include inhibition of IgE (FcεR)-mediated activation of mast cells and basophils, IgG (FcγR)-mediated activation of monocytes, and neutrophil migration. In vivo, oral PRN473 was efficacious and well tolerated in the treatment of canine pemphigus foliaceus. In this study, we evaluated in vitro selectivity and functionality, in vivo skin Ab inflammatory responses, and systemic pharmacology with topically administered PRN473. Significant dose-dependent inhibition of IgG-mediated passive Arthus reaction in rats was observed with topical PRN473 and was maintained when given 16 h prior to challenge, reinforcing extended activity with once-daily administration. Similarly, topical PRN473 resulted in significant dose-dependent inhibition of the mouse passive cutaneous anaphylaxis IgE-mediated reaction. Multiday treatment with topical PRN473 in rodents resulted in low-to-no systemic accumulation, suggesting that efficacy was mainly due to localized exposure. Reduced skin Ab inflammatory activity was also confirmed with oral PRN473. These preclinical studies provide a strong biologic basis for targeting innate immune cell responses locally in the skin, with rapid onset of action following once-daily topical PRN473 administration and minimal systemic exposure. Dose-dependent inhibition in these preclinical models of immune-mediated skin diseases support future clinical studies.

Functions and clinical significance of KLRG1 in the development of lung adenocarcinoma and immunotherapy

BackgroundAs a marker of differentiation, Killer cell lectin like receptor G1 (KLRG1) plays an inhibitory role in human NK cells and T cells. However, its clinical role remains inexplicit. This work intended to investigate the predictive ability of KLRG1 on the efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitor in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), as well as contribute to the possible molecular mechanisms of KLRG1 on LUAD development.MethodsUsing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus, the Cancer Genome Atlas and the Genotype-Tissue Expression, we compared the expression of KLRG1 and its related genes Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), Scm polycomb group protein like 4 (SCML4) in LUAD and normal lung tissues. We also established stable LUAD cell lines with KLRG1 gene knockdown and investigated the effect of KLRG1 knockdown on tumor cell proliferation. We further studied the prognostic value of the four factors in terms of overall survival (OS) in LUAD. Using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus, we further investigated the expression of KLRG1 in the patients with different responses after immunotherapy.ResultsThe expression of KLRG1, BTK, CCR2 and SCML4 was significantly downregulated in LUAD tissues compared to normal controls. Knockdown of KLRG1 promoted the proliferation of A549 and H1299 tumor cells. And low expression of these four factors was associated with unfavorable overall survival in patients with LUAD. Furthermore, low expression of KLRG1 also correlated with poor responses to immunotherapy in LUAD patients.ConclusionBased on these findings, we inferred that KLRG1 had significant correlation with immunotherapy response. Meanwhile, KLRG1, BTK, CCR2 and SCML4 might serve as valuable prognostic biomarkers in LUAD.

BTK targeting suppresses inflammatory genes and ameliorates insulin resistance

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) causes profound psychological and physical distress to patients and burdens the health-care system. Although several antidiabetic drugs have been approved, none of them are adequately effective in the long-term management of T2D. Therefore, novel treatment options are needed for disease prevention or delaying disease progression. Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a cytoplasmic enzyme that plays a role in B-cell differentiation and proliferation, and therapeutic targeting of BTK offers protection against chronic diseases. In this study, we analyzed BTK expression and its correlation with inflammatory mediators in patients with diabetes and obesity. The levels of BTK were significantly high in visceral adipose tissues of patients (p < 0.01) with diabetes and obesity compared with healthy controls. Additionally, a positive correlation was noted between the expression of BTK and the inflammatory cytokine genes TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-6, and IL-1 (p < 0.01) in adipose tissue. In insulin-resistant HepG2 cells (IR-HepG2), ibrutinib inhibited BTK expression in parallel with inflammatory genes, and increased insulin signaling and activity compared with untreated IR-HepG2 cells. Additionally, ibrutinib-treated IR-HepG2 cells showed increased glucose uptake compared with untreated IR-HepG2 cells. These results provide evidence that BTK inhibition may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of T2D. These findings also uncover the novel role of BTK in diabetes and insulin resistance; however, further in vivo studies are required prior to translating the findings into clinical settings.

Impact of amino acid substitution in the kinase domain of Bruton tyrosine kinase and its association with X-linked agammaglobulinemia

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a rare disease that affects the immune system, characterized by a serial development of bacterial infection from the onset of infantile age. Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a non-receptor cytoplasmic kinase that plays a crucial role in the B-lymphocyte maturation. The altered expression, mutation and/or structural variations of BTK are responsible for causing XLA. Here, we have performed extensive sequence and structure analyses of BTK to find deleterious variations and their pathogenic association with XLA. First, we screened the pathogenic variations in the BTK from a pool of publicly available resources, and their pathogenicity/tolerance and stability predictions were carried out. Finally, two pathogenic variations (E589G and M630K) were studied in detail and subjected to all-atom molecular dynamics simulation for 200 ns. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds), secondary structure, and principal component analysis revealed significant conformational changes in variants that support the structural basis of BTK dysfunction in XLA. The free energy landscape analysis revealed the presence of multiple energy minima, suggests that E589G brings a large destabilization and consequently unfolding behavior compared to M630K. Overall, our study suggests that amino acid substitutions, E589G, and M630K, significantly alter the structural conformation and stability of BTK.

Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) Inhibitor (Ibrutinib)-Suppressed Migration and Invasion of Prostate Cancer.

IntroductionBruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors have long been known in the treatment of B-cell malignancies. Recently, BTK inhibitors have also become promising novel treatment reagents for prostate cancer. The current study was designed to investigate expression of BTK in prostate cancer tissues in comparison with benign hyperplasia and effect of BTK inhibitor on prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion.MethodsBTK expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry; migration and invasion prostate cancer cell lines (DU145 and PC3) were assessed by Transwell migration and wound-healing assay; cancer cell proliferation was assessed using MTT assay kit; expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 and MMP-9) was assessed by immunoblotting.ResultsStrong expression of BTK was detected in the prostate cancer tissues, especially in the tumors from prostate cancer patients with bone metastasis. BTK inhibitor (Ibrutinib) significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells as well as protein synthesis of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by the tumor cells. Overexpressing BTK could partially but significantly block the inhibitory effect of Ibrutinib on cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and protein synthesis of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of the cancer cells.ConclusionThese findings suggested that BTK could serve as not only a biomarker but also a therapeutic target for the prostate cancer and that Ibrutinib may be applied as a therapeutic drug for the prostate cancer.

TAK1 is a druggable kinase for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of lymphoma, and up to 30% DLBCL patients eventually died by using first-line chemotherapy regimens. Currently, Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor (ibrutinib) is one of the most promising medicine in clinical trials for DLBCL, to which about 25% of patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL are responsive. Thus, it is urgent to discover new druggable targets for DLBCL, especially for patients who are unresponsive to first-line chemotherapy and ibrutinib. Here, we found that MAP 3K7 (TAK1) is required for DLBCL survival. Inhibition of TAK1 by small molecule 5Z7 or genetic silence could massively induce deaths of DLBCL cells. Mechanistically, TAK1 inhibition could dramatically reduce the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity. Notably, ibrutinib-resistant DLBCL cells also respond to TAK1 inhibition. Database analysis showed that high expression of TAK1 in patients with DLBCL shows poor survival. A subtype of DLBCL patients showed that high expression of both TAK1 and BTK1 is poorly responsive to the current chemotherapy. Moreover, DLBCL cell line with high expression of both TAK1 and BTK1 is resistant to Dox. Simultaneously targeting TAK1 and BTK not only increases cellular toxicity of individual drug but also enhances the sensitivity to Dox. Taken together, we provide convincing evidence to show that kinase TAK1 is a druggable target in DLBCL. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Currently, there is still a significant portion of patients with DLBCL who are unresponsive to first-line chemotherapy. Thus, identification of novel druggable targets such as kinase is critical important. Here, we found that TAK1 inhibition promotes death of DLBCL cells through inhibition of chronic NF-κB signalling. Importantly, TAK1 inhibition overcomes ibrutinib resistance in DLBCL cells. Finally, DLBCL patients with high expression of both TAK1 and BTK showed extremely poor survival. In summary, we provide convincing results to demonstrate a potential important druggable kinase in DLBCL.

Combined Pharmacological Inhibition of Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) and Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K) p110δ Rescues Monocytosis, Thrombocytopenia, and Splenomegaly in a Genetic Mouse Model for JMML

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is an aggressive childhood myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN). It has no effective treatments and the only treatment that prolongs survival is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). However, even with this aggressive intervention, approximately 50% of patients relapse with JMML within five years. The most commonly mutated gene in JMML patients is PTPN11, which encodes for the non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2. Gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in SHP2 lead to hyperactive RAS signaling and PTPN11 is recognized as a well-established oncogene in various leukemia's. Our lab has shown that p110δ, the hematopoietic-specific catalytic subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), plays an important role downstream of SHP2-signaling. Recently, we have shown that in vivo treatment with a specific pharmacologic p110δ inhibitor significantly prolongs the overall survival and reduces the splenomegaly seen in GOF Shp2-expressing mice. Having observed the effectiveness of PI3K p110δ inhibition in correcting the mutant Shp2-induced leukemia phenotype in vitro and in prolonging survival of mice in vivo, we next explored signaling molecules with which p110δ may be interacting to promote the aberrant Shp2 signaling in myeloid cells. In recent years, a key player in B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), has come under intense study in the field of lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma research. Ibrutinib, a small molecule inhibitor targeting BTK, has proven to be very effective and has received FDA-approval for the treatment of a variety of B cell malignancies. Although research on BTK up to this point has focused on B cell malignancies, BTK is also highly expressed in myeloid cells and mice lacking BTK are defective in many myeloid cell functions. Thus, it is possible that BTK signaling may also play an important role in myeloid malignancies, such as JMML. Given the collaboration of BTK and p110δ in BCR signaling, the key role of p110δ in GOF Shp2-induced leukemia, and the high expression of BTK in myeloid cells, we hypothesized that BTK and p110δ function cooperatively in GOF Shp2-expressing myeloid cells to promote MPN. To test this hypothesis, we examined the potential collaboration of GM-CSF-stimulated BTK and p110δ in GOF Shp2-expressing myeloid cells and tested the inhibitor combination in vivo. We show that BTK cooperates with p110δ to promote GOF Shp2-induced leukemia. We show a role for B cell adaptor for PI3K (BCAP) in BTK upregulation of PI3K activity. In mutant Shp2 macrophages, BCAP phosphorylation is increased specifically in the larger isoforms regulating PI3K activation, and BTK inhibition results in a dose-dependent reduction in this phosphorylation. Our findings show that the MPN caused by GOF Shp2 is due to cooperative signaling between p110δ and BTK, which forms a positive feedback loop with BCAP, thus leading to more Akt/Erk hyperphosphorylation and hyperproliferation in response to GM-CSF.Given these in vitro observations, we treated GOF Shp2 bearing mice with a combination of a PI3K p110δ-specific inhibitor and, a BTK-specific inhibitor, or single agents alone and performed hematopoietic analysis. The combination treatment scheme completely rescued monocytosis and uniquely ameliorated thrombocytopenia compared to single agent treatment of diseased mice. In addition, splenomegaly was also completely rescued in all three treatment groups compared to vehicle. Detailed flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations revealed significant repression of LSK, HPC1 and granulocyte macrophage progenitors (GMPs) with a concomitant increase in the megakaryocyte precursors (MKPs) in drug combination treated mice vs. other groups. Consistent with these observations, a significant reduction in mature myeloid cells was noted in the spleen and a complete rescue in the production of peripheral blood platelets was observed in the mutant mice treated with a combination of the two drugs. Thus, combination therapy with PI3K p110δ- and BTK-specific inhibitors profoundly rescues disease state hallmarks of JMML, and may warrant further clinical investigation. DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Expression of Bruton's tyrosine kinase in B-cell neoplasms evaluated by flow cytometry.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a cytoplasmatic protein that is part of the B-cell antigen receptor signaling pathway. Our aim was to evaluate the expression of BTK in B-cell neoplasms and compare it to normal B-cell lymphocytes. After surface staining with CD19 and CD45, flow cytometry staining for intracellular BTK was performed in leukemic or mature B-cells from bone marrow or peripheral blood samples. No differences in BTK expression were identified between groups, or in comparison to control samples, there was no association between BTK expression and the clinical variables evaluated. BTK expression in B-cell neoplasms was similar to that of normal B-cell lymphocytes.

Ibrutinib synergizes with poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase inhibitors to induce cell death in AML cells via a BTK-independent mechanism.

Targeting Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) with the small molecule BTK inhibitor ibrutinib has significantly improved patient outcomes in several B-cell malignancies, with minimal toxicity. Given the reported expression and constitutive activation of BTK in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, there has been recent interest in investigating the anti-AML activity of ibrutinib. We noted that ibrutinib had limited single-agent toxicity in a panel of AML cell lines and primary AML samples, and therefore sought to identify ibrutinib-sensitizing drugs. Using a high-throughput combination chemical screen, we identified that the poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) inhibitor ethacridine lactate synergized with ibrutinib in TEX and OCI-AML2 leukemia cell lines. The combination of ibrutinib and ethacridine induced a synergistic increase in reactive oxygen species that was functionally important to explain the observed cell death. Interestingly, synergistic cytotoxicity of ibrutinib and ethacridine was independent of the inhibitory effect of ibrutinib against BTK, as knockdown of BTK did not sensitize TEX and OCI-AML2 cells to ethacridine treatment. Thus, our findings indicate that ibrutinib may have a BTK-independent role in AML and that PARG inhibitors may have utility as part of a combination therapy for this disease.

Bruton tyrosine kinase is a therapeutic target in stem-like cells from multiple myeloma.

Ibrutinib (Imbruvica), a small-drug inhibitor of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), is currently undergoing clinical testing in patients with multiple myeloma, yet important questions on the role of BTK in myeloma biology and treatment are outstanding. Using flow-sorted side population cells from human myeloma cell lines and multiple myeloma primary samples as surrogate for the elusive multiple myeloma stem cell, we found that elevated expression of BTK in myeloma cells leads to AKT/WNT/β-catenin-dependent upregulation of key stemness genes (OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and MYC) and enhanced self-renewal. Enforced transgenic expression of BTK in myeloma cells increased features of cancer stemness, including clonogenicity and resistance to widely used myeloma drugs, whereas inducible knockdown of BTK abolished them. Furthermore, overexpression of BTK in myeloma cells promoted tumor growth in laboratory mice and rendered side population-derived tumors that contained high levels of BTK more sensitive to the selective, second-generation BTK inhibitor, CGI1746, than side population-derived tumors that harbored low levels of BTK. Taken together, these findings implicate BTK as a positive regulator of myeloma stemness and provide additional support for the clinical testing of BTK-targeted therapies in patients with myeloma.

PU.1 opposes IL-7-dependent proliferation of developing B cells with involvement of the direct target gene bruton tyrosine kinase.

Deletion of genes encoding the E26 transformation-specific transcription factors PU.1 and Spi-B in B cells (CD19-CreΔPB mice) leads to impaired B cell development, followed by B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 100% incidence and with a median survival of 21 wk. However, little is known about the target genes that explain leukemogenesis in these mice. In this study we found that immature B cells were altered in frequency in the bone marrow of preleukemic CD19-CreΔPB mice. Enriched pro-B cells from CD19-CreΔPB mice induced disease upon transplantation, suggesting that these were leukemia-initiating cells. Bone marrow cells from preleukemic CD19-CreΔPB mice had increased responsiveness to IL-7 and could proliferate indefinitely in response to this cytokine. Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK), a negative regulator of IL-7 signaling, was reduced in preleukemic and leukemic CD19-CreΔPB cells compared with controls. Induction of PU.1 expression in cultured CD19-CreΔPB pro-B cell lines induced Btk expression, followed by reduced STAT5 phosphorylation and early apoptosis. PU.1 and Spi-B regulated Btk directly as shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis. Ectopic expression of BTK was sufficient to induce apoptosis in cultured pro-B cells. In summary, these results suggest that PU.1 and Spi-B activate Btk to oppose IL-7 responsiveness in developing B cells.

A new mutation that predicted a drastic alteration of the BTK protein function

X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) or Bruton disease is a relatively rare constitutionally immune disorder due to a genetic mutation of BTK (Bruton tyrosine kinase) gene which encodes for BTK protein. BTK is a signal-transducing protein expressed in hematopoietic lineages. The genetic disorder is responsible for B cell lymphocytes' maturation arrest. The humoral immunodeficiency caused by BTK mutation is linked with recurrent bacterial and viral infections. Genetic investigations of the prepositus as well as the other members of the family are necessary to characterize a mutation in BTK gene to confirm the diagnosis and reveal a hereditary transmission or de novo mutation.Authors propose and comment a case report of an 8month old child who suffers from Bruton disease. Initial presentation was neutropenia, but genetic investigation has revealed a previously non-reported mutation in the BTK gene. The same mutation was found in the mother with low expression of BTK in monocytes and normal in B-cells suggesting a lineage specific extinction of BTK which has never been reported before.