Tumor Growth Of Multiple Myeloma Cells Research Articles

Abstract PR14: In vivo targeting of stromal-derived factor-1 as a strategy to prevent myeloma cell dissemination to distant bone marrow niches

Abstract Background. Multiple myeloma (MM) patients present with multiple lytic lesions at diagnosis, indicating the presence of continuous dissemination of MM cells from the primary site of tumor development to multiple distant bone marrow (BM) niches. We hypothesized that stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF1) may represent a target for preventing transition from MGUS (micrometastatic-stage) to active-MM (macrometastatic-stage). We therefore evaluated SDF1 expression in the BM of patients with MGUS, MM, compared to healthy individuals; and tested NOX-A12, a high affinity L-oligonucleotide binder to SDF1, looking at its ability to modulate MM cell tumor growth and homing to the BM in vivo and in vitro. Methods. SDF1 levels were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on BM specimens of patients with MGUS, active-MM, or healthy individuals; and confirmed by ELISA, using conditioned-medium of BM-mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) from MGUS, active-MM and healthy individuals. BM metastatic lesions from primary epithelial tumors were also evaluated. Co-localization of SDF1 with MM cell (MM.1S-GFP+)-enriched BM niches was evaluated using in vivo confocal microscopy. Effect of NOX-A12 on modulating MM cell dissemination was tested in vivo, by using in vivo MM metastasis model. In vivo homing and in vivo tumor growth of MM cells (MM.1S-GFP+/luc+) was assessed by using in vivo confocal microscopy and bioluminescence, in mice treated with 1) vehicle; 2) NOX-A12; 3) bortezomib; 4) NOX-A12+bortezomib. Effects of drug combination on dissemination of MM cells to distant BM niches was evaluated ex vivo by immunofluorescence on explanted femurs. DNA synthesis and adhesion of MM cells in the context of NOX-A12 treated primary MM BM-MSCs in presence or absence of bortezomib were tested by thymidine uptake and adhesion in vitro assay, respectively. Synergism was calculated by using CalcuSyn software. Results. Patients with active-MM present with higher BM SDF1 expression vs MGUS patients and healthy individuals. Similarly, BM presenting with metastasis from epithelial primary tumors had higher SDF1 levels compared to healthy subjects, thus suggesting the importance of SDF1 in favoring tumor cell metastasis to BM niches. SDF1 co-localized at BM level with MM tumor cells in vivo. In vitro, NOX-A12 induced a dose-dependent de-adhesion of MM cells from the BMSCs supported by inhibition of BM-MSC-mediated phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and cofilin. Importantly, NOX-A12 induced MM cell mobilization from the BM to the peripheral blood (PB) as shown ex vivo by reduction of MM cells in the BM and increased number of MM cells within the PB compared to control mice (P<.05). This was supported by inhibited homing and dissemination of MM cells to the BM of those mice pre-treated with NOX-A12. NOX-A12 enhanced MM cell sensitivity to bortezomib, in vivo: tumor burden was similar between NOX-A12- and control mice whereas bortezomib-treated mice showed significant reduction in tumor growth vs. control (P<.05); importantly, significant reduction of tumor burden in those mice treated with sequential administration of NOX-A12 and bortezomib was observed, compared to bortezomib-treated mice (P <.05). Similarly, NOX-A12+bortezomib combination induced significant inhibition of MM cell homing, as shown by in vivo confocal microscopy. In vitro studies confirmed synergism between NOX-A12 and bortezomib in modulating MM cell survival and adhesion to BM-MSCs. Conclusion. SDF-1 represents a valid target for inhibiting MM cell dissemination to distant BM niches, thus providing the evidence for using the SDF1 inhibiting spiegelmer NOX-A12 to target MM cells at the stage of micrometastasis (MGUS), thus preventing development of macrometastatic MM. This abstract is also presented as Poster B80. Citation Format: Aldo M. Roccaro, Antonio Sacco, Michele Moschetta, Patricia Maiso, Yuji Mishima, Yosra Aljawai, Fabio Facchetti, Anna Kruschinski, Giuseppe Rossi, Irene M. Ghobrial. In vivo targeting of stromal-derived factor-1 as a strategy to prevent myeloma cell dissemination to distant bone marrow niches. [abstract]. In: Abstracts: AACR Special Conference on Cellular Heterogeneity in the Tumor Microenvironment; 2014 Feb 26-Mar 1; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PR14. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.CHTME14-PR14

Class I PI3K Isoforms Exert a Differential Role On Survival and Cell Trafficking In Multiple Myeloma

BackgroundThe phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) pathway is a critical regulator of tumor progression, protein translation and cytoskeletal dynamics, collectively required for cell proliferation, survival, adhesion and migration in many malignancies including multiple myeloma (MM). Despite the absence of mutations in the PI3K/Akt genes, many studies have demonstrated that this pathway is constitutively activated in MM cells. In this study, we investigated the role of inhibition of class I PI3K isoforms known as p110α, p110β, p110γ and p110δ in cell trafficking of MM cells using isoform-specific knockdown (KD). We have also evaluated the effect of pan-PI3K inhibitior, NVP-BKM120, on survival, adhesion and migration of MM cells both in vitro and in vivo. MethodsThe baseline expression of class I PI3K isoforms in MM cell lines (MM.1S, OPM1, OPM2, H929, RPMI, INA6, U266, and U266LR7) has been evaluated by immnunobloting. MM tumor cells (MM.1S-GFP+/luc+) were infected with lentivirus mediated shRNA targeting class I PI3K isoforms. RT-qPCR and immunoblotting were performed to show infection efficiency. In vivo tumor growth of isoform specific KDs were assessed by using in vivo bioluminescence (BLI) in SCID mice. Detection of circulating MM-GFP+ cells ex vivo was performed by flow cytometry. Analysis of circulating tumor cells for each isoform-specific KD cells against relative tumor volume was performed by lineer regression using GraphPad software. Survival, adhesion and migration of KD cells were tested by MTT, adhesion and migration in vitro assay, respectively. NVP-BKM120, a pan-PI3K-inhibitor (Novartis, MA) has been tested both in vitro and in vivo. Ex vivo detection of mobilization and tumor growth of MM cells (MM.1S-GFP+/luc+) treated with 1) vehicle; 2) NVP-BKM120 in SCID mice were assessed by using flow cytometry and in vivo BLI. Homing of MM cells to the BM of mice pre-treated with NVP-BKM120 was evaluated by in vivo confocal. Increased concentrations of NVP-BKM120 have been tested on survival, cell cycle and apoptotic pathways in MM cells, by using MTT, PI staining in flow cytometry and immunoblotting, respectively. NVP-BKM120 induced dose-dependent effect on chemotaxis and adhesion of MM.1s to BM stromal cells (BMSCs) and fibronectin were tested by migration and adhesion assays. ResultsPI3K-p110β was highly expressed in all cell lines; while other isoforms were expressed in some of the MM cell lines tested. Of note, MM.1S expressed all isoforms. Mice injected with PI3K isoform specific knockdown MM.1S cells presented with different tumor burdens; p110β and p110δ mice showed significantly slower tumor progression compared to scramble control cell line (P<.05), whereas tumor growth was similar in p110α and p110γ to control mice. We next compared the number of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) at the same tumor burden between groups, which showed only p110β presented with a higher number of CTCs compared to the scramble group (P=0.01). In vitro, we observed reduced adhesion and enhanced migration of KD cells compared to control with no cell survival difference. The effect of pan-inhibition of PI3K with NVP-BKM120 induced MM cell mobilization from the BM to the circulation (Vehicle: 0.002 % vs NVP-BKM120: 0.023%; P<.05). This was supported by the inhibition of homing of MM cells to the BM (84% decrease) in the mice pre-treated with NVP-BKM120 (P<.05). Furthermore, treatment of mice with 50mg/kg of NVP-BKM120 once a day by oral gavage for five weeks significantly decreased the rate of tumor progression in MM compared to the vehicle treated group, as shown by BLI (69% decrease, P<.01). NVP-BKM120 decreased the activation of adhesion-related signaling in MM cells induced by co-culture with stroma, including pFAK, pSrc, pCoffilin and pMLC, as shown by immunoblotting. Moreover, it caused cell cycle arrest, as detected by PI staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. ConclusionThis study suggests that inhibition of Class I PI3K isoforms, particularly p110β and p110δ, can play an important role in the regulation of cell trafficking in MM by disrupting adhesion of MM cells to the BM and inducing mobilization. Thus, pan-PI3K inhibition by NVP-BKM120 is a promising approach, which may enhance therapeutic response and overcome resistance in the treatment of MM. Disclosures:Ghobrial:Onyx: Advisoryboard Other; BMS: Advisory board, Advisory board Other, Research Funding; Noxxon: Research Funding; Sanofi: Research Funding.

L-Stereoisomer RNA Oligonucleotide Anti-SDF-1 (Nox-A12) Disrupts the Interaction of Multiple Myeloma Cells with the Bone Marrow Milieu In Vivo, Leading to Enhanced Sensitivity to Bortezomib

Abstract 887 Background.Stomal-cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) is known to be involved in bone marrow (BM) engrafment for malignant tumor cells, including CXCR4 expressing multiple myeloma (MM) cells. We hypothesized that de-adhesion of MM cells from the surrounding BM milieu through SDF-1 inhibition will enhance MM sensitivity to therapeutic agents. We therefore tested NOX-A12, a high affinity l-oligonucleotide (Spiegelmer) binder to SDF-1in MM, looking at its ability to modulate MM cell tumor growth and MM cell homing to the BM in vivo and in vitro. Methods.Bone marrow (BM) co-localization of MM tumor cells with SDF-1 expressing BM niches has been tested in vivo by using immunoimaging and in vivo confocal microscopy. MM.1S/GFP+ cells and AlexaFluor633-conjugated anti-SDF-1 monoclonal antibody were used. Detection of mobilized MM-GFP+ cells ex vivo has been performed by flow cytometry. In vivo homing and in vivo tumor growth of MM cells (MM.1S-GFP+/luc+) were assessed by using in vivo confocal microscopy and in vivo bioluminescence detection, in SCID mice treated with 1) vehicle; 2) NOX-A12; 3) bortezomib; 4) NOX-A12 followed by bortezomib. DNA synthesis and adhesion of MM cells in the context of NOX-A12 (50–200nM) treated primary MM BM stromal cells (BMSCs), in presence or absence of bortezomib (2.5–5nM), were tested by thymidine uptake and adhesion in vitro assay, respectively. Synergism was calculated by using CalcuSyn software (combination index: C.I. according to Chou-Talalay method). Results.We first showed that SDF-1 co-localizes in the same bone marrow niches of growth of MM tumor cells in vivo. NOX-A12 induced a dose-dependent de-adhesion of MM cells from the BM stromal cells in vitro. These findings were corroborated and validated in vivo: NOX-A12 induced MM cell mobilization from the BM to the peripheral blood (PB) as shown ex vivo, by reduced percentage of MM cells in the BM and increased number of MM cells within the PB of mice treated with NOX-A12 vs. control (BM: 57% vs. 45%; PB: 2.7% vs. 15%). We next showed that NOX-A12-dependent de-adhesion of MM cells from BMSCs lead to enhanced MM cell sensitivity to bortezomib, as shown in vitro, where a synergistic effect between NOX-A12 (50–100 nM) and bortezomib (2.5–5 nM) was observed (C.I.: all between 0.57 and 0.76). These findings were validated in vivo: tumor burden detected by BLI was similar between NOX-A12- and control mice whereas bortezomib-treated mice showed significant reduction in tumor progression compared to the control (P<.05); importantly significant reduction of tumor burden in those mice treated with sequential administration of NOX-A12 followed by bortezomib was observed as compared to bortezomib alone treated mice (P <.05). Similarly, NOX-A12 + bortezomib combination induced significant inhibition of MM cell homing in vivo, as shown by in vivo confocal microscopy, as compared to bortezomib used as single agent. Conclusion.Our data demonstrate that the SDF-1 inhibiting Spiegelmer NOX-A12 disrupts the interaction of MM cells with the BM milieu both in vitro and in vivo, thus resulting in enhanced sensitivity to bortezomib. Disclosures:Roccaro:Roche:. Kruschinski:Noxxon Pharma AG: Employment. Ghobrial:Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Millennium: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Millennium: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Research Funding; Noxxon: Advisory Board, Research Funding.

A small molecule, LLL12 inhibits constitutive STAT3 and IL-6-induced STAT3 signaling and exhibits potent growth suppressive activity in human multiple myeloma cells.

We characterized the effects of a newly developed signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor, LLL12 in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. LLL12 specifically inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, nuclear localization, DNA binding activity, down-regulated STAT3 downstream genes, and induced apoptosis in MM cells. Importantly, LLL12 significantly inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation, induced apoptosis in primary MM cells which came from patients that were clinically resistant to lenalidomide and bortezomib. LLL12 is a potent inhibitor of cell proliferation with IC50 values ranging between 0.26 and 1.96 μM in MM and primary MM cells. LLL12 also inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation induced by interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interferon-α but not STAT1, STAT2, STAT4 and STAT6 phosphorylation induced by interferon-α, interferon-γ and IL-4 indicating the selectivity of LLL12 for STAT3. The selectively of LLL12 on STAT3 was further demonstrated on 21 protein kinases, which LLL12 had IC50 values ≥ 73.92 μM. In addition, the pretreatment of LLL12 blocked the promotion of the cell proliferation and resistance to lenalidomide by IL-6. Furthermore, LLL12 significantly blocked tumor growth of MM cells in mouse model. Our results indicate that LLL12 blocks constitutive STAT3 and IL-6 induced STAT3 signaling and may be a potential therapeutic agent for MM.