3BP2 was originally identified through its interaction with the ABL kinase. Fusion of ABL with the BCR gene forms the BCR-ABL onco-protein, which is causative in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). Due to the ability of 3BP2 to regulate ABL activity in osteoblasts, we hypothesize that 3BP2 modulates BCR-ABL signalling. Overexpression of 3BP2 in the CML-T1 cell line produced a marked decrease in global tyrosine phosphorylation. 3BP2 overexpression also resulted in a significant increase in CML-T1 cell growth, accompanied by altered ERK1/2, AKT, SYK, LYN, HCK, and CBL phosphorylation and expression. A phospho-SRC family protein and a 116 kDa phospho-protein were identified as 3BP2 interaction partners in response to BCR-ABL activation. BCR-ABL bone marrow transplantation (BMT) models in 3bp2-/- mice exhibit accelerated disease compared to wild-type mice, with altered leukemic phenotype. In conclusion, 3BP2 is able to modulate signalling through BCR-ABL and affect BCR-ABL-induced disease outcome.

3BP2 was originally identified through its interaction with the ABL kinase. Fusion of ABL with the BCR gene forms the BCR-ABL onco-protein, which is causative in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). Due to the ability of 3BP2 to regulate ABL activity in osteoblasts, we hypothesize that 3BP2 modulates BCR-ABL signalling. Overexpression of 3BP2 in the CML-T1 cell line produced a marked decrease in global tyrosine phosphorylation. 3BP2 overexpression also resulted in a significant increase in CML-T1 cell growth, accompanied by altered ERK1/2, AKT, SYK, LYN, HCK, and CBL phosphorylation and expression. A phospho-SRC family protein and a 116 kDa phospho-protein were identified as 3BP2 interaction partners in response to BCR-ABL activation. BCR-ABL bone marrow transplantation (BMT) models in 3bp2-/- mice exhibit accelerated disease compared to wild-type mice, with altered leukemic phenotype. In conclusion, 3BP2 is able to modulate signalling through BCR-ABL and affect BCR-ABL-induced disease outcome.

The natural history of CML has been transformed in recent years by the introduction of Glivec[superscript TM] (imatinib mesylate), an ABL kinase inhibitor, which provides the new treatment paradigm for chronic phase CML. While the majority of patients with CP-CML respond very well to imatinib, there are approximately 15% of patients who fail to respond, or respond suboptimally. While the major cause of secondary imatinib resistance can be attributable to kinase domain mutations, the underlying cause of primary resistance is yet to be elucidated. Utilizing the phosphorylation of the adaptor protein Crkl, an immediate downstream partner of BCRABL, as a surrogate measure of BCR-ABL kinase activity, a large interpatient variation in the degree of imatinib induced kinase inhibition achieved in-vitro, was observed in previously untreated CP-CML patients. The observed in-vitro sensitivity was a good predictor of molecular response in patients treated with 600mg imatinib as front line therapy. Furthermore, analysis of the in-vivo reduction in p-Crkl mediated measured in blood cells in response to imatinib over the first 28 days of therapy, revealed that patients with higher % reductions respond significantly better over a two year period, than those with lower % reductions. Using 14-C labelled imatinib, it was demonstrated that this intrinsic sensitivity correlated to the amount of drug which was retained within the target haemopoietic cell, and furthermore, that a critical determinant of the active influx of imatinib, was the functional activity of the human organic cation transporter -1 (OCT-1), as determined by a prazosin (potent inhibitor of OCT-1) inhibition assay. Patients with high OCT-1 Activity had superior molecular responses when compared to those with low OCT-1 Activity, but in those patients who could tolerate increased imatinib dose, these inferior responses could be largely overcome. In contrast, Nilotinib, a more potent second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is not dependent on OCT-1 for influx, making it a possible treatment choice for patients with low OCT-1 Activity. Both imatinib and nilotinib interact with the efflux transporters ABCB1, and ABCG2. In combination studies imatinib results in a significantly increased intracellular concentration of nilotinib, most likely through interaction with these efflux transporters. Furthermore, commonly used therapies such as proton pump inhibitors also interact with ABCB1 and ABCG2, and demonstrable changes in intracellular drug concentrations were observed in-vitro with concomitant administration of these agents and imatinib or nilotinib at clinically relevant concentrations. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that the degree of kinase inhibition mediated in-vitro and in-vivo by imatinib, is a critical determinant of subsequent molecular response. This intrinsic sensitivity to imatinib induced kinase inhibition is related to the activity of the OCT-1 protein. This protein is not involved in the transport of nilotinib, suggesting it as a possible treatment alternative in those patients with low OCT-1 Activity. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1319077 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2008

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Les protéines STAT5A et B sont des facteurs de transcription jouant un rôle important dans l'hématopoïèse normale et leucémique. Ce sont en effet des effecteurs essentiels d’oncogènes à activité tyrosines kinases, tels que BCR-ABL ou JAK2V617F responsables de la genèse d’hémopathies malignes. Ces oncogènes régulent la production de ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) via l’activation de différentes voies de signalisation impliquées dans la prolifération et la survie cellulaire. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous montrons que l’activation oncogénique de STAT5, induite par BCR-ABL, favorise un stress oxydatif dans les cellules de Leucémie Myéloïde chronique (LMC), via la répression de l’expression des enzymes anti-oxydantes catalase et glutaredoxine-1 et la modulation potentielle de l’activité des NADPH oxydases. Nous montrons pour la première fois que l’effet pro-oxydant de STAT5 est régulé par la phosphorylation sur tyrosine de ces protéines et que les formes non phosphorylées et transcriptionnellement inactives exercent un effet anti-oxydant et protecteur contre le stress oxydatif, via des mécanismes non canoniques. Cette dualité de fonction est illustrée dans un modèle de co-culture de cellules de LMC et de cellules stromales médullaires, que nous avons développé dans le laboratoire afin de mimer le microenvironnement médullaire des cellules leucémiques. Dans ce modèle, nous montrons que le contact avec les cellules stromales permet d’inactiver STAT5 dans les cellules leucémiques et donc de promouvoir son activité anti-oxydante. Nous observons également un arrêt de prolifération et une entrée en phase G0 du cycle cellulaire des cellules leucémiques au contact des cellules stromales, ainsi qu’une résistance accrue de ces cellules à l’Imatinib, un inhibiteur de BCR-ABL. Ces données suggèrent un lien important entre activité anti-oxydante de STAT5, quiescence et chimio résistance des cellules leucémiques. / The Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription factors 5A and B are two closely related STAT family members that play a major role in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis. STAT5 proteins are frequently activated in hematopoietic neoplasms and are targets of various tyrosine kinase oncogenes such as BCR-ABL and JAK2V617F. Both oncogenes were shown to stimulate the production of intracellular ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) in leukemic cells and evidences for a cross talk between STAT5 and ROS metabolism have recently emerged. Herein, we demonstrate that sustained activation of STAT5 induced by BCR-ABL promotes ROS production in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) cells by repressing expression of two antioxidants, catalase and glutaredoxin1 and by possible functional interactions with NADPH oxidase complexes. We also provide compelling evidences that tyrosine phosphorylation regulate the pro-oxidant activity of STAT5 and that non phosphorylated STAT5 displays antioxidant properties and protection against oxidative stress via non-genomic effects. This dual function of STAT5 is also illustrated in an in vitro microenvironment model that we develop in our laboratory to analyze interactions between bone marrow stromal cells and CML cells. Using these coculture experiments, we show that STAT5 phosphorylation was reduced and its antioxidant activity enhanced in leukemic cells in contact with stromal cells. We also demonstrate in this model that leukemic cells stopped dividing, entered a quiescent G0 state and became resistant to Imatinib, a BCR-ABL kinase inhibitor. Collectively, these findings suggest an important link between antioxidant activity of STAT5, quiescence and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in leukemic cells.

La dérégulation des tyrosine kinases (TK) joue un rôle majeur dans la tumorigénèse et la progression tumorale des cancers du sein. Dans ce contexte, mon travail de thèse s'est focalisé sur la caractérisation des mécanismes moléculaires régulés par les TK associés à l'invasion cellulaire à travers deux axes d'études distincts : la régulation de l'invasion cellulaire par la protéine TOM1L1 dans les cancers du sein ERBB2-positifs et le rôle des TK ABL/ARG dans l'invasion cellulaire des cancers du sein triple-négatifs (n'exprimant ni ERBB2, ni les récepteurs hormonaux) (TN). TOM1L1 est une protéine du trafic vésiculaire à domaine GAT initialement caractérisée au laboratoire comme un régulateur négatif de l'activité mitogénique de la TK Src. Cependant, nos travaux indiquent que les gènes codant pour TOM1L1 et le récepteur TK ERBB2, localisés au niveau du chromosome 17q, sont co-amplifiés dans environ 50% de ces cancers et associés à un mauvais pronostic suggérant une activité oncogénique non-anticipée de TOM1L1. Mon travail de thèse montre que le récepteur ERBB2 régule indirectement la phosphorylation de la sérine 321 de TOM1L1 afin de permettre son association avec la protéine du trafic vésiculaire TOLLIP au niveau d'endosomes Rab7/MT1-MMP-positifs. Ainsi localisée, TOM1L1 favorise le recrutement membranaire de la métalloprotéase MT1-MMP au niveau de structures d'invasion cellulaire spécifiques, les invadopodes, amplifiant ainsi la capacité invasive des cellules ERBB2+. Des données récentes indiquent que les TK ABL/ARG sont aussi impliquées dans la régulation des invadopodes des cellules des cancers TN. Grace à une approche préliminaire d'inhibition pharmacologique (Imatinib, Nilotinib), mes travaux de thèse ont permis de dévoiler un rôle anti-invasif non-anticipé de ABL dans certaines lignées de cancers du sein TN, dont nous recherchons actuellement le mécanisme. / Deregulation of tyrosine kinases (TK) plays crucial role in breast cancer tumorigenesis and metastatic progression. In this context, my work tried to decipher the molecular mechanisms of tyrosine kinases-induced cell invasion via two distinct research axes: the regulation of cell invasion by TOM1L1 in ERBB2-positive breast cancers and the role of ABL/ARG TK in triple-negative (TN) breast cancer cells (negative for ERBB2 and hormonal receptors expression). The GAT domain-containing vesicular trafficking protein TOM1L1 was first identified in the lab as a negative regulator of Src mitogenic activity. Here, we show that ERBB2 and TOM1L1, located on chromosome 17q, are co-amplified in 50% of breast tumor samples and define a subgroup of ERBB2-positive tumors with poor prognosis. We then studied TOM1L1 pro-oncogenic function and found that TOM1L1 regulates exclusively ERBB2-driven cell invasion. This effect requires indirect ERBB2-induced TOM1L1 phosphorylation on serine 321 and interaction with the endosomal sorting protein TOLLIP at Rab7/MT1-MMP-positive endosomes. Thus, TOM1L1 promotes membrane recruitment of MT1-MMP into specialized invasive structures called invadopodia and, as such, promotes cell invasion. Recent observations show that ABL/ARG TK are also involve in invadopodia regulation of TN breast cancers. With a preliminary pharmacological-inhibition strategy (Imatinib,Nilotinib), my work shows an unanticipated anti-invasive function of ABL in some TN cell-lines. We are currently looking for ABL kinases molecular mechanisms involved in this effect.

Die vorliegende Arbeit handelt von einer in vitro Untersuchung der Stoffwechselveränderun-gen durch die Expression von BCR/ABL bei BaF3-Zellen, einer murinen, IL-3-abhängigen B-Zelllinie. Die Zellen wurden in nährstoffreichem Standard- und in durch Titrationen ermittel-tem nährstoffarmem Minimalmedium auf unterschiedliche Stoffwechselaktivität in Abhän-gigkeit von BCR/ABL-Expression untersucht sowie auf die zusätzliche Beeinflussbarkeit durch IL-3. Danach wurden vergleichend zwischen den 2 Zelllinien (BaF3 und BaF3-BCR/ABL) im Minimalmedium und im Standardmedium Metabolite wie Glukose, Laktat und Aminosäuren bestimmt, wobei BaF3-BCR/ABL sowohl mit als auch ohne IL-3 kultiviert wur-de. Um den Einfluss von Nährstoffrestriktion auf die Therapie zu zeigen, wurden anschlie-ßend vergleichend in den beiden Medien die Tyrosinkinaseinhibitoren Imatinib und Nilotinib titriert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass BaF3-BCR/ABL einen Wachstumsvorteil im Minimalmedium hat, welcher im Standardmedium nicht vorliegt. Während die bereits bekannte Verstärkung der Glukoseaufnahme durch BCR/ABL im Standardmedium bestätigt wurde, konnte im Minimal-medium Gegenteiliges gezeigt werden. Zudem wurde ein Unterschied im Aminosäurestoff-wechsel zwischen BaF3 + IL-3 und BaF3-BCR/ABL + IL-3 im Minimalmedium deutlich. Die therapeutische Relevanz des gezeigten Einflusses der Nährstoffrestriktion konnte anschlie-ßend in der Tyrosinkinaseinhibitortitration dargestellt werden, da die Medikamente in Abhän-gigkeit vom Medium unterschiedliche Wirkungen zeigen. Insgesamt bieten die Ergebnisse einen metabolischen Erklärungsansatz für das Überleben von Tumorstammzellen in nährstoffarmen Arealen des Knochenmarks unter Therapie und Raum für neue Therapieansätze.

Metastasis is one of the main causes of death in cancer patients. Metastatic melanoma is a death sentence, as chemotherapeutic agents have a 5% success rate or do not extend survival beyond 10 months. The lack of effective chemotherapeutic agents for treating metastatic melanoma indicates a dire need to identify new drug targets and develop new therapies. Our lab has previously shown that the kinase activity of Abelson family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (c-Abl and Arg) is elevated in invasive breast cancer cell lines as compared to non-invasive cell lines. Previous studies from our lab have shown that Abl kinases are convergent point of ErbB2 and Src Kinases in melanoma cells and Abl kinases promote invasion by an undefined mechanism. Although Abl kinases promote invasion, it is not known whether they are important for metastastic potential. For the first time, we report that Abl kinases promote melanoma cell proliferation, survival, matrigel-invasion and single-cell 3D invasion. To investigate the mechanism by which Abl kinases promote invasion, we found out that active c-Abl transcriptionally upregulates MMP-1, and using rescue approaches we show that c-Abl promotes invasion via a STAT3àMMP-1 pathway. In contrast, active Arg drives invasion in a STAT3-independent manner, and upregulates the expression of MMP-3 and MT1-MMP, in addition to MMP-1. We also found that Abl kinases promote invasion via lysosomal degradation of a metastasis suppressor, NM23-H1 by activating lysosomal cathepsins B and L, which directly cleave and degrade NM23-H1. Furthermore, c-Abl and Arg are activated in primary melanomas and cAbl/Arg activity is inversely correlated with NM23-H1 expression both in primary melanoma and human melanoma cells. We also demonstrate, for the first time that active Abl kinases promote metastasis in vivo, as inhibition of c-Abl/Arg with nilotinib, dramatically inhibits lung colonization/metastasis in a mouse model using two different melanoma cell lines. In summary, we identify Abl kinases as critical, novel, drug targets in metastatic melanoma, and our data indicate that nilotinib may be useful in preventing metastasis in a select group of patients, harboring active Abl kinases.