MUC1-C oncoprotein promotes FLT3 receptor activation in acute myeloid leukemia cells

Blood. 2014 Jan 30;123(5):734-42. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-04-493858. Epub 2013 Nov 26.

Abstract

Blasts from approximately one-third of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harbor activating mutations in the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) receptor tyrosine kinase that confer a poor prognosis. The Mucin 1-C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed in AML blasts and stem cells; however, there is no known interaction between MUC1-C and FLT3. The present studies demonstrate that MUC1-C associates with wild-type and mutant FLT3 in AML cells. Targeting MUC1-C with the cell-penetrating peptide inhibitor GO-203 disrupts MUC1-C/FLT3 complexes and downregulates FLT3 activation. GO-203 treatment of AML cells was also associated with inhibition of the FLT3 downstream effectors AKT, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and STAT5. The results further show that AML cells with FLT3-activating mutations and resistant to the FLT3 inhibitor midostaurin/PKC412 are sensitive to GO-203-induced growth arrest and death. Moreover, GO-203 increases sensitivity of mutant FLT3 AML cells to FLT3 inhibitor treatment. These results indicate that MUC1-C contributes to FLT3 activation in AML cells and that targeting MUC1-C inhibits the FLT3 signaling pathway. Our findings support the development of MUC1-C inhibitors alone and in combination with agents that target FLT3 for the treatment of wild-type and mutant FLT3 AML.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mucin-1 / metabolism*
  • Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Peptides / pharmacology
  • Peptides / therapeutic use
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / genetics
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / metabolism*

Substances

  • (arginine)9-cysteinyl-glutaminyl-cysteinyl-arginyl-arginyl-lysyl-asparagine
  • MUC1 protein, human
  • Mucin-1
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • Peptides
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3