Novel Therapy for FLT3-ITD Acute Myeloid Leukemia Utilizing the Combination of CUDC-907 and Gilteritinib
Authors: Knight Tristan , Qiao Xinan , Edwards Holly , Lin Hai , Taub Jeffrey W. , Ge Yubin 
Published: October 2019

Introduction:

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is a receptor tyrosine kinase, and is mutated in approximately one third of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients; this mutation confers a poor prognosis. Two FLT3 mutations are commonly seen in AML: internal tandem duplications (ITD) in the juxtamembrane domain (~25% of AML), and point mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase at codon 835 (D835) (~7% of AML). Both mutations result in constitutive FLT3 activation, causing downstream activation of multiple pathways, in particular, those involved in cell survival including the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK, JAK-STAT5, and PI3K/AKT pathways. PI3K-AKT may also be activated by AXL, also a tyrosine kinase, via its targets PLC, Grb2, and PI3K. Logically, then, inhibition of FLT3 is a promising pharmacological approach for treating this subtype of AML. Gilteritinib (ASP-2215) is a novel dual inhibitor of FLT3 and AXL, exposure to which results in upregulation of FLT3 as a resistance mechanism. Previously, we found that the novel dual PI3K/histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor CUDC-907 downregulates FLT3 expression in AML cells (Figure 1A). Additionally, inhibition of FLT3 and AXL by gilteritinib may not result in robust inactivation of both the PI3K-Akt and MEK/ERK pathways due to crosstalk between the two pathways. Thus, our hypothesis was that CUDC-907 would sensitize AML cells to gilteritinib, resulting in concurrent inhibition of all the downstream signaling pathways of FLT3 and AXL, leading to synergistic antileukemic activities again FLT3-mutated AML (Figure 1B).

Methods:

FLT3-ITD AML cell lines (MV4-11 and MOLM-13) and primary patient samples were treated with CUDC-907, gilteritinib, both, or neither for 24 hours, at clinically achievable concentrations. Annexin V/Propidium Iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry analyses was performed, and combination indexes (CI) calculated; CI<1, CI=1, and CI>1 indicating synergistic, additive, or antagonistic effects, respectively. Western blots were performed after treatment for 0-24 hours to determine protein expression of relevant targets.

Results:

CUDC-907 and gilteritinib demonstrated potent synergistic antileukemic effects in FLT3-ITD AML cell lines and FLT3-ITD patient samples (AML#171, AML#180), the combination exceeding either in isolation (Figure 1C). These findings were confirmed via western blot, which showed accentuated upregulation of cleaved caspase3 with combination therapy, in both cell lines and one patient sample, demonstrating drug-induced apoptosis. We confirmed that CUDC-907 abolishes gilteritinib-induced expression of FLT3 in a time-dependent fashion in cell lines MV4-11 and MOLM-13 (Figure 1D). Gilteritinib treatment decreased p-AKT, p-S6, and p-STAT5, while inhibition of the ERK pathway, as assessed by p-ERK expression, varied amongst the samples (Figure 1E). CUDC-907 treatment decreased both p-AKT and p-ERK. MOLM-13 cells showed increased p-ERK following gilteritinib treatment and increased p-STAT5 after CUDC-907 treatment. In all samples, combination of gilteritinib with CUDC-907 resulted in decrease of p-STAT5 and p-S6, similar to gilteritinib treatment alone, and further reduction of p-AKT and p-ERK compared to single drug treatments. Gilteritinib treatment also reduced expression of anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1, which was further decreased in combination treated cells. Subsequently, time-course analysis was performed in both cell lines; findings were consistent with prior observations, and confirmed that protein expression changed over time, in relation to gilteritinib/CUDC-907/combined treatment exposure.

Conclusion:

We confirmed that CUDC-907 and Gilteritinib synergistically induce apoptosis in both cell lines and primary patient samples derived from patients with FLT3-ITD AML, and that CUDC-907 abolishes Gilteritinib-induced FLT3 expression. Additionally, the combination cooperatively inhibits the PI3K-AKT, JAK-STAT, and RAS-RAF pathways, while preventing escape via alternative pathways. Our results provide a strong foundation for subsequent in vivo murine studies, and eventual clinical evaluation of the combination of gilteritinib and CUDC-907 for the treatment of AML.

Figure 1. Figure 1.

Disclosures

Ge: MEI Pharma: Research Funding.