1. Academic Validation
  2. p38 MAPK inhibition enhances PS-341 (bortezomib)-induced cytotoxicity against multiple myeloma cells

p38 MAPK inhibition enhances PS-341 (bortezomib)-induced cytotoxicity against multiple myeloma cells

  • Oncogene. 2004 Nov 18;23(54):8766-76. doi: 10.1038/sj.onc.1208118.
Teru Hideshima 1 Klaus Podar Dharminder Chauhan Kenji Ishitsuka Constantine Mitsiades Yu-Tzu Tai Makoto Hamasaki Noopur Raje Hiromasa Hideshima George Schreiner Aaron N Nguyen Tony Navas Nikhil C Munshi Paul G Richardson Linda S Higgins Kenneth C Anderson
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Mayer 557, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract

Although PS-341 (bortezomib) is a promising agent to improve multiple myeloma (MM) patient outcome, 65% of patients with relapsed and refractory disease do not respond. We have previously shown that heat shock protein (HSP)27 is upregulated after PS-341 treatment, that overexpression of Hsp27 confers PS-341 resistance, and that inhibition of Hsp27 overcomes PS-341 resistance. Since Hsp27 is a downstream target of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/MAPK-mitogen-activated protein kinase-2 (MAPKAPK2), we hypothesized that inhibition of p38 MAPK activity could augment PS-341 cytotoxicity by downregulating Hsp27. Although p38 MAPK Inhibitor SCIO-469 (Scios Inc, CA, USA) alone did not induce significant growth inhibition, it blocked baseline and PS-341-triggered phosphorylation of p38 MAPK as well as upregulation of Hsp27, associated with enhanced cytotoxicity in MM.1S cells. Importantly, SCIO-469 enhanced phosphorylation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and augmented cleavage of Caspase-8 and poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase. Moreover, SCIO-469 downregulated PS-341-induced increases in G2/M-phase cells, associated with downregulation of p21Cip1 expression. Importantly, SCIO-469 treatment augmented cytotoxicity of PS-341 even against PS-341-resistant cell lines and patient MM cells. These studies therefore provide the framework for clinical trials of SCIO-469 to enhance sensitivity and overcome resistance to PS-341, thereby improving patient outcome in MM.

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