Cited by 222Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia researchProtein Tyrosine PhosphatasesT-cell and Retrovirus Studies

Phenothiazines induce PP2A-mediated apoptosis in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

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Gutierrez, Alejandro, Pan, Li, Groen, Richard W.J., Baleydier, Frederic, Kentsis, Alex, Marineau, Jason, Grebliunaite, Ruta, Kozakewich, Elena +17 more·2014·Journal of Clinical Investigation

Abstract

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive cancer that is frequently associated with activating mutations in NOTCH1 and dysregulation of MYC. Here, we performed 2 complementary screens to identify FDA-approved drugs and drug-like small molecules with activity against T-ALL. We developed a zebrafish system to screen small molecules for toxic activity toward MYC-overexpressing thymocytes and used a human T-ALL cell line to screen for small molecules that synergize with Notch inhibitors. We identified the antipsychotic drug perphenazine in both screens due to its ability to induce apoptosis in fish, mouse, and human T-ALL cells. Using ligand-affinity chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, we identified protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as a perphenazine target. T-ALL cell lines treated with perphenazine exhibited rapid dephosphorylation of multiple PP2A substrates and subsequent apoptosis. Moreover, shRNA knockdown of specific PP2A subunits attenuated perphenazine activity, indicating that PP2A mediates the drug's antileukemic activity. Finally, human T-ALLs treated with perphenazine exhibited suppressed cell growth and dephosphorylation of PP2A targets in vitro and in vivo. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the recurring identification of phenothiazines as a class of drugs with anticancer effects. Furthermore, these data suggest that pharmacologic PP2A activation in T-ALL and other cancers driven by hyperphosphorylated PP2A substrates has therapeutic potential.

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  1. [43]43. Chen Z, et al. MAP kinases. Chem Rev. 2001; 101(8):2449-2476.
  2. [52]52. Sachlos E, et al. Identification of drugs including a dopamine receptor antagonist that selectively tar- get cancer stem cells. Cell. 2012;149(6):1284-1297.

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Authors
Gutierrez, A., Pan, L., Groen, R. W. J., Baleydier, F., Kentsis, A., Marineau, J., Grebliunaite, R., Kozakewich, E., Reed, C., Pflumio, F., Poglio, S., Uzan, B., Clemons, P., VerPlank, L., An, F., Burbank, J., Norton, S., Tolliday, N., Steen, H., Weng, A. P., Yuan, H., Bradner, J. E., Mitsiades, C., Look, A. T., & Aster, J. C.
Affiliations
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • Boston Children's Hospital (US)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Université Paris-Sud (FR)
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • BC Cancer Agency (CA)
Corresponding author
Aster, Jon C.
Venue
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published
2014-01-09
Volume
124
Issue
2
Pages
644-655
ISSN
0021-9738 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2128575549
Cited by
220
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 10
FWCI
23.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • European Commission (302428)
  • National Institutes of Health (n01co12400-79-0-22)
  • National Cancer Institute (N01CO12400, R01CA176746, N01-CO-012400, K08CA133103, P01CA109901)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and Retrovirus Studies
Keywords
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, phenothiazines, perphenazine, protein phosphatase 2A, apoptosis, antipsychotic drugs, drug repurposing, MYC overexpression, NOTCH1 mutation, Notch inhibitors, anticancer drug discovery
MeSH terms
Animals, Cell Survival, Chromatography, Affinity, Disease Models, Animal, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor, Humans, Perphenazine, Phenothiazines, Phosphorylation, Pigmentation, Mass Spectrometry, Time Factors, Zebrafish, Apoptosis, Dopamine Antagonists, Animals, Genetically Modified, Proteomics, Cell Line, Tumor, Mice, Receptors, Notch, Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma, Protein Phosphatase 2

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