Cited by 45Mast cells and histamineProtein Kinase Regulation and GTPase SignalingAcute Myeloid Leukemia Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 60 of the 60 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 20 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Pak and Rac GTPases promote oncogenic KIT–induced neoplasms

Open access

Abstract

An acquired somatic mutation at codon 816 in the KIT receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with poor prognosis in patients with systemic mastocytosis and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Treatment of leukemic cells bearing this mutation with an allosteric inhibitor of p21-activated kinase (Pak) or its genetic inactivation results in growth repression due to enhanced apoptosis. Inhibition of the upstream effector Rac abrogates the oncogene-induced growth and activity of Pak. Although both Rac1 and Rac2 are constitutively activated via the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Vav1, loss of Rac1 or Rac2 alone moderately corrected the growth of KIT-bearing leukemic cells, whereas the combined loss resulted in 75% growth repression. In vivo, the inhibition of Vav or Rac or Pak delayed the onset of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) and corrected the associated pathology in mice. To assess the role of Rac GEFs in oncogene-induced transformation, we used an inhibitor of Rac, EHop-016, which specifically targets Vav1 and found that EHop-016 was a potent inhibitor of human and murine leukemic cell growth. These studies identify Pak and Rac GTPases, including Vav1, as potential therapeutic targets in MPN and AML involving an oncogenic form of KIT.

Overview

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TL;DR

The Vav1/Rac/Pak pathway is constitutively activated downstream of oncogenic KITD814V/D816V and is required for transformation, and genetic or pharmacologic inhibition delays myeloproliferative neoplasms and prolongs survival. EHop-016 and Pak inhibition more potently repress growth of KIT-mutant leukemic cells than NSC23766.

Key findings

  • KITD814V-bearing cells showed constitutive Vav1 phosphorylation and Rac1/Rac2 activation; Vav1 deficiency reduced ligand-independent growth by approximately 75%, Rac2 loss by approximately 50%, Rac1 loss only modestly (~10%–15%), and combined Rac1/Rac2 loss by approximately 75%.
  • Dominant-negative RacN17 in KITD814V-bearing cells repressed growth and survival in vitro and in vivo prolonged survival, reduced peripheral blood WBC/neutrophil counts, reduced leukemic burden from up to 90% to approximately 20% EGFP-positive cells in PB/BM/spleen, and corrected spleen/lung pathology.
  • EHop-016 inhibited growth of KITD816V-bearing HMC1.2 and Kasumi-1 cells at concentrations ~50-fold lower than NSC23766 in some cases; primary KITD816V-positive SM patient cells were more susceptible than KITD816V-negative samples. EHop-016 at 10 μM inhibited both Rac1 and Rac2, whereas 20 μM NSC23766 inhibited Rac1 but not Rac2.
  • Pak was activated downstream of Vav1/Rac; dominant-negative PakK299R or IPA-3 repressed growth and survival, and KITD814V plus PakK299R mice survived beyond day 15 when all KITD814V-only mice died, with reduced spleen weight, PB counts, and tissue infiltration.

Methods

  • Retroviral transduction of 32D myeloid cells and primary BM HSC/Ps with WT KIT or KITD814V, plus RacN17, PakK299R, activated Rac, or activated Pak; genetic models included Vav1−/−, Rac2−/−, and Mx1-Cre/Rac1flox/flox/Rac2−/− mice; human cells included HMC1.2, Kasumi-1, and primary SM patient samples.
  • In vitro assays used [3H]thymidine incorporation for proliferation, annexin V/7-AAD for apoptosis, and Rac/Pak activation pulldown or Western blot; in vivo studies used syngeneic C3H/HeJ or lethally irradiated C57BL/6 transplant recipients, with survival, PB counts, flow cytometry, and histopathology.
  • Statistics used mean ± SD unless otherwise stated, P < 0.05 as significant, and Kaplan-Meier log-rank analysis for survival.

Limitations

  • Stated in the paper: whether other Pak isoforms contribute to leukemogenesis remains to be determined; the authors also state they have no direct evidence for which additional GEFs EHop-016 inhibits in oncogene KIT-bearing cells.
  • Evident from the text: the in vivo Pak experiments used small cohorts (n = 3–4), and EHop-016’s mechanism in KIT-mutant cells is inferred partly from prior breast cancer cell line data rather than directly demonstrated in this system.
  • Evident from the text: patient sample numbers and characteristics are not detailed, and the paper does not include a dedicated limitations section.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1172/jci67509

Cites

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Citations

Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Oberley, 2012, Am J Blood Res., 2, 1
  2. Frost, 2002, Mol Cancer Ther., 1, 1115
  3. Williams, 2000, Blood., 96, 1646

Cited by

Metadata

Authors
Martin, H., Mali, R. S., Ma, P., Chatterjee, A., Ramdas, B., Sims, E., Munugalavadla, V., Ghosh, J., Mattingly, R. R., Visconte, V., Tiu, R. V., Vlaar, C. P., Dharmawardhane, S., & Kapur, R.
Affiliations
  • Indiana University Indianapolis (US)
  • Genentech (US)
  • Cleveland Clinic (US)
  • University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus (PR)
  • Indiana University Bloomington (US)
Corresponding author
Kapur, Reuben
Venue
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published
2013-09-16
Volume
123
Issue
10
Pages
4449-4463
ISSN
0021-9738 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2124465965
Cited by
45
References
60
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 10
FWCI
2.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • American Cancer Society
  • Riley Children's Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute on Aging (F31AG040974)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL077177, R01HL075816, T32HL007910)
  • National Cancer Institute (R01CA134777)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Mast cells and histamine
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Kinase Regulation and GTPase Signaling
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Hematology › Acute Myeloid Leukemia Research
Keywords
KIT, Rac1, Rac2, Vav1, p21-activated kinase, acute myeloid leukemia, myeloproliferative neoplasms, systemic mastocytosis, oncogene-induced transformation, apoptosis, therapeutic target
MeSH terms
Aminoquinolines, Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, Carbazoles, Cell Survival, Enzyme Activation, Humans, Mastocytosis, Mice, Inbred C3H, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Pyrimidines, Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit, Mutation, Missense, rac GTP-Binding Proteins, Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Proliferation, Mice, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav, p21-Activated Kinases, Carcinogenesis

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