Rapid and selective death of leukemia stem and progenitor cells induced by the compound 4-benzyl, 2-methyl, 1,2,4-thiadiazolidine, 3,5 dione (TDZD-8). Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Leukemia is thought to arise from malignant stem cells, which have been described for acute and chronic myeloid leukemia (AML and CML) and for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are relatively resistant to current chemotherapy and likely contribute to disease relapse and progression. Consequently, the identification of drugs that can efficiently eradicate LSCs is an important priority. In the present study, we investigated the antileukemia activity of the compound TDZD-8. Analysis of primary AML, blast crisis CML (bcCML), ALL, and chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) specimens showed rapid induction of cell death upon treatment with TDZD-8. In addition, for myeloid leukemias, cytotoxicity was observed for phenotypically primitive cells, in vitro colony-forming progenitors, and LSCs as defined by xenotransplantation assays. In contrast, no significant toxicity was observed for normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Notably, cell death was frequently evident within 2 hours or less of TDZD-8 exposure. Cellular and molecular studies indicate that the mechanism by which TDZD-8 induces cell death involves rapid loss of membrane integrity, depletion of free thiols, and inhibition of both the PKC and FLT3 signaling pathways. We conclude that TDZD-8 uses a unique and previously unknown mechanism to rapidly target leukemia cells, including malignant stem and progenitor populations.

authors

  • Guzman, Monica L
  • Li, Xiaojie
  • Corbett, Cheryl A
  • Rossi, Randall M
  • Bushnell, Timothy
  • Liesveld, Jane L
  • Hébert, Josée
  • Young, Fay
  • Jordan, Craig T

publication date

  • September 4, 2007

Research

keywords

  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma
  • Thiadiazoles

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC2234782

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 39649085170

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1182/blood-2007-05-088815

PubMed ID

  • 17785584

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 110

issue

  • 13