Cell Cycle Dysregulation Represents an Early Effect of the Proteasome Inhibitor Bortezomib in Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct subtype of malignant lymphoma with an especially poor clinical outcome, a median survival time of 3 years and virtually no long-term survivors. On the molecular level, MCL is characterized by the chromosomal translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32) resulting in the constitutive overexpression of cyclin D1. However, additional genetic alterations of cell cycle regulators, e.g. deletions of the INK4A gene cluster, are detectable in the majority of cases. In various phase II studies the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (Velcade) has demonstrated a high clinical efficacy with up to 60% remission rates in relapsed MCL. Additionally, in a previous in vitro study, the inhibitor induced a downregulation of cyclin D1 expression and a concomitant G(1) cell cycle arrest. However, little is known which molecules represent the critical targets of proteosome inhibition and how different regulators of cell cycle and apoptosis (inhibitors of CDK/INK4: p15^INK4A, p16^INK4B -and p14^ARF and other kinase inhibitor proteins/KIP: 21^CIP1, p27^KIP1 and p57^KIP2) are affected.

4 MCL cell lines (HBL2, GRANTA 519, Jeko-1, NCEB-1) and 2 hematological control cell lines (Jurkat, Karpas 422) were exposed to bortezomib at the minimal cytotoxic concentration (25 nmol) which corresponds to clinically achieved drug levels and results in a significant cytolysis after 48 – 72 hours. Real-time RT-PCR and protein expression levels of various CDK inhibitors (INK4s, KIPs) and cyclin D1 were determined a 0, 4, 8 and 12 hours after treatment with bortezomib. In addition, RNA- and protein expression data were compared to functional cell cycle phase (FACS) and cell apoptosis. Prelimenary data indicate that downregulation of cyclin D1 RNA expression after 12 and 24h of treatment represents a rather late event whereas alterations of other cell cycle regulators (like p21^CIP1) were detected siginificantly earlier in all four MCL cell lines. Thus, expression of cell cycle regulators may indicate early events of proteasome inhibition. A comparative analysis of the cell cycle regulation network is currently being performed and will be presented at the conference.