Inhibiting Alternative Non Homologus Endjoining (NHEJ) Pathways: Therapeutic Targets in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML).

BCR-ABL fusion tyrosine kinase in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), induces high levels of ROS that generate DNA double strand breaks (DSBs). We previously showed that CML cells repair DSBs by aberrant non homologous end-joining (NHEJ) that is characterized by large DNA deletions. The generation of DNA deletions represents a mechanism by which genomic alterations may be acquired in the progression of chronic phase CML to blast crisis. Recently, we demonstrated that a “back-up” or alternative NHEJ pathway is involved in aberrant repair of DSBs in CML. Proteins in this pathway include, DNA ligase IIIα, XRCC1 and poly(-ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP). We have identified that NHEJ proteins, DNA ligase IIIα and WRN are overexpressed in CML. This increased expression appears to be dependent on the presence of BCR-ABL. “Knockdown” of these proteins leads to an accumulation of unrepaired DSBs, demonstrating their essential involvement in DSB repair in CML cells. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the effect of inhibiting “back-up” DNA repair proteins in proliferation and apoptosis of BCR-ABL-positive CML compared with standard Imatinib therapy. To evaluate whether “back-up” repair proteins may be therapeutic targets, we used siRNA down-regulation and small molecule inhibition of DNA ligase IIIα and PARP in BCR-ABL positive cell lines. Importantly, we have recently identified small molecule inhibitors of DNA Ligases by computer aided drug design (CADD). Inhibition of DNA ligases and PARP result in a significant increase in apoptosis of CML cells (K562, Kasumi 4, MEG01 and KU812 and P210 MO7e), comparable with the cell death observed with imatinib treatment. Importantly, CML cell lines resistant to imatinib treatment demonstrate similar apoptotic levels in response to “back-up” repair protein inhibition. These inhibitors are in the process of being tested in CML xenografts and mouse models for therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Our data suggest that the survival of CML cells is at least in part maintained by repair of DSBs using “Back-up” NHEJ. The main proteins involved in this pathway, which include DNA ligase IIIα, XRCCI, DNA Ligase I, PARP and WRN have the potential to be novel therapeutic targets in CML patients that have acquired resistance to imatinib.