The Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Adaphostin (NSC 680410), but Not Imatinib Mesylate, Inhibits Survival and Src Tyrosine Kinase Family- Triggered Signaling Pathways of MM Cells.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor adaphostin is a member of the tyrophostin family of small molecules that interfere with peptide binding rather, than targeting the kinase ATP-binding site. Adaphostin has therefore been examined as an alternative to the 2-phenylaminopyrimidine derivate imatinib mesylate, with remarkable efficacy in the treatment of chronic myeloic leukemia (CML). Previous studies show that adaphostin induces apoptosis: (1) in Bcr/Abl+ cells more rapidly than imatinib mesylate; (2) in imatinib mesylate resistant cells; and (3) in Bcr/ Abl - cells.

Imatinib mesylate has minimal, if any activity in MM; the efficacy of adaphostin in multiple myeloma (MM) is unknown. Here we compare the effects of adaphostin and imatinib mesylate against human MM cells. Our results show concentration-dependent apoptosis in MM.1S, U266, OPM-2, INA-6, RPMI8226 and RPMI-Dox40 MM cells after treatment with adaphostin, but not with imatinib mesylate. Imatinib mesylate induced more than 50% apoptosis in K562 cells using concentrations as low as 1mM, which served as a positive control. Moreover, adaphostin, but not imatinib mesylate, induced caspase-9, caspase-8, and PARP cleavage, as well as downregulation of Mcl-1, in MM cells. Further results demonstrated that adaphostin induces peroxide production and DNA strand breaks after long-term treatment. Importantly MM cell proliferation induced by MM cell binding to BMSCs was abrogated by adaphostin- treatment. IL-6 and IGF-1 signaling and sequelae triggered by these cytokines are important growth, survival, and drug resistance factors in MM; conversely, adaphostin but not imatinib mesylate, inhibited phosphorylation of Src tyrosine kinase family, Akt-1, and ERK. Taken together, our studies in MM cells show that (1) adaphostin- inhibits IGF-1- and IL-6- triggered signaling pathways as well as (2) induces reactive oxygen species and apoptosis. These studies therefore provide the preclinical framework for its clinical evaluation to improve patient outcome in MM.