The Bcr-Abl SH2-Kinase Domain Interface Is Critical for Leukemogenesis and An Additional Therapeutic Target in CML.

Abstract 37

We previously showed that the Abl SH2 domain is an allosteric activator of c-Abl tyrosine kinase activity and substrate phosphorylation (Filippakopoulos et al. (2008) Cell 134(5), 793-803). This effect is exerted directly by docking of the SH2 domain onto the N-lobe of the kinase domain in the active conformation of c-Abl. We also showed that the same structural mechanism is a critical factor for full activation of the oncogenic fusion kinase Bcr-Abl. Disruption of binding of the SH2 domain to the kinase domain in Bcr-Abl by the Ile164Glu mutation in the SH2 domain, led to a strong reduction in in vitro tyrosine kinase activity and Bcr-Abl autophosphorylation. Unexpectedly, we observed a differential attenuation of downstream signaling pathways upon disruption of the SH2-kinase domain interface, indicating different activation thresholds of Bcr-Abl downstream signaling pathways. Here, we show that disrupting the SH2-kinase domain interface abrogates the transforming capacity of Bcr-Abl. Cells expressing the Bcr-Abl Ile164Glu mutant were unable to generate cytokine-independent colonies in vitro. Furthermore, mice transplanted with Bcr-Abl Ile164Glu expressing bone marrow cells did not develop the characteristic MPD-like disease that is caused by wild-type Bcr-Abl. Mice that received Bcr-Abl Ile164Glu cells showed normal survival, blood counts and histology after more than 100 days post-transplant, despite the presence of Bcr-Abl Ile164Glu-expressing cells in all blood lineages. This shows that the formation of the SH2-kinase domain interface is strictly necessary for Bcr-Abl to cause CML. Together with our data that show sensitization to imatinib inhibition of Bcr-Abl Ile164Glu as compared to Bcr-Abl wild-type, this argues for the SH2-kinase domain interface as an additional drug target on Bcr-Abl that may synergize with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and may be useful to inhibit tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistant Bcr-Abl clones. To address possibilities to interfere with the SH2-kinase domain interface, we are using an engineered binding protein that binds to the Abl SH2 domain with high-affinity and specificity and supposedly disrupts the interface with the kinase domain, resulting in a decrease in Bcr-Abl kinase activity. In conclusion, we provide strong evidence that the structural positioning of the SH2 domain is a crucial factor for constitutive activity, signal transduction and leukemogenicity of Bcr-Abl. Besides oligomerization via the N-terminal coiled-coiled domain and loss of the auto-inhibitory N-terminal myristoyl group, the proper positioning of the SH2 domain appears to be another critical factor that is required for constitutive activation of Bcr-Abl. Inhibitors of the SH2-kinase domain interface of Bcr-Abl may comprise alternative or additional points of pharmacological intervention for the treatment of imatinib-sensitive or -resistant CML or Ph+ acute lymphocytic leukemia.