Validation of the Function of 14-3-3 ζ in Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Abstract 1369

The 14-3-3 protein family includes seven members, β, γ, ε, η, σ, τ and ζ. With over 200 binding partners, 14-3-3 proteins act as integrators of diverse cell signaling pathways and participate in metabolism, cell cycle regulation, survival and apoptosis. 14-3-3ζ has been implicated in many cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, breast cancer, lung carcinoma and lymphoma. However, the role of 14-3-3ζ in MM has not been extensively explored.

Preliminary data from an affymatrix GEP profile of normal plasma cells (NPC), MGUS, Smoldering myeloma (SM) or multiple myeloma (MM) demonstrates statistically increased expression of 14-3-3 ζ in the transition between MGUS and SM. Among patients with newly diagnosed symptomatic MM, 14-3-3 ζ expression appears to be higher in the higher risk genetic subsets. These data suggest 14-3-3ζ plays a prominent role in the biology of MM especially among high risk myeloma patients.

In order to identify the impact of 14-3-3 ζ signaling on MM proliferation and survival, we developed 14-3-3ζ silenced and over expressing stable cell lines to interrogate the biological role of 14-3-3ζ in MM. Using a library of human MM cell lines, we found that 14-3-3ζ is universally expressed in all MM cell lines examined. Knockdown of 14-3-3ζ significantly inhibits cell growth and proliferation in LP1 and U266 cells, which is partly related to G1 cell cycle arrest. Relevant signaling proteins such as Mcl-1, Bcl2, phospho-Akt and CDK6 decrease after silencing 14-3-3ζ. Furthermore, we performed gene expression profiling of LP1 scrambled and knockdown stable cell lines in order to identify key changes in gene regulation that may be mediated via 14-3-3ζ. The GEP data suggests that 14-3-3ζ is responsible for but not limited to several important signaling pathways, such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, p53 Signaling, NRF2-mediated oxidative stress response and death receptor signaling. In addition, we evaluated the effect of 14-3-3ζ expression on the drug sensitivity to commonly used chemotherapeutic compounds in MM treatment, such as bortezomib, etoposide, dexamethasone, melphalan, lenalidomide, doxorubicin and romidepsin. Knockdown 14-3-3ζ sensitizes cells to romidepsin- induced apoptosis, as demonstrated by Annexin V staining and western blot assay for caspase cleavage. However, bortezomib- induced apoptosis is significantly inhibited when 14-3-3ζ is silenced. Bortezomib (5nM)-induced apoptosis decreased from 37% in LP1 cells expressing shRNA with scrambled sequence to 14% in LP1 cells where 14-3-3 ζ is silenced. Moreover, 14-3-3ζ knockdown effectively inhibits bortezomib induced NOXA upregulation, suggesting a possible new molecular mechanism for the effects of 14-3-3ζ in bortezomib mediated apoptosis. Taken together, our work reveals the important biological function of 14-3-3ζ in MM growth, survival and proliferation; the data also provides valuable information for the development of new therapeutic strategies facilitating drug sensitivity and overcoming drug resistance.