Expression of Ara-C Metabolizing Enzymes Mediates in Vitro Sensitivity to Ara-C in Primary AML Cells From Patients with Denovo AML,

Abstract 3481

Wide inter-individual variation in terms of treatment outcome and toxic side effects of treatment exist among patients with AML receiving chemotherapy with cytarabine (ara-C) and daunorubicin. The pre-requisite for the cytotoxic action of pro-drug Ara-C is the enzymatic conversion to its active tri-phosphorylated form ara-CTP. Many drug activating (Deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) and human Equilibrative Nucleoside Transporter 1 (hENT1) and deactivating (Cytidine deaminase (CDA), 5'nucleotidase (NT5C2) genes and ribonucleoside reductase (RRM1), which are involved in transport and biotransformation of cytarabine contribute to the variation in ara-C sensitivity in AML patients. FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations act as major poor and good prognostic markers respectively in cytogenetically normal AML. The effect of these mutations in ara-C metabolism remains to be elucidated.

The present study aims to determine independent as well as the combined effect of ara-C metabolizing genes mRNA expression on in-vitro ara-C cytotoxicity and the role of FLT3-ITD and NPM mutations on mRNA expression of these genes. Diagnostic bone marrow sample (median blasts 65%; range 21 – 98%) from 98 adult patients with de novo AML (other than AML-M3) were included in this study. mRNA expression levels for each target gene relative to housekeeping gene GAPDH was analyzed using Taqman based gene expression assays. In vitro cytotoxicity was assessed using MTT cell viability assay and IC-50 was calculated. In vitro sensitivity or resistance was classified on the basis of the IC-50 values <6uM and >6uM ara-C respectively. FLT3 ITD and NPM mutation status at diagnosis were determined through PCR followed by Genescan analysis using genomic DNA samples. Type of NPM mutation was identified by sequencing.

When ara-C IC-50 values were compared with the mRNA expression levels of these candidate genes, Ara-C sensitive samples (n= 30; IC-50 < 6uM) showed significantly higher mRNA expression of dCK and hENT1 compared to those with Ara-C resistance (n=51) IC50 >6uM (median 314 (61.56 – 1232) vs. 180 (31.87 – 749.2); p = 0.0004 and median 172.1 (44.12 – 657.6) vs. 96.19 (37.49 – 432.4), p= 0.0008 respectively. RRM1 and NT5C2 did not show any association with in vitro Ara-C cytotoxicity, while CDA showed a trend towards association with lower CDA expression in ara-C sensitive samples. Based on these findings we put forward Ara-C resistance index (RI). RI is calculated by the formula

RI = ΔCT (dCK X ENT1)/ ΔCT CDA.

(Smaller ΔCT value= higher mRNA expression). RI values were significantly higher in resistant (IC50 >6uM) compared to sensitive cells (median: 6.084; range 1.89–11.82) vs. 3.702 (1.89–9.80); p=<0.0001). This association should now be validated in an independent cohort.

Effects of NPM and FLT3 mutation status on Ara-C metabolizing genes were then evaluated. No significant association was found between FLT3-ITD status and the mRNA expression of these candidate genes. Interestingly, dCK mRNA levels were significantly higher in samples with NPM mutation (n=39) compared to NPM wild type (n=59); median 272.3 (41.64–1232) vs. 188.6 (31.87–1030); p value= 0.01. When analysed separately, patients with NPM type A mutation (n=27) showed significantly higher dCK expression (median 347.4 (41.64–1232) vs. 188.6 (31.87–1030); p value= 0.003 compared to those with wild type NPM1. This first report showing an association between expression profiles of ara-C metabolizing genes and NPM mutation should form the basis for evaluating their clinical correlations.