MRx102, a triptolide derivative, has potent antileukemic activity in vitro and in a murine model of AML

B. Z. Carter, D. H. Mak, Y. Shi, J. M. Fidler, R. Chen, X. Ling, W. Plunkett, M. Andreeff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Triptolide, isolated from the herb Tripterygium wilfordii, has been shown to potently induce apoptosis in various malignant cells by inhibiting RNA synthesis and nuclear factor-κB activity. Previously, we showed that triptolide promotes apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells via the mitochondria-mediated pathway, in part, by decreasing levels of the anti-apoptotic proteins XIAP and Mcl-1. MRx102 is a triptolide derivative, currently in preclinical development. Here we show that MRx102 potently promoted apoptosis in AML cell lines, with EC 50 values of 14.5±0.6 nM and 37.0±0.9 nM at 48 h for OCI-AML3 and MV4-11 cells, respectively. MRx102, at low nanomolar concentrations, also induced apoptosis in bulk, CD34 + progenitor, and more importantly, CD34 +CD38 - stem/progenitor cells from AML patients, even when they were protected by coculture with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells. MRx102 decreased XIAP and Mcl-1 protein levels and inhibited RNA synthesis in OCI-AML3 cells. In vivo, MRx102 greatly decreased leukemia burden and increased survival time in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice harboring Ba/F3-ITD cells. Collectively, we demonstrated that MRx102 has potent antileukemic activity both in vitro and in vivo, has the potential to eliminate AML stem/progenitor cells and overcome microenvironmental protection of leukemic cells, and warrants clinical investigation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)443-450
Number of pages8
JournalLeukemia
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2012

Keywords

  • AML and AML stem cells
  • MRx102
  • Mcl-1
  • XIAP
  • microenvironment
  • triptolide

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Hematology
  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

MD Anderson CCSG core facilities

  • Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Facility

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