Adlen Foudi

p210BCR-ABL inhibits SDF-1 Chemotactic Response via Alteration of CXCR4 Signaling and Down-regulation of CXCR4 Expression

It has been shown that p210(BCR-ABL) significantly impairs CXCR4 signaling. We report here that the migratory response to SDF-1 was profoundly altered in blast crisis, whereas chronic-phase CD34(+) cells migrated normally to this chemokine. This migratory defect was associated with a low CXCR4 membrane expression. In vitro STI-571 treatment of CD34(+) cells from patients in blast crisis markedly increased the CXCR4 transcript and CXCR4 membrane expression. Because p210(BCR-ABL) frequently increases with disease progression, we determined the effects of high and low p210(BCR-ABL) expression on CXCR4 protein in the granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor-dependent human cell line MO7e. p210(BCR-ABL) expression distinctly alters CXCR4 protein through two different mechanisms depending on its expression level. At low expression, a signaling defect was detected with no modification of CXCR4 expression. However, higher p210(BCR-ABL) expression induced a marked down-regulation of CXCR4 that is related to its decreased transcription. The effect of p210(BCR-ABL) required its tyrosine kinase activity. Collectively, these data indicate that p210(BCR-ABL) could affect CXCR4 by more than one mechanism and suggest that down-regulation of CXCR4 may have important implications in chronic myelogenous leukemia pathogenesis.

CXCR4/CXCL12 axis counteracts hematopoietic stem cell exhaustion through selective protection against oxidative stress

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) undergo self-renewal to maintain hematopoietic homeostasis for lifetime, which is regulated by the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 are critical factors supporting quiescence and BM retention of HSCs. Here, we report an unknown function of CXCR4/CXCL12 axis in the protection of HSCs against oxidative stress. Disruption of CXCR4 receptor in mice leads to increased endogenous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in p38 MAPK activation, increased DNA double-strand breaks and apoptosis leading to marked reduction in HSC repopulating potential. Increased ROS levels are directly responsible for exhaustion of the HSC pool and are not linked to loss of quiescence of CXCR4-deficient HSCs. Furthermore, we report that CXCL12 has a direct rescue effect on oxidative stress-induced HSC damage at the mitochondrial level. These data highlight the importance of CXCR4/CXCL12 axis in the regulation of lifespan of HSCs by limiting ROS generation and genotoxic stress.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a novel druggable pathway controlling malignant progenitor proliferation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) is an ubiquitous basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, which is ligand-activated and involved in numerous biological processes including cell division, cell quiescence and inflammation. It has been shown that AHR is involved in normal hematopoietic progenitor proliferation in human cells. In addition, loss of AHR in knockout mice is accompanied by a myeloproliferative syndrome-like disease, suggesting a role of AHR in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance. To study the potential role of AHR pathway in CML progenitors and stem cells, we have first evaluated the expression of AHR in UT-7 cell line expressing BCR-ABL. AHR expression was highly reduced in UT-7 cell expressing BCR-ABL as compared to controls. AHR transcript levels, quantified in primary peripheral blood CML cells at diagnosis (n = 31 patients) were found to be significantly reduced compared to healthy controls (n = 15). The use of StemRegenin (SR1), an AHR antagonist, induced a marked expansion of total leukemic cells and leukemic CD34+ cells by about 4- and 10-fold respectively. SR1-treated CML CD34+ cells generated more colony-forming cells and long-term culture initiating cell (LTC-IC)–derived progenitors as compared to non-SR1-treated counterparts. Conversely, treatment of CML CD34+ cells with FICZ, a natural agonist of AHR, induced a 3-fold decrease in the number of CD34+ cells in culture after 7 days. Moreover, a 4-day FICZ treatment was sufficient to significantly reduce the clonogenic potential of CML CD34+ cells and this effect was synergized by Imatinib and Dasatinib treatments. Similarly, a 3-day FICZ treatment contributed to hinder significantly the number of LTC-IC-derived progenitors without synergistic effect with Imatinib. The analysis of molecular circuitry of AHR signaling in CML showed a transcriptional signature in CML derived CD34+ CD38- primitive cells with either low or high levels of AHR, with an upregulation of myeloid genes involved in differentiation in the “AHR low” fraction and an upregulation of genes involved in stem cell maintenance in the “AHR high” fraction. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate for the first time that down-regulation of AHR expression, a major cell cycle regulator, is involved in the myeloproliferative phenotype associated with CML. AHR agonists inhibit clonogenic and LTC-IC-derived progenitor growth and they could be used in leukemic stem cell targeting in CML.