F604S exchange in FIP1L1-PDGFRA enhances FIP1L1-PDGFRA protein stability via SHP-2 and SRC: a novel mode of kinase inhibitor resistance

Leukemia. 2015 Aug;29(8):1763-70. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.70. Epub 2015 Mar 12.

Abstract

FIP1L1-PDGFRA is a constitutively activated kinase described in chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL) and hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES). Imatinib is clinically active in FIP1L1-PDGFRA-positive diseases. Using in vitro screening to identify imatinib-resistant mutations, we frequently detected a Phe to Ser exchange at position 604 (F604S) of FIP1L1-PDGFRA alone or in combination with other exchanges. Surprisingly, FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S did not increase the biochemical or cellular IC50 value of imatinib when compared with unmutated FIP1L1-PDGFRA. However, FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S more efficiently induced growth factor independence in cell lines and primary mouse bone marrow cells. Pulse chase analysis revealed that the F604S exchange strongly stabilized FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S. The F604S mutation creates a binding site for the phosphatase domain of SHP-2, leading to lower autophosphorylation of FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S. This is associated with a reduced activation of SRC and CBL by FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S compared with the unmutated oncogene. As SRC inhibition and knockdown resulted in FIP1L1-PDGFRA stabilization, this explains the extended half-life of FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S. Interestingly, FIP1L1-PDGFRA/L629P, a recently identified mutation in an imatinib-resistant CEL patient, also showed protein stabilization similar to that observed with FIP1L1-PDGFRA/F604S. Therefore, resistance mutations in FIP1L1-PDGFRA that do not interfere with drug binding but rather increase target protein stability seem to be one of the drug-resistance mechanisms in FIP1L1-PDGFRA-positive disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cells, Cultured
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hypereosinophilic Syndrome
  • Mice
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src) / genetics
  • Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src) / metabolism*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / chemistry*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Stability / drug effects*
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11 / genetics
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11 / metabolism*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / chemistry*
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors / chemistry*
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors
  • FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion protein, human
  • Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha
  • Oncogene Protein pp60(v-src)
  • PTPN11 protein, human
  • Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-Receptor Type 11