Wnt5a and ROR1 activate non-canonical Wnt signaling via RhoA in TCF3-PBX1 acute lymphoblastic leukemia and highlight new treatment strategies via Bcl-2 co-targeting

Oncogene. 2019 Apr;38(17):3288-3300. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0670-9. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Abstract

B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) with TCF3-PBX1 fusion gene expression has constitutively elevated levels of Wnt16b and ROR1 (receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor), a ligand and a receptor from the Wnt signaling pathway, respectively. Although survival rate is usually high after the initial chemotherapy, many TCF3-PBX1 BCP-ALL patients relapse and subsequently develop treatment resistance, resulting in poor prognosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the molecular signaling associated with Wnt16b and ROR1 overexpression in TCF3-PBX1 cell lines and primary samples, and to identify effective treatment options via ROR1 targeting. We detected higher ROR1 expression on TCF3-PBX1 leukemic cells even at a later stage of patient relapse, providing a strong rationale for the use of ROR1-targeted therapy. We found that Wnt5a-ROR1 signaling enhances proliferation of TCF3-PBX1 cells via RhoA/Rac1 GTPases activation and STAT3 upregulation. Wnt16b also activated the RhoA/Rac1 signaling cascade suggesting the activation of a non-canonical Wnt pathway in TCF3-PBX1 cells. Wnt16 could interact with ROR1 but not in TCF3-PBX1 cells, suggesting that Wnt5a is the ligand signaling via ROR1 in TCF3-PBX1 cells. By high throughput drug-sensitivity testing of TCF3-PBX1 cells before and after ROR1 knockdown we found that targeting ROR1 significantly improves the therapeutic efficacy of Bcl-2 family inhibitors venetoclax and navitoclax, and this synergism was confirmed ex vivo using a drug-resistant primary sample from a relapsed TCF3-PBX1 patient. Our work underlines a new type of targeted combination therapy that could be clinically advantageous for patients with TCF3-PBX1 BCP-ALL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aniline Compounds / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Humans
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / drug therapy
  • Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / genetics*
  • Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-like Orphan Receptors / genetics*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Survival Rate
  • Translocation, Genetic / drug effects
  • Translocation, Genetic / genetics
  • Up-Regulation / drug effects
  • Up-Regulation / genetics
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / genetics*
  • Wnt-5a Protein / genetics*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics*

Substances

  • Aniline Compounds
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • BCL2 protein, human
  • Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
  • Sulfonamides
  • TCF3-PBX1 fusion protein, human
  • WNT5A protein, human
  • Wnt-5a Protein
  • RHOA protein, human
  • ROR1 protein, human
  • Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-like Orphan Receptors
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein
  • venetoclax
  • navitoclax