Leukemia (2009) 23, 1545-1556; doi: 10.1038/leu.2009.89;

published online 7 May 2009″
“p53 see more inactivation is often observed in Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) cells, because of either mutations in p53 gene or an overexpression of the p53-negative regulator MDM2. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is present in virtually 100% of BL cases occurring in endemic areas, but in only 10-20% of sporadic cases. In EBV(-) BL cells, reactivation of p53, induced by reducing MDM2 protein level, led to apoptosis. We show here that nutlin-3, a potent antagonist of MDM2, activates the p53 pathway in all BL cell lines harboring wild-type p53, regardless of EBV status. However, nutlin-3 strongly induced apoptosis

in EBV(-) or latency I EBV(+) cells, whereas latency III EBV(+) cells were much more resistant. Prior treatment with sublethal doses of nutlin-3 sensitizes EBV(-) or latency PRT062607 datasheet I EBV(+) cells to apoptosis induced by etoposide or melphalan, but protects latency III EBV(+) cells. p21(WAF1) which is overexpressed in the latter, is involved in this protective effect, as siRNA-mediated inhibition of p21(WAF1) restores sensitivity to etoposide. Nutlin-3 protects latency III BL cells by inducing a p21(WAF1)-mediated G1 arrest. Most BL patients with wild-type p53 tumors could therefore benefit from treatment with nutlin-3, after a careful determination of the latency pattern of EBV in infected patients. Leukemia (2009) 23, 1557-1563; doi:10.1038/leu.2009.92; published online 7 May 2009″
“Polo-like kinase1 (PLK1) belongs to the family of serine/threonine kinases and plays an important

role in centrosome maturation, bipolar spindle formation, and cytokinesis during mitosis. We found in this study that PLK1 was aberrantly highly expressed in a variety of human leukemia cell lines (n = 20), as well as, freshly isolated leukemia cells from individuals with acute myelogenous leukemia (n = 50) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 15) compared with bone marrow mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers (n = 13) (acute myelogenous leukemia, P = 0.016; acute lymphoblastic leukemia, P = 0.008), as measured by real-time selleck inhibitor RT-PCR. Downregulation of PLK1 by a small interfering RNA in NB4 acute myelogenous leukemia cells inhibited their proliferation. GW843682X is a novel selective PLK1 inhibitor. The compound-induced growth inhibition, caused accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle and mediated apoptosis of human leukemia cells. Pre-treatment of cells with the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK attenuated the action of GW843682X in leukemia cells, indicating the involvement of the caspase pathway in the PLK1 inhibitor-mediated apoptosis.