Increased angiogenesis in primary myelofibrosis: latent transforming growth factor-ß as a possible angiogenic factor.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work was to demonstrate a possible relationship between anti-latency-associated peptide human latent transforming growth factor beta 1 (latent TGF-ß1) expression in megakaryocytes and microvascular density in bone marrow biopsies from patients with essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis. METHODS: Microvascular density was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis and the expression of latent TGF-ß1 in samples (100 megakaryocytes per bone marrow sample) from 18 essential thrombocythemia and 38 primary myelofibrosis (19 prefibrotic and 19 fibrotic) patients. Six bone marrow donor biopsies were used as controls. Fibrosis in the bone marrow biopsies was evaluated according to the European Consensus. RESULTS: The average fibrosis grade differed between essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis groups when compared to the control group. Latent TGF-ß1 expression differed significantly between the fibrotic primary myelofibrosis (PMF) group and the control group (p-value<0.01). A high degree of neo-angiogenesis (demonstrated by analysis of CD34 expression) was detected in patients with myelofibrosis. There were correlations between latent TGF-ß1 expression and microvascular density (r=0.45; p-value<0.0009) and between degree of microvascular density and fibrosis grade (r=0.80; p-value<0.0001). Remarkable differences for neo-angiogenesis were not observed between patients with essential thrombocythemia and controls. CONCLUSION: Angiogenesis participates in the pathogenesis of primary myelofibrosis, in both the prefibrotic and fibrotic stages, while latent TGF-ß is differentially expressed only in the prefibrotic stage.

ABCB1 haplotypes are associated with P-gp activity and affect a major molecular response in chronic myeloid leukemia patients treated with a standard dose of imatinib.

Despite the high efficacy of imatinib mesylate (IM) treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, some individuals develop resistance due to impaired bioavailability. It has been previously demonstrated that the haplotypes for ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1)with c.1236C>T, c.3435C>T and c.2677G>T/A polymorphisms markedly affect the secondary structure of ABCB1 mRNA and its activity. These modifications may affect efflux transporter activity and response to treatment with IM. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of ABCB1 haplotypes on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity, IM plasma levels and IM response. In total, 28 chronic-phase CML patients treated with a standard dose of IM (400 mg/day) were studied. The patients were selected according to the haplotypes of ABCB1, with c.1236C>T, c.3435C>T and c.2677G>T polymorphisms, and were classified into two groups based on the presence of the mutated allele in each genotype for the three ABCB1 polymorphisms. In addition, expression of P-gp and breakpoint cluster region-abelson 1 (BCR-ABL1), ABCB1 and solute carrier family 22 member 1 (SLC22A1) mRNA were evaluated. The P-gp activity in the wild-type group was found to be higher than that in the mutated group (59.1 vs. 38.3%; P=0.001). Furthermore, the patients who did not achieve major molecular response (MMR) showed a higher rate of efflux mediated by P-gp when compared with individuals who achieved MMR (64.7 vs. 45.7%; P=0.001). All patients without MMR demonstrated effluxes of >60%. In addition, patients without MMR exhibited lower plasma concentrations of IM compared with those with MMR (0.51 vs. 1.42 µg/ml; P=0.001). Higher levels of SLC22A1 mRNA were observed in patients who achieved MMR and complete molecular response (P<0.05). In conclusion, the ABCB1 1236CT/3435CT/2677GT and 1236TT/3435TT/2677TT haplotypes are associated with reduced P-gp activity and MMR in chronic-phase CML patients treated with a standard dose of IM.

MDR-1 and GST polymorphisms are involved in myelodysplasia progression.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal stem cell disorders characterized by abnormal hematopoietic differentiation and maturation, which progress toward acute leukemia in approximately 30% of the cases. Drug metabolism polymorphisms in Cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6), Glutathione S-transferase (GST) and Dehydrogenase Quinone 1 (NQO1) enzymes and P-glycoprotein (MDR-1) could modify enzyme activity. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the influence of CYP2B6 G15631T, GSTT1, GSTM1, NQO1 C609T and MDR-1 C3435T polymorphisms on MDS progression. We analyzed 78 MDS patients using the PCR-RFLP and multiplex method. The frequency of GST deletions and MDR-1 CC genotype was lower in progression-free patients compared to patients with progression; GST: 17% vs. 35% (P=0.018); MDR-1 gene: 19% vs. 48% (P=0.012). We also verified the influence of GST deletions and MDR-1 C3435T on patient overall survival and found no significant difference (RR=0.75; P=0.599 and RR=0.79; P=0.594 respectively). We concluded that GSTM1 deletion may contribute toward MDS progression probably due to toxic metabolite accumulation which generates cell toxicity and DNA damage. Moreover, MDR-1 C3435T may have a protective effect against MDS progression because the expected lower expression of P-glycoprotein would lead to a higher degree of cell death. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing the relationship of these polymorphisms with MDS progression.