The multi-CDK inhibitor dinaciclib reverses bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitor resistance in acute myeloid leukemia via inhibition of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly aggressive hematologic cancer with poor survival across a broad range of molecular subtypes. Development of efficacious and well-tolerable therapies encompassing the range of mutations that can arise in AML remains an unmet need. The bromo- and extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins represents an attractive therapeutic target in AML due to their crucial roles in many cellular functions, regardless of any specific mutation. Many BET inhibitors (BETi) are currently in pre-clinical and early clinical development, but acquisition of resistance continues to remain an obstacle for the drug class. Novel methods to circumvent this development of resistance could be instrumental for the future use of BET inhibitors in AML, both as monotherapy and in combination. To date, many investigations into possible drug combinations of BETi with CDK inhibitors have focused on CDK9, which has a known physical and functional interaction with the BET protein BRD4. Therefore, we wished to investigate possible synergy and additive effects between inhibitors of these targets in AML. Here, we describe combination therapy with the multi-CDK inhibitor dinaciclib and the BETi PLX51107 in pre-clinical models of AML. Dinaciclib and PLX51107 demonstrate additive effects in AML cell lines, primary AML samples, and in vivo. Further, we demonstrate novel activity of dinaciclib through inhibition of the canonical/ß-catenin dependent Wnt signaling pathway, a known resistance mechanism to BETi in AML. We show dinaciclib inhibits Wnt signaling at multiple levels, including downregulation of ß-catenin, the Wnt co-receptor LRP6, as well as many Wnt pathway components and targets. Moreover, dinaciclib sensitivity remains unaffected in a setting of BET resistance, demonstrating similar inhibitory effects on Wnt signaling when compared to BET-sensitive cells. Ultimately, our results demonstrate rationale for combination CDKi and BETi in AML. In addition, our novel finding of Wnt signaling inhibition could have potential implications in other cancers where Wnt signaling is dysregulated and demonstrates one possible approach to circumvent development of BET resistance in AML.

Alkyne creation in aliphatic polymers: influence of side groups.

In this article, we focus on the influence of side groups on terminal alkyne creation, in aliphatic polymers submitted to swift heavy ions, under vacuum. Terminal alkyne creation was compared in polyethylene and in substituted polymers. We selected two classes of side groups: alkyl groups, which differed in their length (polypropylene and polybutene) and allyl groups, which were linear (EPDMh) or cyclic (EPDMn). Irradiated samples were analyzed using Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, in the transmission mode, at room temperature. Alkynes are created when the electronic stopping power, (dE/dx)e, exceeds a threshold value. This threshold value was moderately influenced by the presence of an alkyl side chain but was clearly reduced in the presence of C=C bonds on the side chain. Nevertheless, in all-saturated polymers, below the (dE/dx)e threshold, terminal alkyne formation is observed after a latent dose, rather independently of the side-chain length and directly related to the formation of radiation-induced double bonds prior to alkyne formation. Under S ion irradiation, the radiation chemical yield G0 value obtained in EPDMh was 4 times the value of G0 in PE. This effect is understandable only if important energy transfers, from the backbone to C=C double bonds, are considered.