Leukemic cells from 30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have an activating mutation in the FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase) gene, which represents a target for drug therapy. We treated 20 patients, each with mutant FLT3 relapsed/ refractory AML or high-grade myelodysplastic syndrome and not believed to be candidates for chemotherapy, with an FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, PKC412 (N-benzoylstaurosporine), at a dose of 75 mg 3 times daily by mouth. The drug was generally well tolerated, although 2 patients developed fatal pulmonary events of unclear etiology. The peripheral blast count decreased by 50% in 14 patients (70%). Seven patients (35%) experienced a greater than 2-log reduction in peripheral blast count for at least 4 weeks (median response duration, 13 weeks; range, 9-47 weeks); PKC412 reduced bone marrow blast counts by 50% in 6 patients (2 of these to < 5%).

The local production of proinflammatory cytokines mediates the host response to inflammation, infection, and injury, whereas an overexpression of these mediators can injure or kill the host. Recently, we identified a class of multivalent guanylhydrazone compounds that are effective inhibitors of proinflammatory cytokine synthesis in monocytes/macrophages. The structure of one such cationic molecule suggested a molecular mimicry with spermine, a ubiquitous endogenous biogenic amine that increases significantly at sites of inflammation and infection. Here, we addressed the hypothesis that spermine might counterregulate the innate immune response by downregulating the synthesis of potentially injurious cytokines. When spermine was added to cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), it effectively inhibited the synthesis of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, MIP-1α, and MIP-1β. The inhibition of cytokine synthesis was specific and reversible, with significant inhibition of TNF synthesis occurring even when spermine was added after LPS. The mechanism of spermine-mediated cytokine suppression was posttranscriptional and independent of polyamine oxidase activity. Local administration of spermine in vivo protected mice against the development of acute footpad inflammation induced by carrageenan. These results identify a distinct molecular counterregulatory role for spermine in downregulating the monocyte proinflammatory cytokine response.

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The integrin a v b 3 receptor is upregulated on tumor cells and endothelium and plays important roles in angiogenesis and metastasis. Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide ligands have high affinity for these integrins and can be radiolabeled for PET imaging of angiogenesis or tumor development. We have assessed the safety, stability, and tumor distribution kinetics of a novel radiolabeled RGD-based integrin peptide-polymer conjugate, 18 F-AH111585, and its feasibility to detect tumors in metastatic breast cancer patients using PET. Methods: The biodistribution of 18 F-AH111585 was assessed in 18 tumor lesions from 7 patients with metastatic breast cancer by PET, and the PET data were compared with CT results. The metabolic stability of 18 F-AH111585 was assessed by chromatography of plasma samples. Regions of interest (ROIs) defined over tumor and normal tissues of the PET images were used to determine the kinetics of radioligand binding in tissues. Results: The radiopharmaceutical and PET procedures were well tolerated in all patients. All 18 tumors detected by CT were visible on the 18 F-AH111585 PET images, either as distinct increases in uptake compared with the surrounding normal tissue or, in the case of liver metastases, as regions of deficit uptake because of the high background activity in normal liver tissue. 18 F-AH111585 was either homogeneously distributed in the tumors or appeared within the tumor rim, consistent with the pattern of viable peripheral tumor and central necrosis often seen in association with angiogenesis. Increased uptake compared with background (P 5 0.002) was demonstrated in metastases in lung, pleura, bone, lymph node, and primary tumor. Conclusion: 18 F-AH111585 designed to bind the a v b 3 integrin is safe, metabolically stable, and retained in tumor tissues and detects breast cancer lesions by PET in most anatomic sites.

We have developed a useful surrogate assay for monitoring the efficacy of FLT3 inhibition in patients treated with oral FLT3 inhibitors. The plasma inhibitory activity (PIA) for FLT3 correlates with clinical activity in patients treated with CEP-701 and PKC412. Using the PIA assay, along with in vitro phosphorylation and cytotoxicity assays in leukemia cells, we compared PKC412 and its metabolite, CGP52421, with CEP-701. While both drugs could effectively inhibit FLT3 in vitro, CEP-701 was more cytotoxic to primary samples at comparable levels of FLT3 inhibition. PKC412 appears to be more selective than CEP-701 and therefore less effective at inducing cytotoxicity in primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples in vitro. However, the PKC412 metabolite CGP52421 is less selective than its parent compound, PKC412, and is more cytotoxic against primary blast samples at comparable levels of FLT3 inhibition. The plasma inhibitory activity assay represents a useful correlative tool in the development of small-molecule inhibitors. Our application of this assay has revealed that the metabolite CGP52421 may contribute a significant portion of the antileukemia activity observed in patients receiving oral PKC412. Additionally, our results suggest that nonselectivity may constitute an important component of the cytotoxic effect of FLT3 inhibitors in FLT3-mutant AML. (Blood. 2006;108:3477-3483)

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Human stem cell leukemia-lymphoma syndrome usually presents itself as a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) that evolves to acute myeloid leukemia and͞or lymphoma. The syndrome associated with t(8;13)(p11;q12) results in expression of the ZNF198 -fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 1 fusion tyrosine kinase. Current empirically derived cytotoxic chemotherapy is inadequate for treatment of this disease. We hypothesized that small-molecule inhibitors of the ZNF198 -FGFR1 fusion would have therapeutic efficacy. We characterized the transforming activity of ZNF198 -FGFR1 in hematopoietic cells in vitro and in vivo. Expression of ZNF198 -FGFR1 in primary murine hematopoietic cells caused a myeloproliferative syndrome in mice that recapitulated the human MPD phenotype. Transformation in these assays, and activation of the downstream effector molecules PLC-␥, STAT5, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase͞AKT, required the proline-rich domains, but not the ZNF domains, of ZNF198. A small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, PKC412 (N-benzoyl-staurosporine) effectively inhibited ZNF198 -FGFR1 tyrosine kinase activity and activation of downstream effector pathways, and inhibited proliferation of ZNF198 -FGFR1 transformed Ba͞F3 cells. Furthermore, treatment with PKC412 resulted in statistically significant prolongation of survival in the murine model of ZNF198 -FGFR1-induced MPD. Based in part on these data, PKC412 was administered to a patient with t(8;13)(p11;q12) and was efficacious in treatment of progressive myeloproliferative disorder with organomegaly. Therefore, PKC412 may be a useful therapy for treatment of human stem cell leukemia-lymphoma syndrome. R ecurrent translocations involving the region p11-p12 of chromosome 8 have been associated with two distinct clinical hematopoietic malignancies: acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or stem cell myeloproliferative disorder (MPD). Patients with MPD are characterized by myeloid hyperplasia with peripheral blood eosinophilia and B or T cell lymphoma. As we and others reported, the myeloid hyperplasia generally progresses to acute myeloid leukemia within a year of the original diagnosis, and a cure requires allogeneic stem cell transplantation (1, 2).Positional cloning of recurrent chromosomal translocations associated with the MPD has demonstrated frequent involvement of the FGFR1 gene on 8p11.2-11.1, encoding a receptor tyrosine kinase that is normally activated by fibroblast growth factors. To date, four different translocations have been described, including t(8;13)(p11;q12), t(8;9)(p11;q33), t(6;8)(q27;p11), and t(8;22)(p11;q11), which result in fusion of distinct partners to fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 1, including ZNF198 (3), CEP110 (4), FOP (5), and BCR (6), respectively. In each case, an N-terminal partner containing self-association motif is fused to the C-terminal tyrosine kinase domain of FGFR1. Recently, a fifth translocation, t(8;19)(p12;q13.3), associated with this syndrome has been cloned, and it results in an N-terminal portion of the human endogenous...

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