Inhibition of FLT3 expression by green tea catechins in FLT3 mutated-AML cells

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 20;8(6):e66378. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066378. Print 2013.

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by a block in differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation. FLT3 is a commonly mutated gene found in AML patients. In clinical trials, the presence of a FLT3-ITD mutation significantly correlates with an increased risk of relapse and dismal overall survival. Therefore, activated FLT3 is a promising molecular target for AML therapies. In this study, we have shown that green tea polyphenols including (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), and (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate (ECG) suppress the proliferation of AML cells. Interestingly, EGCG, EGC and ECG showed the inhibition of FLT3 expression in cell lines harboring FLT3 mutations. In the THP-1 cells harboring FLT3 wild-type, EGCG showed the suppression of cell proliferation but did not suppress the expression of FLT3 even at the concentration that suppress 100% cell proliferation. Moreover, EGCG-, EGC-and ECG-treated cells showed the suppression of MAPK, AKT and STAT5 phosphorylation. Altogether, we suggest that green tea polyphenols could serve as reagents for treatment or prevention of leukemia harboring FLT3 mutations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Catechin / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Drug Synergism
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic / drug effects
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics
  • Male
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Phosphorylation
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Staurosporine / analogs & derivatives
  • Staurosporine / pharmacology
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / genetics*
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • STAT5 Transcription Factor
  • Catechin
  • epicatechin gallate
  • epigallocatechin gallate
  • FLT3 protein, human
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Staurosporine
  • gallocatechol
  • midostaurin

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Japan Foundation for Promotion of International Medical Research Co-operation (JF-PIMRC). BTKL is a recipient of the scholarship from the Honjo International Scholarship Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.