Targeting Hedgehog signaling pathway and autophagy overcomes drug resistance of BCR-ABL-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

ABSTRACT: The frontline tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) imatinib has revolutionized the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, drug resistance is the major clinical challenge in the treatment of CML. The Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway and autophagy are both related to tumorigenesis, cancer therapy, and drug resistance. This study was conducted to explore whether the Hh pathway could regulate autophagy in CML cells and whether simultaneously regulating the Hh pathway and autophagy could induce cell death of drug-sensitive or -resistant BCR-ABL(+) CML cells. Our results indicated that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of Hh pathway could markedly induce autophagy in BCR-ABL(+) CML cells. Autophagic inhibitors or ATG5 and ATG7 silencing could significantly enhance CML

SUBMITTER: Zeng X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4502679 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature