Imetelstat, a telomerase inhibitor, differentially affects normal and malignant megakaryopoiesis.

ABSTRACT: Imetelstat (GRN163L) is a specific telomerase inhibitor that has demonstrated clinical activity in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and in patients with solid tumors. The antitumor effects were associated with the development of thrombocytopenia, one of the common side effects observed in patients treated with imetelstat. The events underlying these adverse effects are not apparent. In this report, we investigated the potential mechanisms that account for imetelstat's beneficial effects in MPN patients and the manner by which imetelstat treatment leads to a reduction in platelet numbers. Using a well-established system of ex vivo megakaryopoiesis, we demonstrated that imetelestat treatment affects normal megakaryocyte (MK) development by exclusively delaying maturation of M

SUBMITTER: Mosoyan G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5985670 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature