MDM2 Inhibitor, Nutlin 3a, Induces p53 Dependent Autophagy in Acute Leukemia by AMP Kinase Activation.

Borthakur, Gautam; Duvvuri, Seshagiri; Ruvolo, Vivian; Tripathi, Durga Nand; Piya, Sujan; Burks, Jared; Jacamo, Rodrigo; Kojima, Kensuke et al. · PLoS One · 2015

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

MDM2 (mouse double minute 2) inhibitors that activate p53 and induce apoptosis in a non-genotoxic manner are in clinical development for treatment of leukemias. P53 can modulate other programmed cell death pathways including autophagy both transcriptionally and non-transcriptionally. We investigated autophagy induction in acute leukemia by Nutlin 3a, a first-in-class MDM2 inhibitor. Nutlin 3a induced autophagy in a p53 dependent manner and transcriptional activation of AMP kinase (AMPK) is critical, as this effect is abrogated in AMPK -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Nutlin 3a induced autophagy appears to be pro-apoptotic as pharmacological (bafilomycin) or genetic inhibition (BECLIN1 knockdown) of autophagy impairs apoptosis induced by Nutlin 3a.

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