KLF5 controls glutathione metabolism to suppress p190-BCR-ABL+ B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia.

Oncotarget
Authors
Abstract

High-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains a therapeutic challenge despite advances in the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chimeric-antigen-receptor engineered T cells. Lymphoblastic-leukemia precursors are highly sensitive to oxidative stress. KLF5 is a member of the Krüppel-like family of transcription factors. KLF5 expression is repressed in B-ALL, including BCR-ABL1+ B-ALL. Here, we demonstrate that forced expression of KLF5 in B-ALL cells bypasses the imatinib resistance which is not associated with mutations of BCR-ABL. Expression of Klf5 impaired leukemogenic activity of BCR-ABL1+ B-cell precursors and . The complete genetic loss of Klf5 reduced oxidative stress, increased regeneration of reduced glutathione and decreased apoptosis of leukemic precursors. Klf5 regulation of glutathione levels was mediated by its regulation of glutathione-S-transferase Mu 1 (), an important regulator of glutathione-mediated detoxification and protein glutathionylation. Expression of Klf5 or the direct Klf5 target gene inhibited clonogenic activity of leukemic B-cell precursors and unveiled a Klf5-dependent regulatory loop in glutamine-dependent glutathione metabolism. In summary, we describe a novel mechanism of Klf5 B-ALL suppressor activity through its direct role on the metabolism of antioxidant glutathione levels, a crucial positive regulator of leukemic precursor survival.

Year of Publication
2018
Journal
Oncotarget
Volume
9
Issue
51
Pages
29665-29679
Date Published
2018 Jul 03
ISSN
1949-2553
DOI
10.18632/oncotarget.25667
PubMed ID
30038712
PubMed Central ID
PMC6049869
Links
Grant list
P30 AR070549 / AR / NIAMS NIH HHS / United States
P30 DK090971 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
R01 GM110628 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States
R35 CA210030 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States