Aplidin, a marine organism-derived compound with potent antimyeloma activity

Mitsiades CS, Ocio EM, Pandiella A, Maiso P, Gajate C, Garayoa M, Vilanova D, Montero JC, Mitsiades N, McMullan CJ, Munshi NC, Hideshima T, Chauhan D, Aviles P, Otero G, Faircloth G, Mateos MV, Richardson PG, Mollinedo F, San-Miguel JF, Anderson KC.

Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Constantine_Mitsiades@dfci.harvard.edu

Despite recent progress in its treatment, multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable, thus necessitating identification of novel anti-MM agents. We report that the marine-derived cyclodepsipeptide Aplidin exhibits, at clinically achievable concentrations, potent in vitro activity against primary MM tumor cells and a broad spectrum of human MM cell lines, including cells resistant to conventional (e.g., dexamethasone, alkylating agents, and anthracyclines) or novel (e.g., thalidomide and bortezomib) anti-MM agents. Aplidin is active against MM cells in the presence of proliferative/antiapoptotic cytokines or bone marrow stromal cells and has additive or synergistic effects with some of the established anti-MM agents. Mechanistically, a short in vitro exposure to Aplidin induces MM cell death, which involves activation of p38 and c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase signaling, Fas/CD95 translocation to lipid rafts, and caspase activation. The anti-MM effect of Aplidin is associated with suppression of a constellation of proliferative/antiapoptotic genes (e.g., MYC, MYBL2, BUB1, MCM2, MCM4, MCM5, and survivin) and up-regulation of several potential regulators of apoptosis (including c-JUN, TRAIL, CASP9, and Smac). Aplidin exhibited in vivo anti-MM activity in a mouse xenograft model. The profile of the anti-MM activity of Aplidin in our preclinical models provided the framework for its clinical testing in MM, which has already provided favorable preliminary results.

PMID: 18593922 [PubMed - in process]