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Multiple myeloma (MM) evolves from a premalignant condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). However, the factors underlying the malignant transformation of plasmocytes in MM are not fully characterized. We report here that Eµ-directed expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-B protein in mice drives an MM phenotype that reproduces accurately the human disease. Indeed, with age, Eµ-bcl-b transgenic mice develop the characteristic features of human MM, including bone malignant plasma cell infiltration, a monoclonal immunoglobulin peak, immunoglobulin deposit in renal tubules, and highly characteristic bone lytic lesions. In addition, the tumors are serially transplantable in irradiated wild-type mice, underlying the tumoral origin of the disease. Eµ-bcl-b plasmocytes show increased expression of a panel of genes known to be dysregulated in human MM pathogenesis. Treatment of Eµ-bcl-b mice with drugs currently used to treat patients such as melphalan and VELCADE efficiently kills malignant plasmocytes in vivo. Finally, we find that Bcl-B is overexpressed in plasmocytes from MM patients but neither in MGUS patients nor in healthy individuals, suggesting that Bcl-B may drive MM. These findings suggest that Bcl-B could be an important factor in MM disease and pinpoint Eµ-bcl-b mice as a pertinent model to validate new therapies in MM.

Cytarabine (cytosine arabinoside) is one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite its efficiency against AML cells, the emergence of drug resistance due to prolonged chemotherapy in most patients is still a major obstacle. Several studies have shown that drug resistance mechanisms alter the sensitivity of leukemia cells to immune system effector cells. To investigate this phenomenon, parental acute myeloid cell lines, HL-60 and KG-1, were continuously exposed to increasing doses of cytarabine in order to establish equivalent resistant cell lines, HL-60(R) and KG-1(R). Our data indicate that cytarabine-resistant cells are more susceptible to natural killer (NK)-mediated cell lysis as compared with parental cytarabine-sensitive cells. The increased susceptibility correlates with the induction of UL-16 binding proteins (ULBP) 1/2/3 and NK group 2, member D (NKG2D) ligands on target cells by a mechanism involving c-Myc induction. More importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that ULBP1/3 are direct targets of c-Myc. Using drug-resistant primary AML blasts as target cells, inhibition of c-Myc resulted in decreased expression of NKG2D ligands and the subsequent impairment of NK cell lysis. This study provides for the first time, the c-Myc dependent regulation of NKG2D ligands in AML.

Cytarabine (cytosine arabinoside) is one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite its efficiency against AML cells, the emergence of drug resistance due to prolonged chemotherapy in most patients is still a major obstacle. Several studies have shown that drug resistance mechanisms alter the sensitivity of leukemia cells to immune system effector cells. To investigate this phenomenon, parental acute myeloid cell lines, HL-60 and KG-1, were continuously exposed to increasing doses of cytarabine in order to establish equivalent resistant cell lines, HL-60(R) and KG-1(R). Our data indicate that cytarabine-resistant cells are more susceptible to natural killer (NK)-mediated cell lysis as compared with parental cytarabine-sensitive cells. The increased susceptibility correlates with the induction of UL-16 binding proteins (ULBP) 1/2/3 and NK group 2, member D (NKG2D) ligands on target cells by a mechanism involving c-Myc induction. More importantly, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that ULBP1/3 are direct targets of c-Myc. Using drug-resistant primary AML blasts as target cells, inhibition of c-Myc resulted in decreased expression of NKG2D ligands and the subsequent impairment of NK cell lysis. This study provides for the first time, the c-Myc dependent regulation of NKG2D ligands in AML.