Targeting the mTORC2 signaling complex in B cell malignancies.

Hyperactive PI3 kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling has an important role in cell growth and resistance to apoptosis in B cell malignancies. Inhibition of this pathway by blocking PI3K activity, and or inhibiting mTORC1/2 signaling complexes is an active area of research in B cell leukemia/lymphoma such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). With a tissue-scan array, the expression of Rictor is a component of the mTORC2 complex was determined by quantitative PCR in a number of B cell malignancies. Rictor was found to be over-expressed in CLL and MCL cells as compared to normal B cells with no over-expression in Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphomas. Inactivation of Rictor was performed by shRNA in two Mantle cell lines and these stable Rictor knockdown cell lines demonstrated a slower growth of cells as compared to scrambled shRNA control. In addition, there was a decrease of mTORC2 signaling and B cell receptor (BCR) cross-linking mediated Akt (Ser473) and NDRG1 (Thr 346) phosphorylation. To specifically disrupt the mTORC2 signaling complex and target Rictor overexpression, previously identified inhibitors that block Rictor and MTOR interaction in a yeast two-hybrid system were analyzed. Treatment of primary CLL specimens with these inhibitors followed by immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed the disruption of the mTORC2 complex. These inhibitors also induced apoptosis in CLL specimens and were more effective than rapamycin, an MTOR inhibitor and pp242, an mTORC1 and 2 inhibitors, at equimolar concentrations. Treatment of CLL specimens with the lead inhibitor, compound#6, resulted in inhibition of p-Akt, p-GSK 3beta, p-PKC alpha, p-Foxo1, and p-Foxo3, with minimal effect on the phosphorylation of an mTORC1 target gene, S6 kinase. In comparison with Idelalisib (CAL-101), a clinically approved PI3Kinase p110 delta inhibitor in CLL, compound#6 is more effective in inducing apoptosis in primary CLL specimens at equimolar concentrations (mean 51.2 and SD 21.7 as compared to mean 26.9 and SD 17.2). The data support the effectiveness of these novel inhibitors that specifically disrupt the mTORC2 complex in primary CLL specimens.