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Nuclear Factor-B Modulation in Patients Undergoing Induction Chemotherapy for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Authors' Affiliations: ¹ Division of Medical Oncology and ² Office of Human Research Services, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, ³ Hematology and ⁴ Biometrics, Departments of ⁵ Molecular Genetics, Microbiology, and Immunology, and ⁶ Pathology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey

Requests for reprints: Roger K. Strair, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Phone: 732-235-6044; Fax: 732-235-8098; E-mail: strairrk{at}umdnj.edu.

Purpose: Nuclear factor-B (NF-B) is constitutively expressed in many acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells and AML stem cells. Ex vivo treatment of AML cells with inhibitors of NF-B results in diminished AML cell survival and enhances the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents. The purpose of this study was to determine if standard anti-inflammatory agents modulate AML cell nuclear NF-B when administered in conjunction with induction chemotherapy.

Experimental Design: Patients with newly diagnosed AML were treated with dexamethasone, choline magnesium trisalicylate, or both for 24 hours prior to and 24 hours following initiation of standard induction chemotherapy. AML cell nuclear NF-B was measured at baseline, 24, and 48 hours.

Results: Choline magnesium trisalicylate ± dexamethasone decreased nuclear NF-B, whereas dexamethasone alone was associated with an increase in nuclear NF-B in AML cells.

Conclusions: These results show the feasibility of NF-B modulation in conjunction with induction chemotherapy for patients with AML using inexpensive readily available medications. A follow-up study to determine the effects of NF-B modulation on clinical end points is warranted.