IntroductionMultiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplastic disorder of mature, differentiated B lymphocytes. Whereas recent insights into MM molecular pathogenesis prompted the introduction of effective new agents, including the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and the immunomodulatory agents thalidomide and lenalidomide, MM remains largely incurable 1 and new strategies are clearly needed.DNA-damage checkpoints halt cell-cycle progression after extrinsic DNA damage (eg, by genotoxic agents or radiation) or intrinsic DNA-replication stress during the undisturbed cell cycle, permitting DNA-repair machinery initiation or DNA-replication block circumvention. 2 Checkpoint responses are initiated by ATM (Ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related), which induce checkpoint kinases (Chk1 and Chk2), thus disabling Cdk1/p34 cdc2 or Cdk2 by preventing dephosphorylation at inhibitory sites (T14/Y15) via inhibition/degradation of Cdc25 phosphatases, resulting in cell-cycle arrest. Genomic instability and defective DNA-damage checkpoints are characteristic of diverse human cancers, including MM. 3 Chk1 has a critical role in the DNA-damage-response network. 2 Moreover, novel Chk1 functions in the DNA-replication checkpoint, the mitoticspindle checkpoint, and DNA repair have been identified, 2,4 stimulating clinical development of multiple Chk1 inhibitors, including UCN-01 (Kyowa), AZD7762 (AstraZeneca), LY2603618 (Lilly), SCH900776 (Schering-Plough), and PF-00477736 (Pfizer). Whereas these efforts have focused on chemotherapy or radiation sensitization, 2,5,6 recent evidence implicating Chk1 in normal cell-cycle checkpoints (eg, the DNA replication checkpoint) suggests alternative therapeutic strategies.We previously reported that Chk1 inhibitors (eg, UCN-01 or more specific Chk1 inhibitors) activate extracellular signalregulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in human MM and leukemia cells, while blockade of this event by MEK1/2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase [MAPK]/ERK kinase 1/2) inhibitor dramatically induces apoptosis. 7,8 Furthermore, interruption of Ras function by farnesyltransferase inhibitors 9,10 or statins 11 acted similarly. Because Src plays an important role in Ras 3 ERK1/2 signaling activation, 12 the possibility that Src may be involved in Chk1-inhibitor-mediated ERK1/2 activation arose. Src family kinases (SFKs) are up-regulated/activated in multiple human tumors. 13 Src itself has been implicated in transformation, survival, proliferation, adhesion, migration, invasion, 12,13 and angiogenesis. 14 Src is generally activated by receptor tyrosine kinases or integrin-related kinases (eg, focal adhesion kinase [FAK] 16 Recently, Src inhibitors (eg, BMS354825) were shown to inhibit angiogenesis and the proliferative/survival effects of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and The online version of this article contains a data supplement.The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. Therefore, and solely to indicate this fact,...