Suppression of JNK Pathway as a Novel Regulator of Chemo-Resistance in AML: A Meta-Analysis of Gene Signatures and Key Pathways

Abstract

The pathways and robust deregulated gene signatures involved in AML chemo-resistance are not fully understood. Multiple subgroups of AMLs which are under treatment of various regimens seem to have similar regulatory gene(s) or pathway(s) related to their chemo-resistance phenotype. In this study using gene set enrichment approach, deregulated genes and pathways associated with relapse after chemotherapy were investigated in AML samples. Five AML libraries compiled from GEO and ArrayExpress repositories were used to identify significantly differentially expressed genes between chemo-resistance and chemo-sensitive groups. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes was performed to assess molecular mechanisms related to AML chemotherapeutic resistance. A total of 34 genes were selected to be differentially expressed in chemo-resistance compared to chemo-sensitive group. Among these genes, c-Jun, AKT3, ARAP3, GABBR1, PELI2 and SORT1 are involved in neurotrophin, estrogen, cAMP and Toll-like receptor signaling pathways. All these pathways are located upstream and regulate JNK signaling pathway which functions as a key regulator of cellular apoptosis. Our expression data are in favor of suppression of JNK pathway, which could induce pro-apoptotic gene expression as well as down regulation of survival factors, suggesting this pathway as a novel key regulator of drug-resistance development in AML.