Dasatinib inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in the KASUMI-1 cell line bearing the t(8;21)(q22;q22) and the N822K c-kit mutation.

Activating mutations of the c-kit gene are frequently found in CBF (core binding factor) leukemias. We evaluated the effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib in leukemic cell lines bearing or not c-kit mutations. Our data demonstrate that in the AML Kasumi-1 cell line, bearing the N822K c-kit mutation, dasatinib is a potent suppressor of c-kit and Src kinase activity and inhibits the phosphorylation of their downstream target AKT, possibly through the Src-mediated VEGF/VEGFR receptor type 2 pathway.

Cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory gene expression in the bone marrow of patients with de novo myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

Deregulation of cell cycle and apoptosis pathways are known contributors to the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully clarified. The aim of our study was to examine mRNA expression levels of cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory genes, as well as the percentage of apoptotic and S phase cells and to correlate the findings with clinical characteristics and prognosis.