Imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamide derivative induces differentiation-coupled apoptosis of immature myeloid cells such as acute myeloid leukemia and myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Chemotherapy-induced differentiation of immature myeloid progenitors, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells or myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), has remained a challenge for the clinicians. Testing our imidazo[1,2-b]pyrazole-7-carboxamide derivative on HL-60 cells, we obtained ERK phosphorylation as an early survival response to treatment followed by the increase of the percentage of the Bcl-xlbright and pAktbright cells. Following the induction of Vav1 and the AP-1 complex, a driver of cellular differentiation, FOS, JUN, JUNB, and JUND were elevated on a concentration and time-dependent manner. As a proof of granulocytic differentiation, the cells remained non-adherent, the expression of CD33 decreased; the granularity, CD11b expression, and MPO activity of HL-60 cells increased upon treatment. Finally, viability of HL-60 cells was hampered shown by the depolarization of mitochondria, activation of caspase-3, cleavage of Z-DEVD-aLUC, appearance of the sub-G1 population, and the leakage of the lactate-dehydrogenase into the supernatant. We confirmed the differentiating effect of our drug candidate on human patient-derived AML cells shown by the increase of CD11b and decrease of CD33+, CD7+, CD206+, and CD38bright cells followed apoptosis (IC50: 80 nM) after treatment ex vivo. Our compound reduced both CD11b+/Ly6C+ and CD11b+/Ly6G+ splenic MDSCs from the murine 4T1 breast cancer model ex vivo.