Targeting STAT5 in Hematologic Malignancies through Inhibition of the Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Bromodomain Protein BRD2

The transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) is constitutively activated in a wide range of leukemias and lymphomas, and drives the expression of genes necessary for proliferation, survival, and self-renewal. Thus, targeting STAT5 is an appealing therapeutic strategy for hematological malignancies. Given the importance of bromodomain-containing proteins in transcriptional regulation, we considered the hypothesis that a pharmacological bromodomain inhibitor could inhibit STAT5-dependent gene expression. We found that the small molecule bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 decreases STAT5-dependent (but not STAT3-dependent) transcription of both heterologous reporter genes and endogenous STAT5 target genes. JQ1 reduces STAT5 function in leukemia and lymphoma cells with constitutive STAT5 activation, or inducibly activated by cytokine stimulation. Among the BET bromodomain sub-family of proteins, it appears that BRD2 is the critical mediator for STAT5 activity. In experimental models of acute T cell lymphoblastic leukemias, where activated STAT5 contributes to leukemia cell survival, Brd2 knock-down or JQ1 treatment shows strong synergy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors in inducing leukemia cells apoptosis. By contrast, mononuclear cells isolated form umbilical cord blood, which is enriched in normal hematopoietic precursor cells, were unaffected by these combinations. These findings indicate a unique functional association between BRD2 and STAT5, and suggest that combinations of JQ1 and tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be an important rational strategy for treating leukemias and lymphomas driven by constitutive STAT5 activation.