Growth inhibition of imatinib-resistant CML cells with the T315I mutation and hypoxia-adaptation by AV65 – a novel Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor

We investigated the effect of a novel Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor, AV65 on imatinib mesylate (IM)-sensitive and -resistant human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells in vitro. AV65 inhibited the proliferation of various CML cell lines including T315I mutation-harboring cells. AV65 reduced the expression of β-catenin in CML cells, resulting in the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, AV65 inhibited the proliferation of hypoxia-adapted primitive CML cells that overexpress β-catenin. The combination of AV65 with IM had a synergistic inhibitory effect on the proliferation of CML cells. These findings suggest that AV65 could be a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of CML.