Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas: Clinical Significance and Inhibitory Effect by Rituximab.

Abstract 1934

Poster Board I-957

A better understanding of the biology of diffuse large B cell lymphoma(DLBCL) is needed in the developement of potential therapeutic agents that target specific intracellular pathway. In this study, expression of the important members of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and their clinical significance were investigated in 73 cases of DLBCL. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that activation of Akt and its downstream targets such as p-p70S6K, p-4E-BP1, YB-1 and Mcl-1 were present in DLBCL cases. Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was related to poor disease outcome in DLBCL patients treated by CHOP but not in those treated by R-CHOP. Rituximab combined with chemotherapy could down-regulate PI3K/Akt/mTOR activation and reverse its negative effect on chemotherapy-treated patients. The effect of Rituximab alone or combined with the mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin was further evaluated in DLBCL cell line SUDHL-4. Rituximab combined with Rapamycin possessed synergic effect in down-regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibited proliferation and caused G1 arrest in DLBCL cell line. The results showed that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway activation presented in DLBCL may be considered as a prognostic biomarker and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.