NFκB pathway and microRNA-9 and -21 are involved in sensitivity to the pterocarpanquinone LQB-118 in different CML cell lines.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the BCR-ABL oncoprotein, presents its treatment based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), mainly imatinib. However, despite its clinical success, almost 30% of all CML patients demand alternative therapy. In this context, the development of drugs capable of overcoming TKIs resistance is imperative. The pterocarpanquinone-LQB-118 is a novel compound with anti-tumor effect in CML cells whose mechanism of action is being elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that in two CML cell lines exhibiting different biological characteristics, LQB-118 modulates NFκB subcellular localization, apparently independently of the AKT and MAPK pathways, partially inhibits proteasome activity, and alters the expression of microRNAs -9 and -21.