| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS, INTERVENTIONS, AND THERAPEUTIC TRIALS
From the University of Illinois at Chicago and the
Veterans Administration Chicago West Side Division, IL.
We have previously demonstrated that 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine
(decitabine) augments fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels in patients with
sickle cell anemia (SS) who did not respond to hydroxyurea (HU). The
present study was designed to determine the effect of repeated
decitabine dosing on HbF levels and hematologic toxicity over a 9-month
treatment period. Seven patients (5 HU nonresponders) were entered. One
patient had Patients with sickle cell anemia (SS) who have
elevated fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels have fewer painful crises and
improved survival.1 The therapeutic benefits of elevated
HbF are greater when the cellular distribution of HbF is more
uniform.2 Recent studies using hydroxyurea (HU) to
increase HbF in the treatment of sickle cell anemia have clearly
demonstrated the clinical importance of augmenting HbF
levels.3,4 HU was shown to reduce the frequency of painful
crises, hospitalizations, and acute chest events and the need for blood
transfusions in adults with SS. Individual HbF responses to HU varied;
some patients attained HbF levels in excess of 30% of total hemoglobin
(Hb), whereas others had little or no response.4 Although
HbF augmentation is important in reducing disease severity, decreased
neutrophils associated with HU cytotoxicity may also have additional
benefit.5
We had originally shown that the DNA demethylating agents,
5-azacytidine and its analog 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine), were
powerful inducers of HbF synthesis.6,7 The mechanism of
action of these agents in inducing HbF synthesis is likely to be
related to DNA demethylation rather than cytotoxicity
alone.8 With these considerations in mind, we recently
demonstrated that decitabine increased mean HbF levels from
2.28% ± 1.61% to 12.70% ± 1.81% in a group of HU nonresponder
patients, suggesting that decitabine be considered an option in this
group of patients.9 Therefore, a repeated dose trial was
initiated to determine whether prolonged decitabine treatment could
maintain HbF levels up to a 36-week period without toxicity. Data
presented here indicate that low-dose (0.15-0.3 mg/kg per day)
intravenous or subcutaneous decitabine administration is an effective
therapy for patients who do not respond to HU.
Patient selection
Drug administration
Treatment plan The starting dose of decitabine was based on our previous experience.6 Patients received a starting dose of 0.3 mg/kg per day for 5 days a week for 2 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of observation. The 4-week observation period was based on our previous observation that the nadir in absolute neutrophil count (ANC) occurred 5 weeks after the start of therapy and resolved before the sixth week. Thus the recovery of neutropenia would be expected prior to the next treatment cycle. The patient with -thal SS was started at a dose of
0.15 mg/kg per day because neutropenia resulted at a higher dose in the
previous trial. Complete blood counts were conducted weekly and as
necessary. Toxicity was evaluated by the National Cancer Institute
Common Toxicity Criteria. Dose modifications for neutropenia were as
follows: for an ANC nadir less than 1500 but more than 1000 in 2 consecutive treatment cycles, the dose was reduced by 0.05 mg/kg per
day in the next treatment cycle. For an ANC nadir less than 1000 occurring in any one cycle, the dose of decitabine was reduced by 0.05 mg/kg per day in the next treatment cycle. Baseline HbF and F cells
were determined on all patients. HbF was repeated weekly, and F cells
were measured at peak HbF.
Laboratory methods Complete blood and reticulocyte counts were obtained by standard procedures. Fetal hemoglobin was measured by alkali denaturation,10 and F-cell number was determined by immunofluorescence11 using fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated anti-HbF (Caltag Laboratories, Burlingame, CA).
Seven patients with sickle cell anemia (6 SS and one
Patient 3 (Figure 1) was treated at the starting dose of 0.3 mg/kg per day for 4 cycles. A dose of 0.25 mg/kg per day was used for the last 2 cycles. The fourth cycle consisted of only a 1-week treatment period, because the drug delivery was delayed. This reduction in treatment duration amounted to a dose reduction for this patient, and it occurred before the planned reduction during cycles 5 and 6. HbF increased from 1.4% to approximately 17%, and total hemoglobin increased from 6.0 to 8.9g/dL during 2 successive cycles at this dose (Figure 1A). Maximum F-cell number measured in this patient was 70%. Except for an ANC nadir of 2000, which occurred during the first cycle, the ANC nadirs remained above 3000. These nadirs occurred at approximately weeks 5 to 6 of each treatment cycle, corresponding to the time of peak platelet count (Figure 1B). Even though the ANC for this patient remained above 2000, patient 3 received a dose of 0.25 mg/kg per day for the last 2 cycles. This allowed us to determine the effect of a reduced dose on total hemoglobin level, HbF percentage, absolute reticulocyte count, and ANC. It is clear that the decrease in HbF during the last 3 cycles can be attributed to dose reduction. Interestingly, the total hemoglobin level remained elevated, reaching a peak of 9.5 g/dL following the last treatment cycle. Even with the dose reduction, average HbF and total hemoglobin during the last 20 weeks of treatment were 12.75% ± 2.28% and 8.34% ± 0.55 g/dL, respectively (Table 1). In addition, there was no indication of cumulative hematologic toxicity. The average absolute reticulocyte count during the last 20 weeks was 192 ± 26 × 103/µL after dropping from 320 before treatment to 102 after the first cycle, and the average ANC was 5710 ± 120 after dropping from 5200 before treatment to 2000 during the first cycle (Figure 1B, Table 1). The decrease in absolute reticulocyte count might have resulted in part from the 2.3 g/dL increase in total hemoglobin level. Treatment for patient 2 (Figure 2) began at the starting dose of 0.3 mg/kg per day and was administered subcutaneously, at 10 mg/mL in a
volume of 1.9 mL, rather than intravenously because of poor venous
access. The patient felt pain at the site of injection that lasted for
1 to 2 minutes, but there was no evidence of a change in skin
appearance, and there was no skin sloughing over the injection site.
HbF increased from 6.8% to 13.3% (Figure 2A), whereas the ANC
decreased from 5600 to 900 during the fifth week after the beginning of
treatment (Figure 2B). For the second cycle the dose was reduced to
0.25 mg/kg per day. The ANC again decreased to 900, but the HbF
increased to 16.3%, suggesting that the dose reduction did not impact
HbF level. Because the ANC nadir was less than 1000, the dose in cycle
3 was reduced to 0.2 mg/kg per day, resulting in an ANC nadir of 2600. HbF level peaked at 16.5%, again comparable to the level attained with
the starting dose. This patient was treated for 2 additional cycles at
0.2 mg/kg per day. The ANC remained greater than 1500, the average
total Hb was 9.37 ± 0.6 g/dL, and average HbF was
14.55% ± 1.32% during the last 20 weeks of treatment (Figure 2A,
Table 1). The maximum F-cell number measured in this patient was 58%.
Dose reduction not only lessened neutropenia, it also appeared to
result in higher average total Hb levels. It should be noted that this
patient missed 3 injections during the last treatment cycle because of out-of-state travel. This 30% reduction in injection number may be
responsible for the slight reduction in maximum HbF level observed during the last treatment cycle.
The values for ANC, platelet count, and absolute reticulocyte count for patient 2 are displayed in Figure 2B. This figure clearly depicts the reduction in the ranges of ANC and platelet counts that occur with the decrease in decitabine dose and length of treatment. Again, there was no indication of cumulative hematologic toxicity in this patient. Patient 8, diagnosed as having Although there was a marked and consistent increase in HbF in patient
8, surprisingly there was no increase in total Hb. Similar to other
patients with HbF and total hemoglobin levels measured during the last 20 weeks of treatment for the 6 SS patients are summarized in Table 1. The average HbF percentage increased from a pretreatment level of 3.12% ± 2.75% to 13.93% ± 2.35%, and the average maximum HbF increased to 18.35% ± 4.46%. The average Hb increased from 7.23 ± 0.94 to 8.81 ± 0.42 g/dL, and the average maximum Hb increased to 9.73 ± 0.53 g/dL. Although periodic depressions in ANC occurred 5 to 6 weeks after the beginning each treatment cycle, the average ANC during the last 20 weeks of the study (4200 ± 1350) was not different from the pretreatment average (4670 ± 1560). In addition, Hb and HbF levels measured 8 to 10 weeks after the administration of the last dose of decitabine (7.82 ± 0.42 and 5.53 ± 3.76, respectively) approached pretreatment values. The maximum F-cell number measured among all 7 patients averaged 69% ± 10.12%.
Seven patients with sickle cell anemia were treated with decitabine. Our results clearly demonstrate that the dose of decitabine can be individualized for each patient, which results in marked elevations in HbF, F cell, and total Hb levels without marked neutropenia (ANC greater than 1500). It also appears that in the absence of dose reduction, there is no decrease in the maximal HbF levels attained during the later treatment cycles. Although it is likely that therapeutic benefits are associated with these elevations, the present study was not designed to measure them. Future long-term studies are required for a more precise evaluation of clinical benefits. All patients except patient 8 ( The lack of an increase in total Hb displayed by patient 8 may reflect
the effect of the The absence of cumulative hematologic toxicity over a 36-week period suggests that the interval between treatment cycles can be reduced without an increase in toxicity. By shortening the interval, newly synthesized F cells can be added to the circulation more frequently than with the longer interval. The number of F cells remaining in the circulation that can be attributed to the preceding treatment cycle would depend on the length of the interval between treatment cycles and the F-cell half-life. The shorter the interval, the more frequently F reticulocytes are added to the circulation. Therefore, a shorter interval should lead to a greater number of F cells, and this would be expected to reduce symptoms. However, long-term patient compliance might decrease with such a schedule because of the requirement for more frequent clinic visits. An oral dosage form or a self-administered subcutaneous formulation of decitabine might overcome this limitation and should be considered. Our previous experience in baboons9 and other studies of patients with sickle cell disease14 indicate that an oral form of decitabine, compounded with the cytidine deaminase inhibitor tetrahydrouridine, could be developed. Our successful experience with repeated subcutaneous dosing of decitabine in one patient in this trial indicates that this method should be pursued in an upcoming trial, while approval of an oral formulation is awaited.
Submitted August 29, 2001; accepted December 14, 2001.
Supported by VA Merit Review (J.D., D.L.) and Supergen Inc.
The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. Therefore, and solely to indicate this fact, this article is hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. section 1734.
Reprints: Joseph DeSimone, VA Chicago West Side Division, 820 S Damen Ave (151C), Chicago, IL 60612; e-mail: jdesimon{at}uic.edu.
1.
Perrine SP, Pembrey ME, John P, Perrine S, Shoup F.
Natural history of sickle cell anemia in Saudi Arabs.
Ann Intern Med.
1978;88:1-6
2.
Conley CL, Weatherall DJ, Richardson SN, Shepard MK, Charache S.
Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin: a study of 79 affected persons in 15 Negro families in Baltimore.
Blood.
1963;21:261-281
3.
Charache S, Terrin ML, Moore RD, et al.
Effect of hydroxyurea on the frequency of painful crises in sickle cell anemia.
N Engl J Med.
1995;332:1317-1322
4.
Steinberg MH, Lu Z, Barton FB, Terrin ML, Charache S, Dover GJ.
Fetal hemoglobin in sickle cell anemia: determinants of response to hydroxyurea: multi-center study of hydroxyurea.
Blood.
1997;89:1078-1088 5. Charache S. Mechanism of action of hydroxyurea in the management of sickle cell anemia in adults. Semin Hematol. 1997;34:15-21[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve].
6.
DeSimone J, Heller P, Hall L, Zwiers D.
5-Azacytidine stimulates fetal hemoglobin (HbF) synthesis in anemic baboons.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
1982;79:4428-4431 7. DeSimone J, Heller P, Molokie R, Hall L, Zwiers D. Tetrahydrouridine, cytidine analogues, and hemoglobin F. Am J Hematol. 1985;9:217-226.
8.
Lavelle D, DeSimone J, Heller P, Zwiers D, Hall L.
On the mechanism of HbF elevations in the baboon by erythropoietic stress and pharmacologic manipulation.
Blood.
1986;67:1083-1089
9.
Koshy M, Dorn L, Bressler L, et al.
2-Deoxy-azacytidine and fetal hemoglobin induction in sickle cell anemia.
Blood.
2000;96:2379-2384
10.
Singer K, Chernoff AL, Singer L.
Studies on abnormal hemoglobins, I: their distribution in sickle cell anemia and other hematologic disorders by means of alkali denaturation.
Blood.
1951;6:413-428 11. Olsen SH, Bigelow NC, Davis BH, Chen JC, Bagwell CB. Flow cytometric detection of fetal hemoglobin (HbF)-containing red blood cells [abstract]. Lab Hematol. 1996;1:74. 12. Embury SH, Dozy AM, Miller J, et al. Concurrent sickle-cell anemia and alpha-thalassemia: effect on severity of anemia. N Engl J Med. 1982;306:270-274[Abstract].
13.
Mears JG, Lachman HM, Labie D, Nagel RL.
Alpha-thalassemia is related to prolonged survival in sickle cell anemia.
Blood.
1983;62:286-290
14.
Dover GJ, Charache S, Boyer SH, Vogelsang G, Moyer M.
5-Azacytidine increases HbF production and reduces anemia in sickle cell disease: dose-response analysis of subcutaneous and oral dosage regimens.
Blood.
1985;66:527-532
© 2002 by The American Society of Hematology.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
D. Lavelle, Y. Saunthararajah, and J. DeSimone DNA methylation and mechanism of action of 5-azacytidine Blood, February 15, 2008; 111(4): 2485 - 2485. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. Aerbajinai, J. Zhu, Z. Gao, K. Chin, and G. P. Rodgers Thalidomide induces {gamma}-globin gene expression through increased reactive oxygen species mediated p38 MAPK signaling and histone H4 acetylation in adult erythropoiesis Blood, October 15, 2007; 110(8): 2864 - 2871. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. J. Telen Role of Adhesion Molecules and Vascular Endothelium in the Pathogenesis of Sickle Cell Disease Hematology, January 1, 2007; 2007(1): 84 - 90. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. A. Gollob, C. J. Sciambi, B. L. Peterson, T. Richmond, M. Thoreson, K. Moran, H. K. Dressman, J. Jelinek, and J.-P. J. Issa Phase I Trial of Sequential Low-Dose 5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine Plus High-Dose Intravenous Bolus Interleukin-2 in Patients with Melanoma or Renal Cell Carcinoma Clin. Cancer Res., August 1, 2006; 12(15): 4619 - 4627. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. Fathallah and G. F. Atweh Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease Hematology, January 1, 2006; 2006(1): 58 - 62. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
F. Lyko and R. Brown DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors and the Development of Epigenetic Cancer Therapies J Natl Cancer Inst, October 19, 2005; 97(20): 1498 - 1506. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. E. Samlowski, S. A. Leachman, M. Wade, P. Cassidy, P. Porter-Gill, L. Busby, R. Wheeler, K. Boucher, F. Fitzpatrick, D. A. Jones, et al. Evaluation of a 7-Day Continuous Intravenous Infusion of Decitabine: Inhibition of Promoter-Specific and Global Genomic DNA Methylation J. Clin. Oncol., June 10, 2005; 23(17): 3897 - 3905. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W.-G. Zhu, T. Hileman, Y. Ke, P. Wang, S. Lu, W. Duan, Z. Dai, T. Tong, M. A. Villalona-Calero, C. Plass, et al. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine Activates the p53/p21Waf1/Cip1 Pathway to Inhibit Cell Proliferation J. Biol. Chem., April 9, 2004; 279(15): 15161 - 15166. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-P. J. Issa, G. Garcia-Manero, F. J. Giles, R. Mannari, D. Thomas, S. Faderl, E. Bayar, J. Lyons, C. S. Rosenfeld, J. Cortes, et al. Phase 1 study of low-dose prolonged exposure schedules of the hypomethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine) in hematopoietic malignancies Blood, March 1, 2004; 103(5): 1635 - 1640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Saunthararajah, C. A. Hillery, D. Lavelle, R. Molokie, L. Dorn, L. Bressler, S. Gavazova, Y.-H. Chen, R. Hoffman, and J. DeSimone Effects of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine on fetal hemoglobin levels, red cell adhesion, and hematopoietic differentiation in patients with sickle cell disease Blood, December 1, 2003; 102(12): 3865 - 3870. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Sigalotti, M. Altomonte, F. Colizzi, M. Degan, M. Rupolo, V. Zagonel, A. Pinto, V. Gattei, M. Maio, M. Lubbert, et al. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine) treatment of hematopoietic malignancies: a multimechanism therapeutic approach? Blood, June 1, 2003; 101(11): 4644 - 4646. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. F. Atweh, J. DeSimone, Y. Saunthararajah, H. Fathallah, R. S. Weinberg, R. L. Nagel, M. E. Fabry, and R. J. Adams Hemoglobinopathies Hematology, January 1, 2003; 2003(1): 14 - 39. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 2002 by American Society of Hematology Online ISSN: 1528-0020 | |||||||||