How tyrosine kinase inhibitors impair metabolism and endocrine system function: a systematic updated review

Massimo Breccia1, Matteo Molica1, Giuliana Alimena1

  • 1Department of Cellular Biotechnologies and Hematology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.

Leukemia Research
|December 3, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) improve chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) outcomes but cause off-target side effects. This review details metabolic changes and mechanisms linked to TKIs like imatinib and newer generations.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have revolutionized chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treatment, significantly improving patient response and survival rates.
  • Despite their efficacy, TKIs can cause specific off-target side effects due to the inhibition of various tyrosine kinase receptors (e.g., PDGFR, c-KIT, Src, VEGF).
  • These off-target effects can lead to notable metabolic alterations in patients undergoing TKI therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively review the metabolic changes associated with TKI treatment in CML.
  • To explore the potential underlying mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these TKI-induced metabolic alterations.
  • To focus on imatinib, second-generation (nilotinib, dasatinib), and third-generation (bosutinib, ponatinib) TKIs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating TKI side effects and metabolic changes in CML patients.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical data on the mechanisms of off-target inhibition by various TKIs.
  • Synthesis of information regarding specific metabolic pathways affected by imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib.

Main Results:

  • TKIs targeting BCR-ABL in CML can inhibit other kinases, leading to diverse metabolic consequences.
  • Reported metabolic changes include alterations in lipid metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and potential effects on bone and cardiovascular health.
  • The specific profile of metabolic side effects varies depending on the TKI's selectivity and off-target inhibition profile.

Conclusions:

  • Metabolic changes are a significant class of off-target side effects associated with TKIs used in CML treatment.
  • Understanding these metabolic alterations and their mechanisms is crucial for managing patient health and optimizing TKI therapy.
  • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the long-term metabolic impact and develop targeted management strategies.

Related Concept Videos

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors01:27

Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors

Enzyme-linked receptors are cell-surface receptors acting as an enzyme or associating with an enzyme intracellularly. They make excellent drug targets. Drugs can bind to the extracellular ligand-binding domain or directly affect their enzymatic domain and alter their activity.
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Factors Affecting Drug Biotransformation: Biological01:19

Factors Affecting Drug Biotransformation: Biological

Biological factors significantly impact drug metabolism, influencing drug clearance, efficacy, and potential toxicity.
Species differences: Variations in enzyme systems across species can cause disparities in drug metabolism. For instance, humans may metabolize certain drugs faster than rodents, altering therapeutic effects.
Strain differences: Genetic variations within a species can result in differing enzyme activity, impacting drug response and toxicity. For example, some mouse strains may...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment01:08

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment

Hepatic impairment, characterized by decreased liver function, does not uniformly mandate adjustments in drug dosage. Whether dosage modifications are necessary depends on various factors related to the drug's metabolism and elimination pathways. If a drug is primarily excreted via the kidneys and bypasses significant hepatic processing, if it undergoes minimal metabolic transformation in the liver, or if it is volatile and primarily expelled through the lungs, dose adjustments may not be...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology01:27

Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology

Hyperthyroidism is a hypermetabolic state caused by elevated levels of thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). It results from dysregulation at the thyroid, pituitary, or immune system level and affects multiple organ systems.PathophysiologyThe most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies, specifically thyroid-stimulating antibodies (TSAb), a subtype of TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb), bind to and activate TSH receptors...