Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

900

Alisertib induces apoptosis and autophagy through targeting the AKT/mTOR/AMPK/p38 pathway in leukemic cells

Yunfeng Fu1, Yanan Zhang1, Meng Gao1

  • 1The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410013, P.R. China.

Molecular Medicine Reports
|May 14, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Alisertib, an Aurora kinase A inhibitor, effectively inhibits leukemia cell growth, inducing apoptosis and autophagy. This study reveals its mechanism involves suppressing key signaling pathways, highlighting alisertib as a potential leukemia treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Alisertib is a potent Aurora kinase A inhibitor with demonstrated anti-cancer effects.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms underlying alisertib's effects on leukemia, particularly apoptosis and autophagy, remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of alisertib on leukemia cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathways involved in alisertib-induced cell death and autophagy in leukemia cells.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized acid phosphatase, MTT, and Annexin V/propidium iodide assays for cell viability and apoptosis.
  • Employed immunostaining for light chain 3B and Western blot analysis to assess autophagy and signaling pathway activity.

Main Results:

  • Alisertib significantly inhibited REH leukemia cell line growth in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Alisertib treatment induced both apoptosis and autophagy in leukemia cells.
  • Western blot analysis indicated suppression of Akt/mTOR/AMPK/p38 MAPK signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Alisertib exhibits potent anti-leukemic effects by inducing apoptosis and autophagy.
  • The mechanism involves the suppression of critical signaling pathways, including Akt/mTOR/AMPK/p38 MAPK.
  • Alisertib shows promise as an autophagy-inducing therapeutic agent for leukemia treatment.

More Related Videos

Drug-Induced Senescence in Liver Cells Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Associated Hepatotoxicity09:32

Drug-Induced Senescence in Liver Cells Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Associated Hepatotoxicity

Published on: October 17, 2025

625
Pre-clinical Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Acute Leukemia10:49

Pre-clinical Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Acute Leukemia

Published on: September 18, 2013

18.7K

Related Concept Videos

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a...
6.2K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.1K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
5.0K
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

1.6K
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
9.1K
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
6.3K