Targeting SAMHD1: To overcome multiple anti-cancer drugs resistance in hematological malignancies

Sterile α motif and histidine/aspartic acid domain containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTPs) triphosphohydrolase that can hydrolyze dNTPs into deoxynucleosides and triphosphates to keep the balance of the intracellular dNTPs pool. Moreover, it has been reported that SAMHD1 plays a role in regulating cell proliferation and the cell cycle, maintaining genome stability and inhibiting innate immune responses. SAMHD1 activity is regulated by phosphorylation, oxidation, SUMOylation, and O-GlcNAcylation. SAMHD1 mutations have been reported to cause diseases, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma. SAMHD1 expression in acute myeloid leukemia predicts inferior prognosis. Recently, it has been revealed that SAMHD1 mediates the resistance to anti-cancer drugs. This review will focus on SAMHD1 function and regulation, the association between SAMHD1 and hematological malignancies and will provide updated information on SAMHD1 mediating resistance to nucleoside analogue antimetabolites, topoisomerase inhibitors, platinum-derived agents and DNA hypomethylating agents. Furthermore, histone deacetylase inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitors indirectly increase anti-cancer drug resistance by increasing SAMDH1 activity. We herein highlight the importance of the development of novel agents targeting SAMHD1 to overcome treatment resistance of hematological malignancies, which would be an opportunity to improve the outcome of patients with refractory hematological malignancies.