Understanding the Role of Activation Loop Mutants in Drug Efficacy for FLT3-ITD

Simple Summary In this study, we investigated FLT3, a protein that plays a vital role in the development of early blood cells. FLT3 often undergoes changes that contribute to the onset of a blood cancer known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We employed sophisticated computational techniques to examine how various mutations in the FLT3 protein affect its function and its interaction with therapeutic drugs. Our analysis covered numerous combinations of potential FLT3 mutations and drugs to identify the most effective treatments. Specifically, we concentrated on the impact of a mutation at the Y842 site within FLT3 on the efficacy of drug treatments. Furthermore, we introduced a novel scoring system designed to enhance the prediction of drug effectiveness. Our findings highlight the significance of customized medical approaches, considering that individual mutations can markedly alter a patient's reaction to AML treatments.Abstract The type III receptor tyrosine kinase FLT3 is a pivotal kinase for hematopoietic progenitor cell regulation, with significant implications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) through mutations like internal tandem duplication (ITD). This study delves into the structural intricacies of FLT3, the roles of activation loop mutants, and their interaction with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Coupled with this, the research leverages molecular contrastive learning and protein language modeling to examine interactions between small molecule inhibitors and FLT3 activation loop mutants. Utilizing the ConPLex platform, over 5.7 million unique FLT3 activation loop mutants-small molecule pairs were analyzed. The binding free energies of three inhibitors were assessed, and cellular apoptotic responses were evaluated under drug treatments. Notably, the introduction of the Xepto50 scoring system provides a nuanced metric for drug efficacy. The findings underscore the modulation of molecular interactions and cellular responses by Y842 mutations in FLT3-KD, highlighting the need for tailored therapeutic approaches in FLT3-ITD-related malignancies.