Over the past decade, the
proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (
Velcade) has not only gained a cornerstone position in the treatment of
hematological malignancies, particularly
multiple myeloma and
mantle cell lymphoma, but also in experimental
therapeutics of acute
leukemia. However, the therapeutic efficacy of
bortezomib is hampered by the emergence of acquired resistance, for which multifactorial mechanisms have been identified. This review summarizes the current status of the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance to
proteasome inhibitors that emerged in preclinical therapeutic studies, and discusses these findings in the clinical perspective of novel therapeutic modalities of
hematological malignancies. The specific topics that will be addressed in the current review include the recently established mechanisms of resistance to
proteasome inhibitors: the role of constitutive and immunoproteasomes, mutations in
proteasome subunits, unfolded protein response, XBP1 and MARCKS
proteins, multidrug efflux transporters, aggresomes and autophagy, as well as the impact of pro-survival signaling pathways and bone marrow microenvironment. The growing knowledge of the determinants that confer
bortezomib resistance and/or toxicity has provided the basis for the rational development of second generation
proteasome inhibitors, some of which were recently approved or that are undergoing clinical evaluation as novel strategies to overcome
bortezomib resistance as well as to enhance clinical therapeutic efficacy along with minimal side effects. Collectively, these combined approaches should enhance therapeutic efficacy and outcome in patients with
hematological malignancies.