Albendazole induces monocytic differentiation in AML cells through modulating KLF4-DPYSL2A axis

To compare the global gene expressions between KLF4-expressed AML cells and albendazole-treated AML cells, we conducted gene expression arrays in THP-1 cells lentivirally-transduced with doxycycline-inducible KLF4 or in THP-1 cells treated with albendazole in different concentrations. We identified that albendazole induces prominent differentiation in THP-1 cells through up-regulating KLF4 and DPYSL2A expressions. Considering the guaranteed safety and tolerability of albendazole in humans, this drug could easily be repositioned to AML patients once its anti-tumor efficacy is clarified. THP-1 cells were transduced with lentivirus encoding KLF4 under doxycycline responsive promoters. Cells were treated with 3 μM doxycycline for 48 hours to induce gene expressions. In albendazole treatment, THP-1 cells were exposed to it at 0.2 μM or 0.4 μM for 24 hours. Control cells were treated with equivalent amount of DMSO for 24 hours before lysed for RNA extraction.