Bing Z. Carter, Ph.D.
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine
About Dr. Carter
Dr. Carter joined the Section of Molecular Hematology and Therapy in the Department of Leukemia in 1999. Since then, her research has been focused on understanding the regulation of apoptotic regulators and targeting antiapoptotic proteins as a strategy to induce apoptosis in myeloid leukemia. Supported by AML PO-1, Dr. Carter found that survivin and XIAP, members of inhibitors of apoptosis protein family (IAPs) are highly expressed in AML and are potential therapeutic targets for AML. She recently discovered that cIAP1, another member of IAPs is significantly higher and its antagonist SMAC is significantly lower in AML stem/progenitor cells by protein array and she is investigating the potential of targeting cIAPs by SMAC mimetics in eradicating AML stem/progenitor cells and overcoming microenvironmental protection of leukemia cells. Dr. Carter also identified recently that ARC (apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain), a unique antiapoptotic protein is a strong poor prognostic marker in AML and plan to investigate its roles in AML cell growth and survival and in leukemia cells/stromal interaction.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Professor, Department of Leukemia - Research, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1990 | Tulane Medical School, New Orleans, LA, USA, PHD, Biochemistry |
| 1984 | Wuhan University, Wuhan, CHN, BS, Microbiology |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Glytsou C, Chen X, Zacharioudakis E, Al-Santli W, Zhou H, Nadorp B, Lee S, Lasry A, Sun Z, Papaioannou D, Cammer M, Wang K, Zal T, Zal MA, Carter BZ, Ishizawa J, Tibes R, Tsirigos A, Andreeff M, Gavathiotis E, Aifantis I. Mitophagy promotes resistance to BH3 mimetics in acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Discov 13(7):1656-1677, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37088914.
- Carter BZ, Mak PYY, Muftuoglu M, Tao W, Baozhen K, Jiang P, Bedoy AD, Ostermann LB, Nishida Y, Isqandarova S, Sobieski M, Nguyen N, Powell RT, Martinez-Moczyemba M, Stephan C, Basyal M, Pemmaraju N, Boettcher S, Ebert BL, Shpall EJ, Wallner BP, Morgan R, Karras GI, Moll U, Andreeff M. Epichaperome inhibition targets TP53-mutant AML and AML stem/progenitor cells. Blood. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37339579.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Tao W, Ayoub E, Ostermann LB, Huang X, Loghavi S, Boettcher S, Nishida Y, Ruvolo V, Hughes PE, Morrow PK, Haferlach T, Kornblau S, Muftuoglu M, Andreeff M. Correction: Combined inhibition of BCL-2 and MCL-1 overcomes BAX deficiency-mediated resistance of TP53-mutant acute myeloid leukemia to individual BH3 mimetics. Blood Cancer J 13(1):80, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37193700.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Tao W, Ayoub E, Ostermann LB, Huang X, Loghavi S, Boettcher S, Nishida Y, Ruvolo V, Hughes PE, Morrow PK, Haferlach T, Kornblau S, Muftuoglu M, Andreeff M. Combined inhibition of BCL-2 and MCL-1 overcomes BAX deficiency-mediated resistance of TP53-mutant acute myeloid leukemia to individual BH3 mimetics. Blood Cancer J 13(1):57, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37088806.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Tao W, Zhang Q, Ruvolo V, Kuruvilla VM, Wang X, Mak DH, Battula VL, Konopleva M, Jabbour EJ, Hughes PE, Chen X, Morrow PK, Andreeff M. Maximal activation of apoptosis signaling by co-targeting anti-apoptotic proteins in BH3 mimetic-resistant AML and AML stem cells. Mol Cancer Ther 21(6):879-889, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35364607.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Wang X, Yang H, Garcia-Manero G, Mak DH, Mu H, Ruvolo VR, Qiu Y, Coombes K, Zhang N, Ragon B, Weaver DT, Pachter JA, Kornblau S, Andreeff M. Focal Adhesion Kinase as a Potential Target in AML and MDS. Mol Cancer Ther 16(6):1133-1144, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28270436.
- Lan X, Zhao C, Chen X, Zhang P, Zang D, Wu J, Chen J, Long H, Yang L, Huang H, Carter BZ, Wang X, Shi X, Liu J. Nickel pyrithione induces apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia cells resistant to imatinib via both Bcr/Abl-dependent and Bcr/Abl-independent mechanisms. J Hematol Oncol 9(1):129, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27884201.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Mu H, Zhou H, Mak DH, Schober W, Leverson JD, Zhang B, Bhatia R, Huang X, Cortes J, Kantarjian H, Konopleva M, Andreeff M. Combined Targeting of BCL-2 and Bcr-Abl Tyrosine Kinase Eradicates Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells. Sci Transl Med 8(355):355ra117, 2016. PMID: 27605552.
- Fang ZH, Wang SL, Zhao JT, Lin ZJ, Chen LY, Su R, Xie ST, Carter BZ, Xu B. mir-150 Exerts Antileukemia Activity in vitro and in vivo through Regulating Genes in Multiple Pathways. Cell Death Dis 7(doi:10.1038):e2371, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27899822.
- Zhou HS, Carter BZ, Andreeff M. Bone marrow niche-mediated survival of leukemia stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia: Yin and Yang. Cancer Biol Med 13(2):248-59, 2016. PMID: 27458532.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Chen Y, Mak DH, Mu H, Jacamo R, Ruvolo V, Arold ST, Ladbury JE, Burks JK, Kornblau S, Andreeff M. Anti-apoptotic ARC protein confers chemoresistance by controlling leukemia-microenvironment interactions through a NFκB/IL1β signaling network. Oncotarget 7(15):20054-67, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26956049.
- Carter BZ, Mak PY, Mak DH, Ruvolo VR, Schober W, McQueen T, Cortes J, Kantarjian HM, Champlin RE, Konopleva M, Andreeff M. Synergistic effects of p53 activation via MDM2 inhibition in combination with inhibition of Bcl-2 or Bcr-Abl in CD34+ proliferating and quiescent chronic myeloid leukemia blast crisis cells. Oncotarget 6(31):30487-99, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26431162.
- Carter BZ, Andreeff M. Targeting AML stem/progenitor cells by combinational therapy with SMAC mimetics and demethylating agents. Stem Cell Epigenetics:1-6. e-Pub 2015.
- Mak PY, Mak DH, Ruvolo V, Jacamo R, Kornblau SM, Kantarjian H, Andreeff M, Carter BZ. Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain modulates second mitochondrial-derived activator of caspases mimetic-induced cell death through BIRC2/MAP3K14 signaling in acute myeloid leukaemia. Br J Haematol 167(3):376-84, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25079338.
- Chen X, Shi X, Zhao C, Li X, Lan X, Liu S, Huang H, Liu N, Liao S, Zang D, Song W, Liu Q, Carter BZ, Dou QP, Wang X, Liu J. Anti-rheumatic agent auranofin induced apoptosis in chronic myeloid leukemia cells resistant to imatinib through both Bcr/Abl-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Oncotarget 5(19):9118-32, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25193854.
- Shi X, Lan X, Li X, Chen X, Carter BZ, Wang X, Liu J. 2-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone Induces Apoptosis in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells Resistant to Imatinib via Inducing Caspase-dependent Bcr-Abl Downregulation. Med Chem 4(12):786-790, 2014.
- Mak DH, Wang RY, Schober WD, Konopleva M, Cortes J, Kantarjian H, Andreeff M, Carter BZ. Activation of apoptosis signaling eliminates CD34+ progenitor cells in blast crisis CML independent of response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Leukemia doi:10.1038(4):788-94, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 22033489.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Shi Y, Fidler JM, Chen R, Ling X, Plunkett W, Andreeff M. MRx102, a triptolide derivative, has potent antileukemic activity in vitro and in a murine model of AML. Leukemia 26(3):443-50, 2012. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21904380.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Morris SJ, Borthakur G, Estey E, Byrd AL, Konopleva M, Kantarjian H, Andreeff M. XIAP antisense oligonucleotide (AEG35156) achieves target knockdown and induces apoptosis preferentially in CD34+38- cells in a phase 1/2 study of patients with relapsed/refractory AML. Apoptosis 16(1):67-74, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20938744.
- Carter BZ, Qiu YH, Zhang N, Coombes KR, Mak DH, Thomas DA, Ravandi F, Kantarjian HM, Koller E, Andreeff M, Kornblau SM. Expression of ARC (apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain), an antiapoptotic protein, is strongly prognostic in AML. Blood 117(3):780-7, 2011. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 21041716.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Schober WD, Koller E, Pinilla C, Vassilev LT, Reed JC, Andreeff M. Simultaneous activation of p53 and inhibition of XIAP enhance the activation of apoptosis signaling pathways in AML. Blood 115(2):306-14, 2010. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19897582.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Woessner R, Gross S, Schober WD, Estrov Z, Kantarjian H, Andreeff M. Inhibition of KSP by ARRY-520 induces cell cycle block and cell death via the mitochondrial pathway in AML cells. Leukemia 23(10):1755-62, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19458629.
- Mak DH, Schober WD, Chen W, Konopleva M, Cortes J, Kantarjian HM, Andreeff M, Carter BZ. Triptolide induces cell death independent of cellular responses to imatinib in blast crisis chronic myelogenous leukemia cells including quiescent CD34+ primitive progenitor cells. Mol Cancer Ther 8(9):2509-16, 2009. e-Pub 2009. PMID: 19723894.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Schober WD, Dietrich MF, Pinilla C, Vassilev LT, Reed JC, Andreeff M. Triptolide sensitizes AML cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis via decrease of XIAP and p53-mediated increase of DR5. Blood 111(7):3742-50, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18187663.
- Mak DH, Schober WD, Chen W, Heller J, Andreeff M, Carter BZ. Tetra-O-methyl nordihydroguaiaretic acid inhibits growth and induces death of leukemia cells independent of Cdc2 and survivin. Leuk Lymphoma 48(4):774-85, 2007. PMID: 17454637.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Shi Y, Schober WD, Wang RY, Konopleva M, Koller E, Dean NM, Andreeff M. Regulation and targeting of Eg5, a mitotic motor protein in blast crisis CML: overcoming imatinib resistance. Cell Cycle 5(19):2223-9, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16969080.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Schober WD, McQueen T, Harris D, Estrov Z, Evans RL, Andreeff M. Triptolide induces caspase-dependent cell death mediated via the mitochondrial pathway in leukemic cells. Blood 108(2):630-7, 2006. e-Pub 2006. PMID: 16556893.
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Schober WD, Cabreira-Hansen M, Beran M, McQueen T, Chen W, Andreeff M. Regulation of survivin expression through Bcr-Abl/MAPK cascade: targeting survivin overcomes imatinib resistance and increases imatinib sensitivity in imatinib-responsive CML cells. Blood 107(4):1555-63, 2006. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 16254145.
- Carter BZ, Gronda M, Wang Z, Welsh K, Pinilla C, Andreeff M, Schober WD, Nefzi A, Pond GR, Mawji IA, Houghten RA, Ostresh J, Brandwein J, Minden MD, Schuh AC, Wells RA, Messner H, Chun K, Reed JC, Schimmer AD. Small-molecule XIAP inhibitors derepress downstream effector caspases and induce apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells. Blood 105(10):4043-50, 2005. e-Pub 2005. PMID: 15687241.
- Andreeff M, Milella M, Carter BZ, Tabe Y, Ricciardi MR, Sneed T, Ruvolo P, Contractor R, Tsao T, Schober W, Evans R, McQueen T, Zeng Z, Kornblau SM, McCubrey J, Estey E, Mills GB, Reed JC, Konopleva M. Targeted therapy of AML new concepts. Ann Hematol 83 Suppl 1:S51-3, 2004. PMID: 15124670.
- Carter BZ, Habib GM, Shi ZZ, Sepulveda AR, Lebovitz RM, Lieberman MW. Rat small intestine expresses primarily type VI gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase RNA. Biochem Mol Biol Int 35(6):1323-30, 1995. PMID: 7492970.
- Carter BZ, Habib GM, Sepulveda AR, Barrios R, Wan DF, Lebovitz RM, Lieberman MW. Type VI RNA is the major gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase RNA in the mouse small intestine. J Biol Chem 269(40):24581-5, 1994. PMID: 7523374.
- Carter BZ, Li SC, Li YT. Ceramide glycanase from the earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris. Biochem J 285 (Pt 2):619-23, 1992. PMID: 1637351.
- Carter BZ, Malter JS. Regulation of mRNA stability and its relevance to disease. Lab Invest 65(6):610-21, 1991. PMID: 1753708.
Invited Articles
- Carter BZ, Mak DH, Cortes J, Andreeff M. The elusive chronic myeloid leukemia stem cell: does it matter and how do we eliminate it?. Semin Hematol 47(4):362-70, 2010. PMID: 20875553.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Curing FLT3 mutated AML: combined targeting of Wnt/b-catenin and FLT3 signaling |
| Funding Source: | The Ryan Gibson Foundation |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | To investigate the potential of combined MDM2 inhibition and Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibition on eliminating CML stem cells and curing CML in vivo, Daiichi-Sanko |
| Funding Source: | Daiichi-Sankyo |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Pro-survival mechanisms of ARC protein in AML |
| Funding Source: | Elsa U Pardee Foundation |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Investigate the therapeutic potential of combined inhibition of Mcl-1, CDK9, or Bcl-2/xL with other therapeutic agents in AML |
| Funding Source: | AstraZeneca |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Investigate the therapeutic potential of Mcl-1 inhibition alone and combined with other therapeutic agents in AML |
| Funding Source: | Amgen |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Inhibition of FAK improves therapeutic efficacy in acute myeloid leukemia by targeting both leukemia and the leukemia microenvironment |
| Funding Source: | Ladies Leukemia League |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Re-sensitizing TP53-mutant acute myeloid leukemia to BH3 mimetics by targeting WNT/beta-catenin/ARC signaling |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | To assess the anti-leukemia activities of combination of the menin inhibitor with venetoclax and the menin inhibitor with gilteritinib in NPM1c AML |
| Funding Source: | Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Project 5: Targeting HSP90 epichaperome in therapy-resistant AML |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Project Leader |
| Title: | Preclinical study of PC14568 in TP53-Y220C mutant AML/MDS |
| Funding Source: | PMV Pharmaceuticals, Inc |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Investigation of Anti-leukemia Efficacy of the Dual FLT3/Aurora Kinase Inhibitor EP0042 in FLT3 Mutated Acute Myelogenous Leukemias, and Evaluation of Combinatorial Efficacy of EP0042 + Venetoclax (or Ven/HMA) for FLT3-inhibitor-resistent Cells |
| Funding Source: | Ellipses Pharma Limited |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Targeting HSP90-epichaperome and mitochondrial HSP90 TRAP1 in therapy-resistant acute myeloid leukemia |
| Funding Source: | Department of Defense (DOD) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |