1
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Ibrahim M, Illa-Bochaca I, Fa’ak F, Monson KR, Ferguson R, Lyu C, Vega-Saenz de Miera E, Johannet P, Chou M, Mastroianni J, Darvishian F, Kirchhoff T, Zhong J, Krogsgaard M, Osman I. Kinase Insert Domain Receptor Q472H Pathogenic Germline Variant Impacts Melanoma Tumor Growth and Patient Treatment Outcomes. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 16:18. [PMID: 38201446 PMCID: PMC10778134 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16010018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously reported a higher incidence of a pathogenic germline variant in the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) in melanoma patients compared to the general population. Here, we dissect the impact of this genotype on melanoma tumor growth kinetics, tumor phenotype, and response to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or targeted therapy. METHODS The KDR genotype was determined and the associations between the KDR Q472H variant (KDR-Var), angiogenesis, tumor immunophenotype, and response to MAPK inhibition or ICI treatment were examined. Melanoma B16 cell lines were transfected with KDR-Var or KDR wild type (KDR-WT), and the differences in tumor kinetics were evaluated. We also examined the impact of KDR-Var on the response of melanoma cells to a combination of VEGFR inhibition with MAPKi. RESULTS We identified the KDR-Var genotype in 81/489 (37%) patients, and it was associated with a more angiogenic (p = 0.003) and immune-suppressive tumor phenotype. KDR-Var was also associated with decreased PFS to MAPKi (p = 0.022) and a trend with worse PFS to anti-PD1 therapy (p = 0.06). KDR-Var B16 murine models had increased average tumor volume (p = 0.0027) and decreased CD45 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (p = 0.0282). The anti-VEGFR treatment Lenvatinib reduced the tumor size of KDR-Var murine tumors (p = 0.0159), and KDR-Var cells showed synergistic cytotoxicity to the combination of dabrafenib and lenvatinib. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate a role of germline KDR-Var in modulating melanoma behavior, including response to treatment. Our data also suggest that anti-angiogenic therapy might be beneficial in patients harboring this genotype, which needs to be tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Ibrahim
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Irineu Illa-Bochaca
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Faisal Fa’ak
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Kelsey R. Monson
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (K.R.M.); (R.F.); (C.L.); (T.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - Robert Ferguson
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (K.R.M.); (R.F.); (C.L.); (T.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - Chen Lyu
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (K.R.M.); (R.F.); (C.L.); (T.K.); (J.Z.)
| | - Eleazar Vega-Saenz de Miera
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Paul Johannet
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Margaret Chou
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
| | - Justin Mastroianni
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA (M.K.)
| | - Farbod Darvishian
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA (M.K.)
| | - Tomas Kirchhoff
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (K.R.M.); (R.F.); (C.L.); (T.K.); (J.Z.)
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Langone Health, 522 First Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Judy Zhong
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (K.R.M.); (R.F.); (C.L.); (T.K.); (J.Z.)
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Langone Health, 522 First Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michelle Krogsgaard
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA (M.K.)
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Langone Health, 522 First Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Iman Osman
- Ronald O Perelman Department of Dermatology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; (M.I.); (I.I.-B.); (E.V.-S.d.M.)
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Langone Health, 522 First Ave, New York, NY 10016, USA
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2
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Mollapour Sisakht M, Amirkhani MA, Nilforoushzadeh MA. SWI/SNF complex, promising target in melanoma therapy: Snapshot view. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1096615. [PMID: 36844227 PMCID: PMC9947295 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1096615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic strategies based on epigenetic regulators are rapidly increasing in light of recent advances in discovering the role of epigenetic factors in response and sensitivity to therapy. Although loss-of-function mutations in genes encoding the SWItch/Sucrose NonFermentable (SWI/SNF) subunits play an important role in the occurrence of ~34% of melanomas, the potential of using inhibitors and synthetic lethality interactions between key subunits of the complex that play an important role in melanoma progression must be considered. Here, we discuss the importance of the clinical application of SWI/SNF subunits as a promising potential therapeutic in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahsa Mollapour Sisakht
- Biotechnology Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Department of Biochemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands,*Correspondence: Mahsa Mollapour Sisakht ✉ ; ✉
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3
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BET inhibitors synergize with sunitinib in melanoma through GDF15 suppression. Exp Mol Med 2023; 55:364-376. [PMID: 36720918 PMCID: PMC9981764 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-023-00936-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins has shown a promising therapeutic effect on melanoma. The development of strategies to better kill melanoma cells with BET inhibitor treatment may provide new clinical applications. Here, we used a drug synergy screening approach to combine JQ1 with 240 antitumor drugs from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library and found that sunitinib synergizes with BET inhibitors in melanoma cells. We further demonstrated that BET inhibitors synergize with sunitinib in melanoma by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Mechanistically, BET inhibitors sensitize melanoma cells to sunitinib by inhibiting GDF15 expression. Strikingly, GDF15 is transcriptionally regulated directly by BRD4 or indirectly by the BRD4/IL6/STAT3 axis. Xenograft assays revealed that the combination of BET inhibitors with sunitinib causes melanoma suppression in vivo. Altogether, these findings suggest that BET inhibitor-mediated GDF15 inhibition plays a critical role in enhancing sunitinib sensitivity in melanoma, indicating that BET inhibitors synergize with sunitinib in melanoma.
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4
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Zhou XR, Li X, Liao LP, Han J, Huang J, Li JC, Tao HR, Fan SJ, Chen ZF, Li Q, Chen SJ, Ding H, Yang YX, Zhou B, Jiang HL, Chen KX, Zhang YY, Huang CX, Luo C. P300/CBP inhibition sensitizes mantle cell lymphoma to PI3Kδ inhibitor idelalisib. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:457-469. [PMID: 33850273 PMCID: PMC8791947 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-021-00643-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a lymphoproliferative disorder lacking reliable therapies. PI3K pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of MCL, serving as a potential target. However, idelalisib, an FDA-approved drug targeting PI3Kδ, has shown intrinsic resistance in MCL treatment. Here we report that a p300/CBP inhibitor, A-485, could overcome resistance to idelalisib in MCL cells in vitro and in vivo. A-485 was discovered in a combinational drug screening from an epigenetic compound library containing 45 small molecule modulators. We found that A-485, the highly selective catalytic inhibitor of p300 and CBP, was the most potent compound that enhanced the sensitivity of MCL cell line Z-138 to idelalisib. Combination of A-485 and idelalisib remarkably decreased the viability of three MCL cell lines tested. Co-treatment with A-485 and idelalisib in Maver-1 and Z-138 MCL cell xenograft mice for 3 weeks dramatically suppressed the tumor growth by reversing the unsustained inhibition in PI3K downstream signaling. We further demonstrated that p300/CBP inhibition decreased histone acetylation at RTKs gene promoters and reduced transcriptional upregulation of RTKs, thereby inhibiting the downstream persistent activation of MAPK/ERK signaling, which also contributed to the pathogenesis of MCL. Therefore, additional inhibition of p300/CBP blocked MAPK/ERK signaling, which rendered maintaining activation to PI3K-mTOR downstream signals p-S6 and p-4E-BP1, thus leading to suppression of cell growth and tumor progression and eliminating the intrinsic resistance to idelalisib ultimately. Our results provide a promising combination therapy for MCL and highlight the potential use of epigenetic inhibitors targeting p300/CBP to reverse drug resistance in tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-ru Zhou
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 200031 China
| | - Xiao Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Li-ping Liao
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jie Han
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Jing Huang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jia-cheng Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Hong-ru Tao
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Shi-jie Fan
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Zhi-feng Chen
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Qi Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Shi-jie Chen
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Hong Ding
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Ya-xi Yang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Department of Medicinal Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Bing Zhou
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Department of Medicinal Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Hua-liang Jiang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China
| | - Kai-xian Chen
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 200031 China
| | - Yuan-yuan Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Chuan-xin Huang
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Faculty of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Cheng Luo
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Drug Discovery and Design Center, The Center for Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China ,grid.440637.20000 0004 4657 8879School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 200031 China
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5
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Emran AA, Tseng HY, Gunatilake D, Cook SJ, Ahmed F, Wang S, Hersey P, Gallagher SJ, Tiffen JC. A Combination of Epigenetic BET and CDK9 Inhibitors for Treatment of Human Melanoma. J Invest Dermatol 2021; 141:2238-2249.e12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2020.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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6
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Zhang S, Chen Y, Tian C, He Y, Tian Z, Wan Y, Liu T. Dual-target Inhibitors Based on BRD4: Novel Therapeutic Approaches for Cancer. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:1775-1795. [PMID: 32520674 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666200610174453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, cancer continues being a dramatically increasing and serious threat to public health. Although many anti-tumor agents have been developed in recent years, the survival rate of patients is not satisfactory. The poor prognosis of cancer patients is closely related to the occurrence of drug resistance. Therefore, it is urgent to develop new strategies for cancer treatment. Multi-target therapies aim to have additive or synergistic effects and reduce the potential for the development of resistance by integrating different pharmacophores into a single drug molecule. Given the fact that majority of diseases are multifactorial in nature, multi-target therapies are being exploited with increasing intensity, which has brought improved outcomes in disease models and obtained several compounds that have entered clinical trials. Thus, it is potential to utilize this strategy for the treatment of BRD4 related cancers. This review focuses on the recent research advances of dual-target inhibitors based on BRD4 in the aspect of anti-tumor. METHODS We have searched the recent literatures about BRD4 inhibitors from the online resources and databases, such as pubmed, elsevier and google scholar. RESULTS In the recent years, many efforts have been taken to develop dual-target inhibitors based on BRD4 as anti-cancer agents, such as HDAC/BRD4 dual inhibitors, PLK1/BRD4 dual inhibitors and PI3K/BRD4 dual inhibitors and so on. Most compounds display good anti-tumor activities. CONCLUSION Developing new anti-cancer agents with new scaffolds and high efficiency is a big challenge for researchers. Dual-target inhibitors based on BRD4 are a class of important bioactive compounds. Making structural modifications on the active dual-target inhibitors according to the corresponding structure-activity relationships is of benefit to obtain more potent anti-cancer leads or clinical drugs. This review will be useful for further development of new dual-target inhibitors based on BRD4 as anti-cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitao Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271000, Shandong, China
| | - Yanzhao Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271000, Shandong, China
| | - Chengsen Tian
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250200, China
| | - Yujing He
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271000, Shandong, China
| | - Zeru Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Yichao Wan
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule, Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Functional Application of Fine Polymers, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, Hunan 411201, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Taian 271000, Shandong, China
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7
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Targeting non-canonical activation of GLI1 by the SOX2-BRD4 transcriptional complex improves the efficacy of HEDGEHOG pathway inhibition in melanoma. Oncogene 2021; 40:3799-3814. [PMID: 33958721 PMCID: PMC8175236 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01783-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite the development of new targeted and immune therapies, the prognosis of metastatic melanoma remains bleak. Therefore, it is critical to better understand the mechanisms controlling advanced melanoma to develop more effective treatment regimens. Hedgehog/GLI (HH/GLI) signaling inhibitors targeting the central pathway transducer Smoothened (SMO) have shown to be clinical efficacious in skin cancer; however, several mechanisms of non-canonical HH/GLI pathway activation limit their efficacy. Here, we identify a novel SOX2-BRD4 transcriptional complex driving the expression of GLI1, the final effector of the HH/GLI pathway, providing a novel mechanism of non-canonical SMO-independent activation of HH/GLI signaling in melanoma. Consistently, we find a positive correlation between the expression of GLI1 and SOX2 in human melanoma samples and cell lines. Further, we show that combined targeting of canonical HH/GLI pathway with the SMO inhibitor MRT-92 and of the SOX2-BRD4 complex using a potent Proteolysis Targeted Chimeras (PROTACs)-derived BRD4 degrader (MZ1), yields a synergistic anti-proliferative effect in melanoma cells independently of their BRAF, NRAS, and NF1 mutational status, with complete abrogation of GLI1 expression. Combination of MRT-92 and MZ1 strongly potentiates the antitumor effect of either drug as single agents in an orthotopic melanoma model. Together, our data provide evidence of a novel mechanism of non-canonical activation of GLI1 by the SOX2-BRD4 transcriptional complex, and describe the efficacy of a new combinatorial treatment for a subset of melanomas with an active SOX2-BRD4-GLI1 axis.
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8
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Fu Y, Rathod D, Patel K. Protein kinase C inhibitor anchored BRD4 PROTAC PEGylated nanoliposomes for the treatment of vemurafenib-resistant melanoma. Exp Cell Res 2020; 396:112275. [PMID: 32898554 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.112275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Limited treatment options and development of resistance to targeted therapy within few months pose significant challenges in the treatment of BRAF-mutated malignant melanoma. Moreover, extensive angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry promote the rapid progression of disease. The purpose of this study was to develop a protein kinase C inhibitor anchored BRD4 PROTAC (ARV) loaded PEGylated nanoliposomes (LARPC). Palmitoyl-dl-carnitine chloride (PC) was used as a protein kinase C inhibitor to provide a cationic surface charge to LARPC. The formulation was characterized for particle size, zeta potential, drug release and various cell culture assays using HUVEC and vemurafenib resistant melanoma cells. The particle size of LARPC was found to be 105.25 ± 2.76 nm with a zeta potential of +26.6 ± 6.25 mV. Inhibition of angiogenesis was demonstrated by ARV and LARPC using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)-based matrigel basement membrane model. Additionally, LARPC demonstrated very low IC50 with promising inhibition of vasculogenic mimicry channel formation, cell migration as well as colony formation in vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cell lines. Hence, the outcome of this combination therapy indicated the suitability of LARPC as a potential and novel approach for eradicating vemurafenib-resistant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yige Fu
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Drishti Rathod
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Ketan Patel
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
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Deng G, Zeng F, Su J, Zhao S, Hu R, Zhu W, Hu S, Chen X, Yin M. BET inhibitor suppresses melanoma progression via the noncanonical NF-κB/SPP1 pathway. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:11428-11443. [PMID: 33052224 PMCID: PMC7546000 DOI: 10.7150/thno.47432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors have shown profound efficacy against hematologic malignancies and solid tumors in preclinical studies. However, the underlying molecular mechanism in melanoma is not well understood. Here we identified secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) as a melanoma driver and a crucial target of BET inhibitors in melanoma. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis and meta-analysis were used to evaluate the SPP1 expression in normal tissues, primary melanoma, and metastatic melanoma. Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting were employed to quantify SPP1 expression in melanoma cells and tissues. Cell proliferation, wound healing, and Transwell assays were carried out to evaluate the effects of SPP1 and BET inhibitors in melanoma cells in vitro. A xenograft mouse model was used to investigate the effect of SPP1 and BET inhibitors on melanoma in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was performed to evaluate the regulatory mechanism of BET inhibitors on SPP1. Results: SPP1 was identified as a melanoma driver by bioinformatics analysis, and meta-analysis determined it to be a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for melanoma. SPP1 overexpression was associated with poor melanoma prognosis, and silencing SPP1 suppressed melanoma cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Through a pilot drug screen, we identified BET inhibitors as ideal therapeutic agents that suppressed SPP1 expression. Also, SPP1 overexpression could partially reverse the suppressive effect of BET inhibitors on melanoma. We further demonstrated that bromodomain-containing 4 (BRD4) regulated SPP1 expression. Notably, BRD4 did not bind directly to the SPP1 promoter but regulated SPP1 expression through NFKB2. Silencing of NFKB2 resembled the phenotype of BET inhibitors treatment and SPP1 silencing in melanoma. Conclusion: Our findings highlight SPP1 as an essential target of BET inhibitors and provide a novel mechanism by which BET inhibitors suppress melanoma progression via the noncanonical NF-κB/SPP1 pathway.
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Identification of Small Molecule Enhancers of Immunotherapy for Melanoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5688. [PMID: 32231230 PMCID: PMC7105471 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62369-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Small molecule based targeted therapies for the treatment of metastatic melanoma hold promise but responses are often not durable, and tumors frequently relapse. Response to adoptive cell transfer (ACT)-based immunotherapy in melanoma patients are durable but patients develop resistance primarily due to loss of antigen expression. The combination of small molecules that sustain T cell effector function with ACT could lead to long lasting responses. Here, we have developed a novel co-culture cell-based high throughput assay system to identify compounds that could potentially synergize or enhance ACT-based immunotherapy of melanoma. A BRAFV600E mutant melanoma cell line, SB-3123p which is resistant to Pmel-1-directed ACT due to low gp100 expression levels was used to develop a homogenous time resolve fluorescence (HTRF), screening assay. This high throughput screening assay quantitates IFNγ released upon recognition of the SB-3123p melanoma cells by Pmel-1 CD8+ T-cells. A focused collection of approximately 500 small molecules targeting a broad range of cellular mechanisms was screened, and four active compounds that increased melanoma antigen expression leading to enhanced IFNγ production were identified and their in vitro activity was validated. These four compounds may provide a basis for enhanced immune recognition and design of novel therapeutic approaches for patients with BRAF mutant melanoma resistant to ACT due to antigen downregulation.
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11
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Role of BET Inhibitors in Triple Negative Breast Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12040784. [PMID: 32218352 PMCID: PMC7226117 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12040784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins have evolved as key multifunctional super-regulators that control gene expression. These proteins have been shown to upregulate transcriptional machinery leading to over expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. Based on favorable preclinical evidence of BET inhibitors in various cancer models; currently, 26 clinical trials are underway in various stages of study on various hematological and solid organ cancers. Unfortunately, preliminary evidence for these clinical studies does not support the application of BET inhibitors as monotherapy in cancer treatment. Furthermore, the combinatorial efficiency of BET inhibitors with other chemo-and immunotherapeutic agents remain elusive. In this review, we will provide a concise summary of the molecular basis and preliminary clinical outcomes of BET inhibitors in cancer therapy, with special focus on triple negative breast cancer.
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12
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Targeting MAPK Signaling in Cancer: Mechanisms of Drug Resistance and Sensitivity. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21031102. [PMID: 32046099 PMCID: PMC7037308 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21031102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 434] [Impact Index Per Article: 108.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways represent ubiquitous signal transduction pathways that regulate all aspects of life and are frequently altered in disease. Here, we focus on the role of MAPK pathways in modulating drug sensitivity and resistance in cancer. We briefly discuss new findings in the extracellular signaling-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, but mainly focus on the mechanisms how stress activated MAPK pathways, such as p38 MAPK and the Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), impact the response of cancer cells to chemotherapies and targeted therapies. In this context, we also discuss the role of metabolic and epigenetic aberrations and new therapeutic opportunities arising from these changes.
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13
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Bechter O, Schöffski P. Make your best BET: The emerging role of BET inhibitor treatment in malignant tumors. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 208:107479. [PMID: 31931101 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomains are protein-protein interaction modules with a great diversity in terms of number of proteins and their function. The bromodomain and extraterminal protein (BET) represents a distinct subclass of bromodomain proteins mainly involved in transcriptional regulation via their interaction with acetylated chromatin. In cancer cells BET proteins are found to be altered in many ways such as overexpression, mutations and fusions of BET proteins or their interference with cancer relevant signaling pathways and transcriptional programs in order to sustain cancer growth and viability. Blocking BET protein function with small molecules is associated with therapeutic activity. Consequently, a variety of small molecules have been developed and a number of phase I clinical trials have explored their tolerability and efficacy in patients with solid tumors and hematological malignancies. We will review the rational for applying BET inhibitors in the clinic and we will discuss the toxicity profile as well as efficacy of this new class of protein inhibitors. We will also highlight the emerging problem of treatment resistance and the potential these drugs might have when combined with other anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Bechter
- Leuven Cancer Institute, Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Patrick Schöffski
- Leuven Cancer Institute, Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oncology, KU, Leuven, Belgium.
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14
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Timme N, Han Y, Liu S, Yosief HO, García HD, Bei Y, Klironomos F, MacArthur IC, Szymansky A, von Stebut J, Bardinet V, Dohna C, Künkele A, Rolff J, Hundsdörfer P, Lissat A, Seifert G, Eggert A, Schulte JH, Zhang W, Henssen AG. Small-Molecule Dual PLK1 and BRD4 Inhibitors are Active Against Preclinical Models of Pediatric Solid Tumors. Transl Oncol 2019; 13:221-232. [PMID: 31869746 PMCID: PMC6931204 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2019.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous inhibition of multiple molecular targets is an established strategy to improve the continuance of clinical response to therapy. Here, we screened 49 molecules with dual nanomolar inhibitory activity against BRD4 and PLK1, best classified as dual kinase-bromodomain inhibitors, in pediatric tumor cell lines for their antitumor activity. We identified two candidate dual kinase-bromodomain inhibitors with strong and tumor-specific activity against neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma tumor cells. Dual PLK1 and BRD4 inhibitor treatment suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in pediatric tumor cell lines at low nanomolar concentrations. This was associated with reduced MYCN-driven gene expression as assessed by RNA sequencing. Treatment of patient-derived xenografts with dual inhibitor UMB103 led to significant tumor regression. We demonstrate that concurrent inhibition of two central regulators of MYC protein family of protooncogenes, BRD4, and PLK1, with single small molecules has strong and specific antitumor effects in preclinical pediatric cancer models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Timme
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Youjia Han
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Shuai Liu
- Department of Chemistry, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Heathcliff Dorado García
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yi Bei
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Filippos Klironomos
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ian C MacArthur
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annabell Szymansky
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennifer von Stebut
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor Bardinet
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Constantin Dohna
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jana Rolff
- Experimental Pharmacology and Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH (EPO), Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Hundsdörfer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany; Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Andrej Lissat
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Seifert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes H Schulte
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, UMass Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anton G Henssen
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany; Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung, Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany.
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15
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Pinzi L, Rastelli G. Identification of Target Associations for Polypharmacology from Analysis of Crystallographic Ligands of the Protein Data Bank. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 60:372-390. [PMID: 31800237 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The design of a chemical entity that potently and selectively binds to a biological target of therapeutic relevance has dominated the scene of drug discovery so far. However, recent findings suggest that multitarget ligands may be endowed with superior efficacy and be less prone to drug resistance. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) provides experimentally validated structural information about targets and bound ligands. Therefore, it represents a valuable source of information to help identifying active sites, understanding pharmacophore requirements, designing novel ligands, and inferring structure-activity relationships. In this study, we performed a large-scale analysis of the PDB by integrating different ligand-based and structure-based approaches, with the aim of identifying promising target associations for polypharmacology based on reported crystal structure information. First, the 2D and 3D similarity profiles of the crystallographic ligands were evaluated using different ligand-based methods. Then, activity data of pairs of similar ligands binding to different targets were inspected by comparing structural information with bioactivity annotations reported in the ChEMBL, BindingDB, BindingMOAD, and PDBbind databases. Afterward, extensive docking screenings of ligands in the identified cross-targets were made in order to validate and refine the ligand-based results. Finally, the therapeutic relevance of the identified target combinations for polypharmacology was evaluated from comparison with information on therapeutic targets reported in the Therapeutic Target Database (TTD). The results led to the identification of several target associations with high therapeutic potential for polypharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pinzi
- Department of Life Sciences , University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Via Giuseppe Campi 103 , 41125 Modena , Italy
| | - Giulio Rastelli
- Department of Life Sciences , University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Via Giuseppe Campi 103 , 41125 Modena , Italy
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16
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Erkes DA, Rosenbaum SR, Field CO, Chervoneva I, Villanueva J, Aplin AE. PLX3397 inhibits the accumulation of intra-tumoral macrophages and improves bromodomain and extra-terminal inhibitor efficacy in melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2019; 33:372-377. [PMID: 31696640 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extra-terminal inhibitors (BETi) delay tumor growth, in part, through tumor cell intrinsic alterations and initiation of anti-tumor CD8+ T-cell responses. By contrast, BETi effects on pro-tumoral immune responses remain unclear. Here, we show that the next-generation BETi, PLX51107, delayed tumor growth to differing degrees in Braf V600E melanoma syngeneic mouse models. These differential responses were associated with the influx of tumor-associated macrophages during BETi treatment. Tumors that were poorly responsive to PLX51107 showed increased influx of colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R)-positive tumor-associated macrophages. We depleted CSF-1R+ tumor-associated macrophages with the CSF-1R inhibitor, PLX3397, in combination with PLX51107. Treatment with PLX3397 enhanced the efficacy of PLX51107 in poorly responsive Braf V600E syngeneic melanomas in vivo. These findings suggest that tumor-associated macrophage accumulation limits BETi efficacy and that co-treatment with PLX3397 can improve response to PLX51107, offering a potential novel combination therapy for metastatic melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan A Erkes
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sheera R Rosenbaum
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Conroy O Field
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Inna Chervoneva
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessie Villanueva
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, PA, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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17
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Khaliq M, Fallahi-Sichani M. Epigenetic Mechanisms of Escape from BRAF Oncogene Dependency. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101480. [PMID: 31581557 PMCID: PMC6826668 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
About eight percent of all human tumors (including 50% of melanomas) carry gain-of-function mutations in the BRAF oncogene. Mutated BRAF and subsequent hyperactivation of the MAPK signaling pathway has motivated the use of MAPK-targeted therapies for these tumors. Despite great promise, however, MAPK-targeted therapies in BRAF-mutant tumors are limited by the emergence of drug resistance. Mechanisms of resistance include genetic, non-genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic plasticity, often modulated by histone-modifying enzymes and gene regulation, can influence a tumor cell's BRAF dependency and therefore, response to therapy. In this review, focusing primarily on class 1 BRAF-mutant cells, we will highlight recent work on the contribution of epigenetic mechanisms to inter- and intratumor cell heterogeneity in MAPK-targeted therapy response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehwish Khaliq
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Mohammad Fallahi-Sichani
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
- Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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18
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Morel D, Jeffery D, Aspeslagh S, Almouzni G, Postel-Vinay S. Combining epigenetic drugs with other therapies for solid tumours - past lessons and future promise. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2019; 17:91-107. [PMID: 31570827 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-019-0267-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 272] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic dysregulation has long been recognized as a key factor contributing to tumorigenesis and tumour maintenance that can influence all of the recognized hallmarks of cancer. Despite regulatory approvals for the treatment of certain haematological malignancies, the efficacy of the first generation of epigenetic drugs (epi-drugs) in patients with solid tumours has been disappointing; however, successes have now been achieved in selected solid tumour subtypes, thanks to the development of novel compounds and a better understanding of cancer biology that have enabled precision medicine approaches. Several lines of evidence support that, beyond their potential as monotherapies, epigenetic drugs could have important roles in synergy with other anticancer therapies or in reversing acquired therapy resistance. Herein, we review the mechanisms by which epi-drugs can modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to other forms of anticancer therapy, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, molecularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy. We provide a critical appraisal of the preclinical rationale, completed clinical studies and ongoing clinical trials relating to combination therapies incorporating epi-drugs. Finally, we propose and discuss rational clinical trial designs and drug development strategies, considering key factors including patient selection, tumour biomarker evaluation, drug scheduling and response assessment and study end points, with the aim of optimizing the development of such combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphné Morel
- ATIP-Avenir Group, UMR981, INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Daniel Jeffery
- Nuclear Dynamics Unit - UMR3664, National Centre for Scientific Research, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | | | - Geneviève Almouzni
- Nuclear Dynamics Unit - UMR3664, National Centre for Scientific Research, Institut Curie, Paris, France.
| | - Sophie Postel-Vinay
- ATIP-Avenir Group, UMR981, INSERM (French National Institute of Health and Medical Research), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France. .,Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France.
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19
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Erkes DA, Field CO, Capparelli C, Tiago M, Purwin TJ, Chervoneva I, Berger AC, Hartsough EJ, Villanueva J, Aplin AE. The next-generation BET inhibitor, PLX51107, delays melanoma growth in a CD8-mediated manner. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2019; 32:687-696. [PMID: 31063649 PMCID: PMC6697571 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic agents such as bromodomain and extra-terminal region inhibitors (BETi) slow tumor growth via tumor intrinsic alterations; however, their effects on antitumor immunity remain unclear. A recent advance is the development of next-generation BETi that are potent and display a favorable half-life. Here, we tested the BETi, PLX51107, for immune-based effects on tumor growth in BRAF V600E melanoma syngeneic models. PLX51107 delayed melanoma tumor growth and increased activated, proliferating, and functional CD8+ T cells in tumors leading to CD8+ T-cell-mediated tumor growth delay. PLX51107 decreased Cox2 expression, increased dendritic cells, and lowered PD-L1, FasL, and IDO-1 expression in the tumor microenvironment. Importantly, PLX51107 delayed the growth of tumors that progressed on anti-PD-1 therapy; a response associated with decreased Cox2 levels, decreased PD-L1 expression on non-immune cells, and increased intratumoral CD8+ T cells. Thus, next-generation BETi represent a potential first-line and secondary treatment strategy for metastatic melanoma by eliciting effects, at least in part, on antitumor CD8+ T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan A. Erkes
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Conroy O. Field
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Claudia Capparelli
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Manoela Tiago
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Timothy J. Purwin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Inna Chervoneva
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Adam C. Berger
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Edward J. Hartsough
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19107
| | - Jessie Villanueva
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program, Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, PA 19104, USA
| | - Andrew E. Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
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20
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BRD4 PROTAC as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of vemurafenib resistant melanoma: Preformulation studies, formulation development and in vitro evaluation. Eur J Pharm Sci 2019; 138:105039. [PMID: 31394259 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2019.105039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Limited therapeutic interventions and development of resistance to targeted therapy within few months of therapy pose a great challenge in the treatment of melanoma. Current work was aimed to investigate; (a) Anticancer activity of a novel class of compound - Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal motif (BET) protein degrader in sensitive and vemurafenib-resistant melanoma (b) Preformulation studies and formulation development. ARV-825 (ARV), a molecule designed using PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeric (PROTAC) technology, degrades BRD4 protein instead of merely inhibiting it. Based on extensive preformulation studies, ARV loaded self-nanoemulsifying preconcentrate (ARV-SNEP) was developed and optimized. ARV showed extremely poor aqueous solubility (<7 μg/mL) and pH dependent hydrolytic degradation. CaCO-2 cell uptake assay and human liver microsome studies proved that ARV is a substrate of CYP3A4 but not of P-gp efflux pump. Optimized ARV-SNEP spontaneously formed nanoglobules of 45.02 nm with zeta potential of -3.78 mV and significantly enhanced solubility of ARV in various aqueous and bio-relevant media. Most importantly, ARV showed promising cytotoxicity, anti-migration and apoptotic activity against vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells. ARV-SNEP could be potentially novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of drug-resistant melanoma. This is the very first paper investigating a PROTAC class of molecule for the treatment of drug resistant cancer, preformulation and formulation studies.
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21
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Abstract
Inhibition of BRAF improves therapeutic efficacy of BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, drug resistance to BRAF inhibitor is inevitable, and the drug resistance mechanisms still remain to be elucidated. Here, BRAF mutant cells A375 and SK-MEL-28 were chosen and treated with BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib, and the results showed that the ERK signaling pathway was blocked in these cells. Then, vemurafenib-resistant cells were constructed, and we found that drug resistance-related gene P-gp was overexpressed in the two cell lines. In addition, the histone acetylation was significantly increased on the P-gp promoter region, which suggested that the epigenetic modification participated in the P-gp overexpression. Furthermore, JQ1, a bromodomain inhibitor, was added to the vemurafenib-resistant cells and sensitizes the vemurafenib-induced melanoma cell apoptosis. In C57BL/6 mice intravenously injected with vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells, cotreatment of vemurafenib and JQ1 also severely suppressed melanoma lung metastasis. Taken together, our findings may have important implications for the combined use of vemurafenib and JQ1 in the therapy for melanoma treatment.
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22
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Echevarría-Vargas IM, Reyes-Uribe PI, Guterres AN, Yin X, Kossenkov AV, Liu Q, Zhang G, Krepler C, Cheng C, Wei Z, Somasundaram R, Karakousis G, Xu W, Morrissette JJ, Lu Y, Mills GB, Sullivan RJ, Benchun M, Frederick DT, Boland G, Flaherty KT, Weeraratna AT, Herlyn M, Amaravadi R, Schuchter LM, Burd CE, Aplin AE, Xu X, Villanueva J. Co-targeting BET and MEK as salvage therapy for MAPK and checkpoint inhibitor-resistant melanoma. EMBO Mol Med 2019; 10:emmm.201708446. [PMID: 29650805 PMCID: PMC5938620 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201708446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite novel therapies for melanoma, drug resistance remains a significant hurdle to achieving optimal responses. NRAS‐mutant melanoma is an archetype of therapeutic challenges in the field, which we used to test drug combinations to avert drug resistance. We show that BET proteins are overexpressed in NRAS‐mutant melanoma and that high levels of the BET family member BRD4 are associated with poor patient survival. Combining BET and MEK inhibitors synergistically curbed the growth of NRAS‐mutant melanoma and prolonged the survival of mice bearing tumors refractory to MAPK inhibitors and immunotherapy. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis revealed that combining BET and MEK inhibitors mitigates a MAPK and checkpoint inhibitor resistance transcriptional signature, downregulates the transcription factor TCF19, and induces apoptosis. Our studies demonstrate that co‐targeting MEK and BET can offset therapy resistance, offering a salvage strategy for melanomas with no other therapeutic options, and possibly other treatment‐resistant tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Adam N Guterres
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xiangfan Yin
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew V Kossenkov
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qin Liu
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gao Zhang
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Clemens Krepler
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chaoran Cheng
- College of Computing Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Zhi Wei
- College of Computing Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | | | - Giorgos Karakousis
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wei Xu
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Jd Morrissette
- Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yiling Lu
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gordon B Mills
- Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ryan J Sullivan
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Miao Benchun
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dennie T Frederick
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Genevieve Boland
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Keith T Flaherty
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ashani T Weeraratna
- Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Immunology, Microenvironment and Metastasis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meenhard Herlyn
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ravi Amaravadi
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lynn M Schuchter
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christin E Burd
- Departments of Molecular Genetics and Cancer Biology and Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Andrew E Aplin
- Department of Cancer Biology and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xiaowei Xu
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Systems Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jessie Villanueva
- Molecular & Cellular Oncogenesis Program, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA .,Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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23
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Manzotti G, Ciarrocchi A, Sancisi V. Inhibition of BET Proteins and Histone Deacetylase (HDACs): Crossing Roads in Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11030304. [PMID: 30841549 PMCID: PMC6468908 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone DeACetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histones and other proteins, regulating the expression of target genes. Pharmacological inhibition of these enzymes re-shapes chromatin acetylation status, confusing boundaries between transcriptionally active and quiescent chromatin. This results in reinducing expression of silent genes while repressing highly transcribed genes. Bromodomain and Extraterminal domain (BET) proteins are readers of acetylated chromatin status and accumulate on transcriptionally active regulatory elements where they serve as scaffold for the building of transcription-promoting complexes. The expression of many well-known oncogenes relies on BET proteins function, indicating BET inhibition as a strategy to counteract their activity. BETi and HDACi share many common targets and affect similar cellular processes to the point that combined inhibition of both these classes of proteins is regarded as a strategy to improve the effectiveness of these drugs in cancer. In this work, we aim to discuss the molecular basis of the interplay between HDAC and BET proteins, pointing at chromatin acetylation as a crucial node of their functional interaction. We will also describe the state of the art of their dual inhibition in cancer therapy. Finally, starting from their mechanism of action we will provide a speculative perspective on how these drugs may be employed in combination with standard therapies to improve effectiveness and/or overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Manzotti
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Alessia Ciarrocchi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Valentina Sancisi
- Laboratory of Translational Research, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42122 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
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24
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Chatterjee N, Bivona TG. Polytherapy and Targeted Cancer Drug Resistance. Trends Cancer 2019; 5:170-182. [PMID: 30898264 PMCID: PMC6446041 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A current challenge in cancer treatment is drug resistance. Even the most effective therapies often fail to produce a complete and durable tumor response and ultimately give rise to therapy resistance and tumor relapse. However, how resistance arises in cancer remains incompletely understood. While drug resistance in cancer is thought to be driven by irreversible genetic mutations, emerging evidence also implicates reversible proteomic and epigenetic mechanisms in the development of drug resistance. Tumor microenvironment-mediated mechanisms and tumor heterogeneity can significantly contribute to cancer treatment resistance. Here, we discuss the diverse and dynamic strategies that cancers use to evade drug response, the promise of upfront combination and intermittent therapies and therapy switching in forestalling resistance, and epigenetic reprogramming to combat resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilanjana Chatterjee
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Trever G Bivona
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, 600 16(th) Street, Box 2140, Genentech Hall, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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25
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Han Y, Lindner S, Bei Y, Garcia HD, Timme N, Althoff K, Odersky A, Schramm A, Lissat A, Künkele A, Deubzer HE, Eggert A, Schulte JH, Henssen AG. Synergistic activity of BET inhibitor MK-8628 and PLK inhibitor Volasertib in preclinical models of medulloblastoma. Cancer Lett 2019; 445:24-33. [PMID: 30611741 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Medulloblastoma is the most prevalent central nervous system tumor in children. Targeted treatment approaches for patients with high-risk medulloblastoma are needed as current treatment regimens are not curative in many cases and cause significant therapy-related morbidity. Medulloblastoma harboring MYC amplification have the most aggressive clinical course and worst outcome. Targeting the BET protein BRD4 has significant anti-tumor effects in preclinical models of MYC-amplified medulloblastoma, however, in most cases these are not curative. We here assessed the therapeutic efficacy of the orally bioavailable BRD4 inhibitor, MK-8628, in preclinical models of medulloblastoma. MK-8628 showed therapeutic efficacy against in vitro and in vivo models of MYC-amplified medulloblastoma by inducing apoptotic cell death and cell cycle arrest. Gene expression analysis of cells treated with MK-8628 showed that anti-tumor effects were accompanied by significant repression of MYC transcription as well as disruption of MYC-regulated transcriptional programs. Additionally, we found that targeting of MYC protein stability through pharmacological PLK1 inhibition showed synergistic anti-medulloblastoma effects when combined with MK-8628 treatment. Thus, MK-8628 is effective against preclinical high-risk medulloblastoma models and its effects can be enhanced through simultaneous targeting of PLK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjia Han
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Lindner
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children's Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Yi Bei
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Natalie Timme
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristina Althoff
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children's Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andrea Odersky
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children's Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alexander Schramm
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, University Children's Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andrej Lissat
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Künkele
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
| | - Hedwig E Deubzer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC) of the Charité and the Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Angelika Eggert
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes H Schulte
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Berlin, Germany
| | - Anton G Henssen
- Department of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Berlin, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany.
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26
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Zhu X, Holmsen E, Park S, Willingham MC, Qi J, Cheng SY. Synergistic effects of BET and MEK inhibitors promote regression of anaplastic thyroid tumors. Oncotarget 2018; 9:35408-35421. [PMID: 30459933 PMCID: PMC6226043 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive malignancy with limited options for treatment. Targeting epigenetic modifications via interfering with the interaction between the bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins and acetylated histones by using BET inhibitors (e.g., JQ1) has shown some efficacy in thyroid cancer. To improve the efficacy, an inhibitor of MEK, trametinib, was tested together with JQ1 as a combined treatment via cell-based approaches and xenograft studies. We examined the effects of combined treatment of JQ1 and trametinib on the proliferation of human ATC cell lines (THJ-11T and THJ-16) in vitro. We further evaluated the effects of the combined treatment on tumor development in vivo using mouse xenograft models. We elucidated the underlying molecular pathways affected by double treatment. We showed that the combined treatment totally blocked proliferation, while either JQ1 or trametinib alone only had partial effects. Combined treatment suppressed MYC expression more than single treatment, resulting in decreased expression of pro-survival regulators and increased pro-apoptotic regulators to collaboratively induce apoptosis. In xenograft studies, single treatment only partially inhibited tumor growth, but the combined treatment inhbited tumor growth by >90%. The reduction of tumor growth was mediated by synergistic suppression of MYC, to affect apoptotic regulators to markedly promote tumor apoptosis. Combined treatment of BET and MEK-ERK inhibitors was more effective to treat ATC than single targeted treatment. Synergistic suppression of MYC transcription via collaborative actions on chromatin modifications suggested that targeting epigenetic modifications could provide novel treatment opportunities for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuguang Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Erik Holmsen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sunmi Park
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark C Willingham
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jun Qi
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheue-Yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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27
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Doroshow DB, Eder JP, LoRusso PM. BET inhibitors: a novel epigenetic approach. Ann Oncol 2018; 28:1776-1787. [PMID: 28838216 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics has been defined as 'the structural adaptation of chromosomal regions so as to register, signal or perpetuate altered activity states.' Currently, several classes of anticancer drugs function at the epigenetic level, including inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase, histone deacetylase (HDAC), lysine-specific demethylase 1, zeste homolog 2, and bromodomain and extra-terminal motif (BET) proteins.BET proteins have multiple functions, including the initiation and elongation of transcription and cell cycle regulation. In recent years, inhibitors of BET proteins have been developed as anticancer agents. These inhibitors exhibit selectivity for tumor cells by preferentially binding to superenhancers, noncoding regions of DNA critical for the transcription of genes that determine a cell's identity. Preclinical research on BET inhibitors has identified them as a potential means of targeting MYC.Early clinical trials with BET inhibitors have had mixed results, with few responses in both hematologic and solid tumors that tend to be short-lived. Toxicities have included severe, thrombocytopenia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea; GI side-effects, fatigue, and low-grade dysgeusia have limited compliance. However, preclinical data suggest that BET inhibitors may have a promising future in combination with other agents. They appear to be able to overcome resistance to targeted agents and have strong synergy with immune checkpoint inhibitors as well as with multiple epigenetic agents, particularly HDAC inhibitors. In many instances, BET and HDAC inhibitors were synergistic at reduced doses, suggesting a potential means of avoiding the overlapping toxicities of the two drug classes.BET inhibitors provide a novel approach to epigenetic anticancer therapy. However, to date they appear to have limited efficacy as single agents. A focus on BET inhibitors in combination with other drugs such as targeted and/or as other epigenetic agents is warranted, due to limited monotherapy activity, including pharmacodynamic correlatives differential activity amongst select drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- D B Doroshow
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Yale University and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, USA
| | - J P Eder
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Yale University and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, USA
| | - P M LoRusso
- Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Yale University and Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, USA
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28
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Tusa I, Gagliardi S, Tubita A, Pandolfi S, Urso C, Borgognoni L, Wang J, Deng X, Gray NS, Stecca B, Rovida E. ERK5 is activated by oncogenic BRAF and promotes melanoma growth. Oncogene 2018; 37:2601-2614. [PMID: 29483645 PMCID: PMC5945581 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0164-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is among the most aggressive cancers and its incidence is increasing worldwide. Targeted therapies and immunotherapy have improved the survival of patients with metastatic melanoma in the last few years; however, available treatments are still unsatisfactory. While the role of the BRAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway in melanoma is well established, the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases MEK5-ERK5 remains poorly explored. Here we investigated the function of ERK5 signaling in melanoma. We show that ERK5 is consistently expressed in human melanoma tissues and is active in melanoma cells. Genetic silencing and pharmacological inhibition of ERK5 pathway drastically reduce the growth of melanoma cells and xenografts harboring wild-type (wt) or mutated BRAF (V600E). We also found that oncogenic BRAF positively regulates expression, phosphorylation, and nuclear localization of ERK5. Importantly, ERK5 kinase and transcriptional transactivator activities are enhanced by BRAF. Nevertheless, combined pharmacological inhibition of BRAFV600E and MEK5 is required to decrease nuclear ERK5, that is critical for the regulation of cell proliferation. Accordingly, combination of MEK5 or ERK5 inhibitors with BRAFV600E inhibitor vemurafenib is more effective than single treatments in reducing colony formation and growth of BRAFV600E melanoma cells and xenografts. Overall, these data support a key role of the ERK5 pathway for melanoma growth in vitro and in vivo and suggest that targeting ERK5, alone or in combination with BRAF-MEK1/2 inhibitors, might represent a novel approach for melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignazia Tusa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Alessandro Tubita
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Silvia Pandolfi
- Core Research Laboratory - Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, Italy
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Carmelo Urso
- Anatomic Pathology Unit, Dermatopathology Section, S.M. Annunziata Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Borgognoni
- Plastic Surgery Unit, Regional Melanoma Referral Center, S.M. Annunziata Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xianming Deng
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361102, China
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Core Research Laboratory - Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Rovida
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
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29
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Carlini MJ, Shrivastava N, Sosa MS. Epigenetic and Pluripotency Aspects of Disseminated Cancer Cells During Minimal Residual Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1100:1-18. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-97746-1_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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30
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Mustafi S, Camarena V, Volmar CH, Huff TC, Sant DW, Brothers SP, Liu ZJ, Wahlestedt C, Wang G. Vitamin C Sensitizes Melanoma to BET Inhibitors. Cancer Res 2017; 78:572-583. [PMID: 29180474 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-2040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal inhibitors (BETi) are promising cancer therapies, yet prominent side effects of BETi at effective doses have been reported in phase I clinical trials. Here, we screened a panel of small molecules targeting epigenetic modulators against human metastatic melanoma cells. Cells were pretreated with or without ascorbate (vitamin C), which promotes DNA demethylation and subsequently changes the sensitivity to drugs. Top hits were structurally unrelated BETi, including JQ1, I-BET151, CPI-203, and BI-2536. Ascorbate enhanced the efficacy of BETi by decreasing acetylation of histone H4, but not H3, while exerting no effect on the expression of BRD proteins. Histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1), which catalyzes H4K5ac and H4K12ac, was downregulated by ascorbate mainly via the TET-mediated DNA hydroxymethylation pathway. Loss of H4ac, especially H4K5ac and H4K12ac, disrupted the interaction between BRD4 and H4 by which ascorbate and BETi blocked the binding of BRD4 to acetylated histones. Cotreatment with ascorbate and JQ1 induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation of cultured melanoma cells. Ascorbate deficiency as modeled in Gulo-/- mice diminished the treatment outcome of JQ1 for melanoma tumorgraft. In contrast, ascorbate supplementation lowered the effective dose of JQ1 needed to successfully inhibit melanoma tumors in mice. On the basis of our findings, future clinical trials with BETi should consider ascorbate levels in patients. Furthermore, ascorbate supplementation might help reduce the severe side effects that arise from BETi therapy by reducing the dosage necessary for treatment.Significance: This study shows that ascorbate can enhance the efficacy of BET inhibitors, providing a possible clinical solution to challenges arising in phase I trials from the dose-dependent side effects of this class of epigenetic therapy. Cancer Res; 78(2); 572-83. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmita Mustafi
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Vladimir Camarena
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Claude-Henry Volmar
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Tyler C Huff
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - David W Sant
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Shaun P Brothers
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Zhao-Jun Liu
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.,Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Claes Wahlestedt
- Center for Therapeutic Innovation and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
| | - Gaofeng Wang
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. .,Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida.,Dr. Nasser Ibrahim Al-Rashid Orbital Vision Research Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
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31
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Zhang HP, Li GQ, Guo WZ, Chen GH, Tang HW, Yan B, Li J, Zhang JK, Wen PH, Wang ZH, Lv JF, Zhang SJ. Oridonin synergistically enhances JQ1-triggered apoptosis in hepatocellular cancer cells through mitochondrial pathway. Oncotarget 2017; 8:106833-106843. [PMID: 29290992 PMCID: PMC5739777 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.21880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal Domain (BET) inhibitors, such as JQ1 have emerged as novel drug candidates and are being enthusiastically pursued in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. However, many solid cancers are resistance to BET inhibitors. To explore methods for improving the therapeutic potential of BET inhibitors, we investigated the combinational activity of JQ1 with Oridonin, a bioactive molecules derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Our results showed that Oridonin synergistically enhanced the abilities of JQ1 to inhibit cell viability in HCC cells and, significantly augmented JQ1-triggered apoptosis in HCC cells and in HCC cancer stem-like cells. Moreover, Oridonin dose-dependently inhibited the expression of several anti-apoptotic proteins, such as Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and x-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (xIAP) in HCC cells. Cell fractionation and western blotting analysis showed that the enhancement of apoptosis by Oridonin was associated with cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-9, -3 and cleavage of PARP, indicating the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that Oridonin may be used to effectively enhance the sensitivity of BET inhibitors in HCC therapy via downregulation of the expression of multiple anti-apoptotic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Peng Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Gong-Quan Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Wen-Zhi Guo
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Guang-Hui Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hong-Wei Tang
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Bing Yan
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jia-Kai Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Pei-Hao Wen
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jian-Feng Lv
- Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Shui-Jun Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.,Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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32
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Wang L, Wu X, Wang R, Yang C, Li Z, Wang C, Zhang F, Yang P. BRD4 inhibition suppresses cell growth, migration and invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma. Biol Res 2017; 50:19. [PMID: 28545522 PMCID: PMC5445403 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-017-0124-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibition is a new therapeutic strategy for many malignancies. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of BRD4 inhibition by JQ1 on in vitro cell growth, migration and invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC). Methods The human normal epithelial cells and SACC cells (ACC-LM and ACC-83) were treated with JQ1 at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.5 or 1 μM. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution was evaluated by Flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the expression of BRD4 in SACC cells. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay and western blot assay were performed to examine messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in SACC cells. Wound-healing assay and transwell assay were used to evaluate the activities of migration and invasion of SACC cells. Results JQ1 exhibits no adverse effects on proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis of the normal human epithelial cells, while suppressed proliferation and cell cycle, and induced apoptosis of SACC cells, down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of BRD4 in SACC cells, meanwhile reduced protein expressions of c-myc and BCL-2, two known target genes of BRD4. Moreover, JQ1 inhibited SACC cell migration and invasion by regulating key epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) characteristics including E-cadherin, Vimentin and Twist. Conclusions BRD4 is an important transcription factor in SACC and BRD4 inhibition by JQ1 may be a new strategy for SACC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limei Wang
- Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 West Wen Hua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Xiuyin Wu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.,Department of Stomatology, Laiwu City People's Hospital, Laiwu, 271100, Shandong, China
| | - Ruolin Wang
- Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 West Wen Hua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Chengzhe Yang
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Qilu Hospital, and Institute of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 West Wen Hua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Cunwei Wang
- Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China
| | - Fenghe Zhang
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 West Wen Hua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Pishan Yang
- Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 West Wen Hua Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China. .,Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Tissue Regeneration, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
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33
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Bauer D, Werth F, Nguyen HA, Kiecker F, Eberle J. Critical role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for synergistic enhancement of apoptosis by vemurafenib and the potassium channel inhibitor TRAM-34 in melanoma cells. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e2594. [PMID: 28151482 PMCID: PMC5386497 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of MAP kinase pathways by selective BRAF inhibitors, such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib, have evolved as key therapies of BRAF-mutated melanoma. However, tumor relapse and therapy resistance have remained as major problems, which may be addressed by combination with other pathway inhibitors. Here we identified the potassium channel inhibitor TRAM-34 as highly effective in combination with vemurafenib. Thus apoptosis was significantly enhanced and cell viability was decreased. The combination vemurafenib/TRAM-34 was also effective in vemurafenib-resistant cells, suggesting that acquired resistance may be overcome. Vemurafenib decreased ERK phosphorylation, suppressed antiapoptotic Mcl-1 and enhanced proapoptotic Puma and Bim. The combination resulted in enhancement of proapoptotic pathways as caspase-3 and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Indicating a special mechanism of vemurafenib-induced apoptosis, we found strong enhancement of intracellular ROS levels already at 1 h of treatment. The critical role of ROS was demonstrated by the antioxidant vitamin E (α-tocopherol), which decreased intracellular ROS as well as apoptosis. Also caspase activation and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential were suppressed, proving ROS as an upstream effect. Thus ROS represents an initial and independent apoptosis pathway in melanoma cells that is of particular importance for vemurafenib and its combination with TRAM-34.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bauer
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, Skin Cancer Center Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Molecular Medicine Master's Program, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Werth
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, Skin Cancer Center Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ha An Nguyen
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, Skin Cancer Center Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Molecular Medicine Master's Program, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Kiecker
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, Skin Cancer Center Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Eberle
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology und Allergology, Skin Cancer Center Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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34
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Zhu X, Enomoto K, Zhao L, Zhu YJ, Willingham MC, Meltzer P, Qi J, Cheng SY. Bromodomain and Extraterminal Protein Inhibitor JQ1 Suppresses Thyroid Tumor Growth in a Mouse Model. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:430-440. [PMID: 27440272 PMCID: PMC5241246 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2016] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE New therapeutic approaches are needed for patients with thyroid cancer refractory to radioiodine treatment. An inhibitor of bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins, JQ1, shows potent antitumor effects in hematological cancers and solid tumors. To evaluate whether JQ1 is effective against thyroid cancer, we examined antitumor efficacy of JQ1 using the ThrbPV/PVKrasG12D mouse, a model of anaplastic thyroid cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We treated ThrbPV/PVKrasG12D mice with vehicle or JQ1 at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight/day starting at the age of 8 weeks for a 10-week period and monitored thyroid tumor progression. RESULTS JQ1 markedly inhibited thyroid tumor growth and prolonged survival of these mice. Global differential gene expression analysis showed that JQ1 suppressed the cMyc (hereafter referred to as Myc) transcription program by inhibiting mRNA expression of Myc, ccnd1, and other related genes. JQ1-suppressed Myc expression was accompanied by chromatin remodeling as evidenced by increased expression of histones and hexamethylene bis-acetamide inducible 1, a suppressor of RNA polymerase II transcription elongation. Analyses showed that JQ1 decreased MYC abundance in thyroid tumors and attenuated the cyclin D1-CDK4-Rb-E2F3 signaling to decrease tumor growth. Further analysis indicated that JQ1 inhibited the recruitment of BDR4 to the promoter complex of the Myc and Ccnd1 genes in rat thyroid follicular PCCL3 cells, resulting in decreased MYC expression at the mRNA and protein levels to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS These preclinical findings suggest that BET inhibitors may be an effective agent to reduce thyroid tumor burden for the treatment of refractory thyroid cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 23(2); 430-40. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuguang Zhu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Keisuke Enomoto
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Li Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yuelin J Zhu
- Laboratory Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Mark C Willingham
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Paul Meltzer
- Laboratory Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jun Qi
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sheue-Yann Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
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35
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Fallahi-Sichani M, Becker V, Izar B, Baker GJ, Lin JR, Boswell SA, Shah P, Rotem A, Garraway LA, Sorger PK. Adaptive resistance of melanoma cells to RAF inhibition via reversible induction of a slowly dividing de-differentiated state. Mol Syst Biol 2017; 13:905. [PMID: 28069687 PMCID: PMC5248573 DOI: 10.15252/msb.20166796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of BRAF-mutant melanomas with MAP kinase pathway inhibitors is paradigmatic of the promise of precision cancer therapy but also highlights problems with drug resistance that limit patient benefit. We use live-cell imaging, single-cell analysis, and molecular profiling to show that exposure of tumor cells to RAF/MEK inhibitors elicits a heterogeneous response in which some cells die, some arrest, and the remainder adapt to drug. Drug-adapted cells up-regulate markers of the neural crest (e.g., NGFR), a melanocyte precursor, and grow slowly. This phenotype is transiently stable, reverting to the drug-naïve state within 9 days of drug withdrawal. Transcriptional profiling of cell lines and human tumors implicates a c-Jun/ECM/FAK/Src cascade in de-differentiation in about one-third of cell lines studied; drug-induced changes in c-Jun and NGFR levels are also observed in xenograft and human tumors. Drugs targeting the c-Jun/ECM/FAK/Src cascade as well as BET bromodomain inhibitors increase the maximum effect (Emax) of RAF/MEK kinase inhibitors by promoting cell killing. Thus, analysis of reversible drug resistance at a single-cell level identifies signaling pathways and inhibitory drugs missed by assays that focus on cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Fallahi-Sichani
- Department of Systems Biology, Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Verena Becker
- Department of Systems Biology, Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gregory J Baker
- Department of Systems Biology, Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jia-Ren Lin
- HMS LINCS Center and Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah A Boswell
- Department of Systems Biology, Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Parin Shah
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Asaf Rotem
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Levi A Garraway
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peter K Sorger
- Department of Systems Biology, Program in Therapeutic Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA .,HMS LINCS Center and Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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36
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Smith CIE. Enigmas in tumor resistance to kinase inhibitors and calculation of the drug resistance index for cancer (DRIC). Semin Cancer Biol 2016; 45:36-49. [PMID: 27865897 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2016.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Darwinian selection is also applicable when antibiotics, the immune system or other host factors shape the repertoire of microorganisms, and similarly, clonal selection is the hallmark of tumor evolution. The ongoing revolution in new anti-cancer treatment modalities, combined with an unprecedented precision in characterizing malignant clones at the level below one percent, profoundly improves the understanding of repertoire-tuning mechanisms. There is no fundamental difference between selection of the tumor cells in the presence, or absence, of therapy. However, under treatment the influence of a single agent can be measured, simplifying the analysis. Because of their beneficial and selective therapeutic effect, the focus in this review is set on protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), predominantly tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This is one of the most rapidly growing families of novel cancer medicines. In order to limit the number of drugs, the following representative target kinases are included: ALK, BCR-ABL, BRAF, BTK, and EGFR. A key therapeutic challenge is how to reduce tumor growth after treatment, since this is rate-limiting for the generation and expansion of more malignant escape mutants. Thus, upon efficient treatment, tumor cell loss often enables a profoundly increased growth rate among resistant cells. Strategies to reduce this risk, such as concomitant, competitive outgrowth of non-transformed cells, are described. Seven parameters: 1. Drug type, 2. tumor type, 3. presence of metastases or phenotypic change, 4. tumor cell number, 5. net growth rate (proliferation minus cell death), 6. inherited genetic- and 7. epigenetic- variations are crucial for drug responses. It is envisaged that it might become possible to calculate a clinically relevant Drug Resistance Index for Cancer (DRIC) for each patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- C I Edvard Smith
- Clinical Research Center, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, SE-14186, Huddinge, Sweden.
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37
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Emmons MF, Faião-Flores F, Smalley KSM. The role of phenotypic plasticity in the escape of cancer cells from targeted therapy. Biochem Pharmacol 2016; 122:1-9. [PMID: 27349985 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2016.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Targeted therapy has proven to be beneficial at producing significant responses in patients with a wide variety of cancers. Despite initially impressive responses, most individuals ultimately fail these therapies and show signs of drug resistance. Very few patients are ever cured. Emerging evidence suggests that treatment of cancer cells with kinase inhibitors leads a minor population of cells to undergo a phenotypic switch to a more embryonic-like state. The adoption of this state, which is analogous to an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, is associated with drug resistance and increased tumor aggressiveness. In this commentary we will provide a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms that underlie the embryonic reversion that occurs on targeted cancer therapy and will review potential novel therapeutic strategies designed to eradicate the escaping cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Emmons
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Fernanda Faião-Flores
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, USA; The Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Keiran S M Smalley
- The Department of Tumor Biology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, USA; The Department of Cutaneous Oncology, The Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL, USA.
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38
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Paoluzzi L, Hanniford D, Sokolova E, Osman I, Darvishian F, Wang J, Bradner JE, Hernando E. BET and BRAF inhibitors act synergistically against BRAF-mutant melanoma. Cancer Med 2016; 5:1183-93. [PMID: 27169980 PMCID: PMC4867668 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite major advances in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, treatment failure is still inevitable in most cases. Manipulation of key epigenetic regulators, including inhibition of Bromodomain and extra‐terminal domain (BET) family members impairs cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo in different cancers, including melanoma. Here, we investigated the effect of combining the BET inhibitor JQ1 with the BRAF inhibitor Vemurafenib in in vitro and in vivo models of BRAF‐mutant melanoma. We performed cytotoxicity and apoptosis assays, and a xenograft mouse model to determine the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of JQ1 in combination with Vemurafenib against BRAF‐mutant melanoma cell lines. Further, to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of combined treatment, we conducted antibody arrays of in vitro drug‐treated cell lines and RNA sequencing of drug‐treated xenograft tumors. The combination of JQ1 and Vemurafenib acted synergistically in BRAF‐mutant cell lines, resulting in marked apoptosis in vitro, with upregulation of proapoptotic proteins. In vivo, combination treatment suppressed tumor growth and significantly improved survival compared to either drug alone. RNA sequencing of tumor tissues revealed almost four thousand genes that were uniquely modulated by the combination, with several anti‐apoptotic genes significantly down‐regulated. Collectively, our data provide a rationale for combined BET and BRAF inhibition as a novel strategy for the treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Paoluzzi
- New York University Cancer Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.,Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Douglas Hanniford
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Elena Sokolova
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Iman Osman
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.,Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Farbod Darvishian
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Jinhua Wang
- New York University Cancer Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.,NYU Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York, New York
| | - James E Bradner
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eva Hernando
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.,Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, NYU Cancer Institute, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, New York
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