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Alsfouk A. Pyrazine-based small molecule kinase inhibitors: clinical applications and patent review (2019-2023). Future Med Chem 2024:1-23. [PMID: 39189138 DOI: 10.1080/17568919.2024.2385293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases play a key role in cellular signaling pathways including proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation and immune regulation. Therefore, targeting kinases with small molecules has emerged as a therapeutic potential in cancers and other diseases including inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. The main chemical motifs of the available small molecule kinase inhibitors are heterocyclic, nitrogen-containing and six-membered rings including pyrazine. Several potent and selective pyrazine-based kinase inhibitors have been developed and progressed into clinical trials. The data of clinical application of kinase inhibitors demonstrate good clinical activity with manageable toxicity in several relapse-resistant malignancies and severe to moderate immunological disorders. All pyrazine-based kinase inhibitors are orally active. This paper reviews the most recent kinase literature (2019-2023) related to pyrazine-based small molecule inhibitors. This review includes the FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved and patent agents along with their targeted kinase, scaffold, potency, selectivity profile, assignee and biological results in clinical and preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Alsfouk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Peterson K, Turos-Cabal M, Salvador AD, Palomo-Caturla I, Howell AJ, Vieira ME, Greiner SM, Barnoud T, Rodriguez-Blanco J. Mechanistic insights into medulloblastoma relapse. Pharmacol Ther 2024; 260:108673. [PMID: 38857789 PMCID: PMC11270902 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Pediatric brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children, with medulloblastoma (MB) being the most common type. A better understanding of these malignancies has led to their classification into four major molecular subgroups. This classification not only facilitates the stratification of clinical trials, but also the development of more effective therapies. Despite recent progress, approximately 30% of children diagnosed with MB experience tumor relapse. Recurrent disease in MB is often metastatic and responds poorly to current therapies. As a result, only a small subset of patients with recurrent MB survive beyond one year. Due to its dismal prognosis, novel therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or managing recurrent disease are urgently needed. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment failure in MB, as well as those characterizing recurrent cases. We also propose avenues for how these findings can be used to better inform personalized medicine approaches for the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent MB. Lastly, we discuss the treatments currently being evaluated for MB patients, with special emphasis on those targeting MB by subgroup at diagnosis and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendell Peterson
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Maria Turos-Cabal
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - April D Salvador
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Ashley J Howell
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Megan E Vieira
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Sean M Greiner
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thibaut Barnoud
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jezabel Rodriguez-Blanco
- Darby Children's Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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3
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Bashi AC, Coker EA, Bulusu KC, Jaaks P, Crafter C, Lightfoot H, Milo M, McCarten K, Jenkins DF, van der Meer D, Lynch JT, Barthorpe S, Andersen CL, Barry ST, Beck A, Cidado J, Gordon JA, Hall C, Hall J, Mali I, Mironenko T, Mongeon K, Morris J, Richardson L, Smith PD, Tavana O, Tolley C, Thomas F, Willis BS, Yang W, O'Connor MJ, McDermott U, Critchlow SE, Drew L, Fawell SE, Mettetal JT, Garnett MJ. Large-scale Pan-cancer Cell Line Screening Identifies Actionable and Effective Drug Combinations. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:846-865. [PMID: 38456804 PMCID: PMC11061612 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Oncology drug combinations can improve therapeutic responses and increase treatment options for patients. The number of possible combinations is vast and responses can be context-specific. Systematic screens can identify clinically relevant, actionable combinations in defined patient subtypes. We present data for 109 anticancer drug combinations from AstraZeneca's oncology small molecule portfolio screened in 755 pan-cancer cell lines. Combinations were screened in a 7 × 7 concentration matrix, with more than 4 million measurements of sensitivity, producing an exceptionally data-rich resource. We implement a new approach using combination Emax (viability effect) and highest single agent (HSA) to assess combination benefit. We designed a clinical translatability workflow to identify combinations with clearly defined patient populations, rationale for tolerability based on tumor type and combination-specific "emergent" biomarkers, and exposures relevant to clinical doses. We describe three actionable combinations in defined cancer types, confirmed in vitro and in vivo, with a focus on hematologic cancers and apoptotic targets. SIGNIFICANCE We present the largest cancer drug combination screen published to date with 7 × 7 concentration response matrices for 109 combinations in more than 750 cell lines, complemented by multi-omics predictors of response and identification of "emergent" combination biomarkers. We prioritize hits to optimize clinical translatability, and experimentally validate novel combination hypotheses. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 695.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marta Milo
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | - Syd Barthorpe
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Caitlin Hall
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - James Hall
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Iman Mali
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - James Morris
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Paul D. Smith
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Omid Tavana
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | - Wanjuan Yang
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Lisa Drew
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts
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4
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Biersack B, Höpfner M. Emerging role of MYB transcription factors in cancer drug resistance. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2024; 7:15. [PMID: 38835346 PMCID: PMC11149108 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2023.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Decades ago, the viral myeloblastosis oncogene v-myb was identified as a gene responsible for the development of avian leukemia. However, the relevance of MYB proteins for human cancer diseases, in particular for solid tumors, remained basically unrecognized for a very long time. The human family of MYB transcription factors comprises MYB (c-MYB), MYBL2 (b-MYB), and MYBL1 (a-MYB), which are overexpressed in several cancers and are associated with cancer progression and resistance to anticancer drugs. In addition to overexpression, the presence of activated MYB-fusion proteins as tumor drivers was described in certain cancers. The identification of anticancer drug resistance mediated by MYB proteins and their underlying mechanisms are of great importance in understanding failures of current therapies and establishing new and more efficient therapy regimens. In addition, new drug candidates targeting MYB transcription factor activity and signaling have emerged as a promising class of potential anticancer therapeutics that could tackle MYB-dependent drug-resistant cancers in a more selective way. This review describes the correlation of MYB transcription factors with the formation and persistence of cancer resistance to various approved and investigational anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Biersack
- Organic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany
| | - Michael Höpfner
- Institute for Physiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10117, Germany
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5
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Zhao SJ, Prior D, Heske CM, Vasquez JC. Therapeutic Targeting of DNA Repair Pathways in Pediatric Extracranial Solid Tumors: Current State and Implications for Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1648. [PMID: 38730598 PMCID: PMC11083679 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16091648] [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: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA damage is fundamental to tumorigenesis, and the inability to repair DNA damage is a hallmark of many human cancers. DNA is repaired via the DNA damage repair (DDR) apparatus, which includes five major pathways. DDR deficiencies in cancers give rise to potential therapeutic targets, as cancers harboring DDR deficiencies become increasingly dependent on alternative DDR pathways for survival. In this review, we summarize the DDR apparatus, and examine the current state of research efforts focused on identifying vulnerabilities in DDR pathways that can be therapeutically exploited in pediatric extracranial solid tumors. We assess the potential for synergistic combinations of different DDR inhibitors as well as combinations of DDR inhibitors with chemotherapy. Lastly, we discuss the immunomodulatory implications of targeting DDR pathways and the potential for using DDR inhibitors to enhance tumor immunogenicity, with the goal of improving the response to immune checkpoint blockade in pediatric solid tumors. We review the ongoing and future research into DDR in pediatric tumors and the subsequent pediatric clinical trials that will be critical to further elucidate the efficacy of the approaches targeting DDR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia J. Zhao
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (S.J.Z.); (D.P.)
| | - Daniel Prior
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (S.J.Z.); (D.P.)
| | - Christine M. Heske
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Juan C. Vasquez
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; (S.J.Z.); (D.P.)
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6
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Khamidullina AI, Abramenko YE, Bruter AV, Tatarskiy VV. Key Proteins of Replication Stress Response and Cell Cycle Control as Cancer Therapy Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1263. [PMID: 38279263 PMCID: PMC10816012 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25021263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Replication stress (RS) is a characteristic state of cancer cells as they tend to exchange precision of replication for fast proliferation and increased genomic instability. To overcome the consequences of improper replication control, malignant cells frequently inactivate parts of their DNA damage response (DDR) pathways (the ATM-CHK2-p53 pathway), while relying on other pathways which help to maintain replication fork stability (ATR-CHK1). This creates a dependency on the remaining DDR pathways, vulnerability to further destabilization of replication and synthetic lethality of DDR inhibitors with common oncogenic alterations such as mutations of TP53, RB1, ATM, amplifications of MYC, CCNE1 and others. The response to RS is normally limited by coordination of cell cycle, transcription and replication. Inhibition of WEE1 and PKMYT1 kinases, which prevent unscheduled mitosis entry, leads to fragility of under-replicated sites. Recent evidence also shows that inhibition of Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), such as CDK4/6, CDK2, CDK8/19 and CDK12/13 can contribute to RS through disruption of DNA repair and replication control. Here, we review the main causes of RS in cancers as well as main therapeutic targets-ATR, CHK1, PARP and their inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvina I. Khamidullina
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncobiology, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (Y.E.A.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yaroslav E. Abramenko
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncobiology, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (Y.E.A.)
| | - Alexandra V. Bruter
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor V. Tatarskiy
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncobiology, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia; (A.I.K.); (Y.E.A.)
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 34/5 Vavilov Street, 119334 Moscow, Russia
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Sahgal P, Patil DT, Bala P, Sztupinszki ZM, Tisza V, Spisak S, Luong AG, Huffman B, Prosz A, Singh H, Lazaro JB, Szallasi Z, Cleary JM, Sethi NS. Replicative stress in gastroesophageal cancer is associated with chromosomal instability and sensitivity to DNA damage response inhibitors. iScience 2023; 26:108169. [PMID: 37965133 PMCID: PMC10641495 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) is an aggressive malignancy with chromosomal instability (CIN). To understand adaptive responses enabling DNA damage response (DDR) and CIN, we analyzed matched normal, premalignant, and malignant gastric lesions from human specimens and a carcinogen-induced mouse model, observing activation of replication stress, DDR, and p21 in neoplastic progression. In GEA cell lines, expression of DDR markers correlated with ploidy abnormalities, such as number of high-level focal amplifications and whole-genome duplication (WGD). Integrating TP53 status, ploidy abnormalities, and DDR markers into a compositive score helped predict GEA cell lines with enhanced sensitivity to Chk1/2 and Wee1 inhibition, either alone or combined with irinotecan (SN38). We demonstrate that Chk1/2 or Wee1 inhibition combined with SN38/irinotecan shows greater anti-tumor activity in human gastric cancer organoids and an in vivo xenograft mouse model. These findings indicate that specific DDR biomarkers and ploidy abnormalities may predict premalignant progression and response to DDR pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranshu Sahgal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Deepa T. Patil
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Pratyusha Bala
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Zsofia M. Sztupinszki
- Danish Cancer Institute, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Viktoria Tisza
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sandor Spisak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna G. Luong
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Brandon Huffman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Aurel Prosz
- Danish Cancer Institute, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Harshabad Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jean-Bernard Lazaro
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair (CDDR), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zoltan Szallasi
- Danish Cancer Institute, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics and Department of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1091 Budapest, Hungary
| | - James M. Cleary
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nilay S. Sethi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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8
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Emori C, Boucher Z, Bolcun-Filas E. CHEK2 signaling is the key regulator of oocyte survival after chemotherapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg0898. [PMID: 37862420 PMCID: PMC10588956 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg0898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Cancer treatments can damage the ovarian follicle reserve, leading to primary ovarian insufficiency and infertility among survivors. Checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) deficiency prevents elimination of oocytes in primordial follicles in female mice exposed to radiation and preserves their ovarian function and fertility. Here, we demonstrate that CHEK2 also coordinates the elimination of oocytes after exposure to standard-of-care chemotherapy drugs. CHEK2 activates two downstream targets-TAp63 and p53-which direct oocyte elimination. CHEK2 knockout or pharmacological inhibition preserved ovarian follicle reserve after radiation and chemotherapy. However, the lack of specificity for CHEK2 among available inhibitors limits their potential for clinical development. These findings demonstrate that CHEK2 is a master regulator of the ovarian cellular response to damage caused by radiation and chemotherapy and warrant the development of selective inhibitors specific to CHEK2 as a potential avenue for ovario-protective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Emori
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 5650871, Japan
| | - Zachary Boucher
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
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9
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Nitulescu GM, Stancov G, Seremet OC, Nitulescu G, Mihai DP, Duta-Bratu CG, Barbuceanu SF, Olaru OT. The Importance of the Pyrazole Scaffold in the Design of Protein Kinases Inhibitors as Targeted Anticancer Therapies. Molecules 2023; 28:5359. [PMID: 37513232 PMCID: PMC10385367 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28145359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The altered activation or overexpression of protein kinases (PKs) is a major subject of research in oncology and their inhibition using small molecules, protein kinases inhibitors (PKI) is the best available option for the cure of cancer. The pyrazole ring is extensively employed in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug development strategies, playing a vital role as a fundamental framework in the structure of various PKIs. This scaffold holds major importance and is considered a privileged structure based on its synthetic accessibility, drug-like properties, and its versatile bioisosteric replacement function. It has proven to play a key role in many PKI, such as the inhibitors of Akt, Aurora kinases, MAPK, B-raf, JAK, Bcr-Abl, c-Met, PDGFR, FGFRT, and RET. Of the 74 small molecule PKI approved by the US FDA, 8 contain a pyrazole ring: Avapritinib, Asciminib, Crizotinib, Encorafenib, Erdafitinib, Pralsetinib, Pirtobrutinib, and Ruxolitinib. The focus of this review is on the importance of the unfused pyrazole ring within the clinically tested PKI and on the additional required elements of their chemical structures. Related important pyrazole fused scaffolds like indazole, pyrrolo[1,2-b]pyrazole, pyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridine, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine, or pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine are beyond the subject of this work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Georgiana Nitulescu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Traian Vuia 6, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; (G.M.N.)
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10
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Franza M, Albanesi J, Mancini B, Pennisi R, Leone S, Acconcia F, Bianchi F, di Masi A. The clinically relevant CHK1 inhibitor MK-8776 induces the degradation of the oncogenic protein PML-RARα and overcomes ATRA resistance in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2023:115675. [PMID: 37406967 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematological disease characterized by the expression of the oncogenic fusion protein PML-RARα. The current treatment approach for APL involves differentiation therapy using all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). However, the development of resistance to therapy, occurrence of differentiation syndrome, and relapses necessitate the exploration of new treatment options that induce differentiation of leukemic blasts with low toxicity. In this study, we investigated the cellular and molecular effects of MK-8776, a specific inhibitor of CHK1, in ATRA-resistant APL cells. Treatment of APL cells with MK-8776 resulted in a decrease in PML-RARα levels, increased expression of CD11b, and increased granulocytic activity consistent with differentiation. Interestingly, we showed that the MK-8776-induced differentiating effect resulted synergic with ATO. We found that the reduction of PML-RARα by MK-8776 was dependent on both proteasome and caspases. Specifically, both caspase-1 and caspase-3 were activated by CHK1 inhibition, with caspase-3 acting upstream of caspase-1. Activation of caspase-3 was necessary to activate caspase-1 and promote PML-RARα degradation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant modulation of pathways and upstream regulators involved in the inflammatory response and cell cycle control upon MK-8776 treatment. Overall, the ability of MK-8776 to induce PML-RARα degradation and stimulate differentiation of immature APL cancer cells into more mature forms recapitulates the concept of differentiation therapy. Considering the in vivo tolerability of MK-8776, it will be relevant to evaluate its potential clinical benefit in APL patients resistant to standard ATRA/ATO therapy, as well as in patients with other forms of acute leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Franza
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
| | - Jacopo Albanesi
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mancini
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
| | - Rosa Pennisi
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino Medical School, Torino, Italy; Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO - IRCCS, Candiolo, Torino, Italy
| | - Stefano Leone
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
| | - Filippo Acconcia
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Bianchi
- Unit of Cancer Biomarkers, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy
| | - Alessandra di Masi
- Department of Sciences, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Roma, Italy.
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11
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Pearson ADJ, Federico S, Gatz SA, Ortiz M, Lesa G, Scobie N, Gounaris I, Weiner SL, Weigel B, Unger TJ, Stewart E, Smith M, Slotkin EK, Reaman G, Pappo A, Nysom K, Norga K, McDonough J, Marshall LV, Ludwinski D, Ligas F, Karres D, Kool M, Horner TJ, Henssen A, Heenen D, Hawkins DS, Gore L, Bender JG, Galluzzo S, Fox E, de Rojas T, Davies BR, Chakrabarti J, Carmichael J, Bradford D, Blanc P, Bernardi R, Benchetrit S, Akindele K, Vassal G. Paediatric Strategy Forum for medicinal product development of DNA damage response pathway inhibitors in children and adolescents with cancer: ACCELERATE in collaboration with the European Medicines Agency with participation of the Food and Drug Administration. Eur J Cancer 2023; 190:112950. [PMID: 37441939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.112950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
DNA damage response inhibitors have a potentially important therapeutic role in paediatric cancers; however, their optimal use, including patient selection and combination strategy, remains unknown. Moreover, there is an imbalance between the number of drugs with diverse mechanisms of action and the limited number of paediatric patients available to be enrolled in early-phase trials, so prioritisation and a strategy are essential. While PARP inhibitors targeting homologous recombination-deficient tumours have been used primarily in the treatment of adult cancers with BRCA1/2 mutations, BRCA1/2 mutations occur infrequently in childhood tumours, and therefore, a specific response hypothesis is required. Combinations with targeted radiotherapy, ATR inhibitors, or antibody drug conjugates with DNA topoisomerase I inhibitor-related warheads warrant evaluation. Additional monotherapy trials of PARP inhibitors with the same mechanism of action are not recommended. PARP1-specific inhibitors and PARP inhibitors with very good central nervous system penetration also deserve evaluation. ATR, ATM, DNA-PK, CHK1, WEE1, DNA polymerase theta and PKMYT1 inhibitors are early in paediatric development. There should be an overall coordinated strategy for their development. Therefore, an academia/industry consensus of the relevant biomarkers will be established and a focused meeting on ATR inhibitors (as proof of principle) held. CHK1 inhibitors have demonstrated activity in desmoplastic small round cell tumours and have a potential role in the treatment of other paediatric malignancies, such as neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma. Access to CHK1 inhibitors for paediatric clinical trials is a high priority. The three key elements in evaluating these inhibitors in children are (1) innovative trial design (design driven by a clear hypothesis with the intent to further investigate responders and non-responders with detailed retrospective molecular analyses to generate a revised or new hypothesis); (2) biomarker selection and (3) rational combination therapy, which is limited by overlapping toxicity. To maximally benefit children with cancer, investigators should work collaboratively to learn the lessons from the past and apply them to future studies. Plans should be based on the relevant biology, with a focus on simultaneous and parallel research in preclinical and clinical settings, and an overall integrated and collaborative strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D J Pearson
- ACCELERATE, c/o BLSI, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30, Bte 1.30.30 BE-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Sara Federico
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Susanne A Gatz
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Michael Ortiz
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Giovanni Lesa
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ioannis Gounaris
- Merck Serono Ltd (an affiliate of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany), Feltham, UK
| | | | | | - T J Unger
- Repare Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Gregory Reaman
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Springs, MD, USA
| | - Alberto Pappo
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | - Koen Norga
- Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium; Paediatric Committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joe McDonough
- The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, Wilmington, DE, USA
| | - Lynley V Marshall
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Hospital, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Franca Ligas
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dominik Karres
- Paediatric Medicines Office, Scientific Evidence Generation Department, Human Division, European Medicines Agency (EMA), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Douglas S Hawkins
- Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA; Children's Oncology Group, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lia Gore
- Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA; University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | | | - Elizabeth Fox
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Teresa de Rojas
- ACCELERATE, c/o BLSI, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30, Bte 1.30.30 BE-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | | | | | - Juliet Carmichael
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Hospital, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Diana Bradford
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Springs, MD, USA
| | | | - Ronald Bernardi
- Genentech, a Member of the Roche Group, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sylvie Benchetrit
- National Agency for the Safety of Medicine and Health Products, Paris, France
| | | | - Gilles Vassal
- ACCELERATE, c/o BLSI, Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30, Bte 1.30.30 BE-1200 Brussels, Belgium; Gustave Roussy Cancer Centre, Paris, France
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12
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Bouberhan S, Bar-Peled L, Matoba Y, Mazina V, Philp L, Rueda BR. The evolving role of DNA damage response in overcoming therapeutic resistance in ovarian cancer. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2023; 6:345-357. [PMID: 37457127 PMCID: PMC10344720 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2022.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is treated in the first-line setting with combined platinum and taxane chemotherapy, often followed by a maintenance poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi). Responses to first-line treatment are frequent. For many patients, however, responses are suboptimal or short-lived. Over the last several years, multiple new classes of agents targeting DNA damage response (DDR) mechanisms have advanced through clinical development. In this review, we explore the preclinical rationale for the use of ATR inhibitors, CHK1 inhibitors, and WEE1 inhibitors, emphasizing their application to chemotherapy-resistant and PARPi-resistant ovarian cancer. We also present an overview of the clinical development of the leading drugs in each of these classes, emphasizing the rationale for monotherapy and combination therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bouberhan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liron Bar-Peled
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Yusuke Matoba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Varvara Mazina
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lauren Philp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bo R. Rueda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
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13
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Sahgal P, Patil DT, Sztupinszki ZM, Tisza V, Spisak S, Huffman B, Prosz A, Singh H, Lazaro JB, Szallasi Z, Cleary JM, Sethi NS. Replicative stress in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma is associated with chromosomal instability and sensitivity to DNA damage response inhibitors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.27.534412. [PMID: 37034740 PMCID: PMC10081209 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.27.534412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) is an aggressive, often lethal, malignancy that displays marked chromosomal instability (CIN). To understand adaptive responses that enable CIN, we analyzed paired normal, premalignant, and malignant gastric lesions from human specimens and a carcinogen-induced mouse model, observing activation of replication stress, DNA damage response (DDR), and cell cycle regulator p21 in neoplastic progression. In GEA cell lines, expression of DDR markers correlated with ploidy abnormalities, including high-level focal amplifications and whole-genome duplication (WGD). Moreover, high expression of DNA damage marker H2AX correlated with CIN, WGD, and inferior patient survival. By developing and implementing a composite diagnostic score that incorporates TP53 mutation status, ploidy abnormalities, and H2AX expression, among other genomic information, we can identify GEA cell lines with enhanced sensitivity to DDR pathway inhibitors targeting Chk1/2 and Wee1. Anti-tumor properties were further augmented in combination with irinotecan (SN38) but not gemcitabine chemotherapy. These results implicate specific DDR biomarkers and ploidy abnormalities as diagnostic proxy that may predict premalignant progression and response to DDR pathway inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranshu Sahgal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Deepa T. Patil
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Viktoria Tisza
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Sandor Spisak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Brandon Huffman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Aurel Prosz
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
| | - Harshabad Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jean-Bernard Lazaro
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair (CDDR), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Zoltan Szallasi
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark
- Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - James M. Cleary
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nilay S. Sethi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Division of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Lead Contact
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14
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Kumar A, Bhagat KK, Singh AK, Singh H, Angre T, Verma A, Khalilullah H, Jaremko M, Emwas AH, Kumar P. Medicinal chemistry perspective of pyrido[2,3- d]pyrimidines as anticancer agents. RSC Adv 2023; 13:6872-6908. [PMID: 36865574 PMCID: PMC9972360 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra00056g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of deaths across the globe due to chemoresistance and lack of selective chemotherapy. Pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine is an emerging scaffold in medicinal chemistry having a broad spectrum of activities, including antitumor, antibacterial, CNS depressive, anticonvulsant, and antipyretic activities. In this study, we have covered different cancer targets, including tyrosine kinase, extracellular regulated protein kinases - ABL kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases, BCR-ABL, dihydrofolate reductase, cyclin-dependent kinase, phosphodiesterase, KRAS and fibroblast growth factor receptors, their signaling pathways, mechanism of action and structure-activity relationship of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as inhibitors of the above-mentioned targets. This review will represent the complete medicinal and pharmacological profile of pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines as anticancer agents, and will help scientists to design new selective, effective and safe anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adarsh Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
| | - Kuber Kumar Bhagat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
| | - Ankit Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
| | - Harshwardhan Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
| | - Tanuja Angre
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
| | - Amita Verma
- Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and SciencesPrayagraj211007India
| | - Habibullah Khalilullah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Unaizah College of Pharmacy, Qassim University Unayzah 51911 Saudi Arabia
| | - Mariusz Jaremko
- Smart-Health Initiative and Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology P.O. Box 4700 Thuwal 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Hamid Emwas
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Core Labs Thuwal 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab Ghudda Bathinda 151401 India
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15
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Luo Z, Xin D, Liao Y, Berry K, Ogurek S, Zhang F, Zhang L, Zhao C, Rao R, Dong X, Li H, Yu J, Lin Y, Huang G, Xu L, Xin M, Nishinakamura R, Yu J, Kool M, Pfister SM, Roussel MF, Zhou W, Weiss WA, Andreassen P, Lu QR. Loss of phosphatase CTDNEP1 potentiates aggressive medulloblastoma by triggering MYC amplification and genomic instability. Nat Commun 2023; 14:762. [PMID: 36765089 PMCID: PMC9918503 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36400-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
MYC-driven medulloblastomas are highly aggressive childhood brain tumors, however, the molecular and genetic events triggering MYC amplification and malignant transformation remain elusive. Here we report that mutations in CTDNEP1, a CTD nuclear-envelope-phosphatase, are the most significantly enriched recurrent alterations in MYC-driven medulloblastomas, and define high-risk subsets with poorer prognosis. Ctdnep1 ablation promotes the transformation of murine cerebellar progenitors into Myc-amplified medulloblastomas, resembling their human counterparts. CTDNEP1 deficiency stabilizes and activates MYC activity by elevating MYC serine-62 phosphorylation, and triggers chromosomal instability to induce p53 loss and Myc amplifications. Further, phosphoproteomics reveals that CTDNEP1 post-translationally modulates the activities of key regulators for chromosome segregation and mitotic checkpoint regulators including topoisomerase TOP2A and checkpoint kinase CHEK1. Co-targeting MYC and CHEK1 activities synergistically inhibits CTDNEP1-deficient MYC-amplified tumor growth and prolongs animal survival. Together, our studies demonstrate that CTDNEP1 is a tumor suppressor in highly aggressive MYC-driven medulloblastomas by controlling MYC activity and mitotic fidelity, pointing to a CTDNEP1-dependent targetable therapeutic vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaili Luo
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Dazhuan Xin
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Yunfei Liao
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Kalen Berry
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Sean Ogurek
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Liguo Zhang
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Chuntao Zhao
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Rohit Rao
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Xinran Dong
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Jianzhong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Yifeng Lin
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Guoying Huang
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Lingli Xu
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Mei Xin
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Ryuichi Nishinakamura
- Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Jiyang Yu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ); Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan M Pfister
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ); Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martine F Roussel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Children's Hospital, Fudan University and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201102, China.
| | - William A Weiss
- Department of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Surgery, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Paul Andreassen
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Brain Tumor Center, Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
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16
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Pescatori S, Leone S, Cipolletti M, Bartoloni S, di Masi A, Acconcia F. Clinically relevant CHK1 inhibitors abrogate wild-type and Y537S mutant ERα expression and proliferation in luminal primary and metastatic breast cancer cells. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:141. [PMID: 35418303 PMCID: PMC9006609 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02360-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Challenges exist in the clinical treatment of luminal estrogen receptor α (ERα)-positive breast cancers (BCs) both to prevent resistance to endocrine therapy (ET) and to treat ET-resistant metastatic BCs (MBC). Therefore, we evaluated if kinases could be new targets for the treatment of luminal primary and MBCs. METHODS ~ 170 kinase inhibitors were applied to MCF-7 cells either with adaptative or genetic resistance to ET drugs and both ERα levels and cell proliferation were measured. Robust-Z-score calculation identified AZD7762 (CHK1/CHK2 inhibitor) as a positive hit. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier analyses of CHK1 and CHK2 impact on ERα-positive BC patients relapse-free-survival (RFS), bioinformatic evaluations of CHK1 and CHK2 expression and activation status as a function of ERα activation status as well as drug sensitivity studies in ERα-positive BC cell lines, validation of the impact of the ATR:CHK1 and ATM:CHK2 pathways on the control of ERα stability and BC cell proliferation via inhibitor- and siRNA-based approaches, identification of the molecular mechanism required for inhibitor-dependent ERα degradation in BC and the impact of CHK1 and CHK2 inhibition on the 17β-estradiol (E2):ERα signaling, synergy proliferation studies between ET-drugs and clinically relevant CHK1 inhibitors in different luminal BC cell lines, were performed. RESULTS A reduced CHK1 expression correlates with a longer RFS in women with ERα-positive BCs. Interestingly, women carrying luminal A BC display an extended RFS when expressing low CHK1 levels. Accordingly, CHK1 and ERα activations are correlated in ERα-positive BC cell lines, and the ATR:CHK1 pathway controls ERα stability and cell proliferation in luminal A BC cells. Mechanistically, the generation of DNA replication stress rather than DNA damage induced by ATR:CHK1 pathway inhibition is a prerequisite for ERα degradation. Furthermore, CHK1 inhibition interferes with E2:ERα signaling to cell proliferation, and drugs approved for clinical treatment of primary and MBC (4OH-tamoxifen and the CDK4/CDK6 inhibitors abemaciclib and palbociclib) exert synergic effects with the CHK1 inhibitors in clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors (AZD7762, MK8776, prexasertib) in preventing the proliferation of cells modeling primary and MBC. CONCLUSIONS CHK1 could be considered as an appealing novel pharmacological target for the treatment of luminal primary and MBCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pescatori
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Leone
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Cipolletti
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Bartoloni
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra di Masi
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Acconcia
- Department of Sciences, Section Biomedical Sciences, and Technology, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi, 446, I-00146, Rome, Italy.
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17
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Yang L, Xie HJ, Li YY, Wang X, Liu XX, Mai J. Molecular mechanisms of platinum‑based chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer (Review). Oncol Rep 2022; 47:82. [PMID: 35211759 PMCID: PMC8908330 DOI: 10.3892/or.2022.8293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin is one of the most effective chemotherapy drugs for ovarian cancer, but resistance is common. The initial response to platinum‑based chemotherapy is as high as 80%, but in most advanced patients, final relapse and death are caused by acquired drug resistance. The development of resistance to therapy in ovarian cancer is a significant hindrance to therapeutic efficacy. The resistance of ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapeutic mechanisms is rather complex and includes multidrug resistance, DNA damage repair, cell metabolism, oxidative stress, cell cycle regulation, cancer stem cells, immunity, apoptotic pathways, autophagy and abnormal signaling pathways. The present review provided an update of recent developments in our understanding of the mechanisms of ovarian cancer platinum‑based chemotherapy resistance, discussed current and emerging approaches for targeting these patients and presented challenges associated with these approaches, with a focus on development and overcoming resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Jian Xie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Ying Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xia Wang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Xing-Xin Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
| | - Jia Mai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University; Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
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18
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Stefanou DT, Souliotis VL, Zakopoulou R, Liontos M, Bamias A. DNA Damage Repair: Predictor of Platinum Efficacy in Ovarian Cancer? Biomedicines 2021; 10:82. [PMID: 35052761 PMCID: PMC8773153 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10010082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is the seventh most common type of cancer in women worldwide. Treatment for OC usually involves a combination of surgery and chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. Platinum-based agents exert their cytotoxic action through development of DNA damage, including the formation of intra- and inter-strand cross-links, as well as single-nucleotide damage of guanine. Although these agents are highly efficient, intrinsic and acquired resistance during treatment are relatively common and remain a major challenge for platinum-based therapy. There is strong evidence to show that the functionality of various DNA repair pathways significantly impacts tumor response to treatment. Various DNA repair molecular components were found deregulated in ovarian cancer, including molecules involved in homologous recombination repair (HRR), nucleotide excision repair (NER), mismatch repair (MMR), non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), and base excision repair (BER), which can be possibly exploited as novel therapeutic targets and sensitive/effective biomarkers. This review attempts to summarize published data on this subject and thus help in the design of new mechanistic studies to better understand the involvement of the DNA repair in the platinum drugs resistance, as well as to suggest new therapeutic perspectives and potential targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra T. Stefanou
- First Department of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece;
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece;
| | - Vassilis L. Souliotis
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635 Athens, Greece;
| | - Roubini Zakopoulou
- 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
| | - Michalis Liontos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - Aristotelis Bamias
- 2nd Propaedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece;
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19
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The p38 MAPK Components and Modulators as Biomarkers and Molecular Targets in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010370. [PMID: 35008796 PMCID: PMC8745478 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family is an important bridge in the transduction of extracellular and intracellular signals in different responses at the cellular level. Within this MAPK family, the p38 kinases can be found altered in various diseases, including cancer, where these kinases play a fundamental role, sometimes with antagonistic mechanisms of action, depending on several factors. In fact, this family has an immense number of functionalities, many of them yet to be discovered in terms of regulation and action in different types of cancer, being directly involved in the response to cancer therapies. To date, three main groups of MAPKs have been identified in mammals: the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and the different isoforms of p38 (α, β, γ, δ). In this review, we highlight the mechanism of action of these kinases, taking into account their extensive regulation at the cellular level through various modifications and modulations, including a wide variety of microRNAs. We also analyze the importance of the different isoforms expressed in the different tissues and their possible role as biomarkers and molecular targets. In addition, we include the latest preclinical and clinical trials with different p38-related drugs that are ongoing with hopeful expectations in the present/future of developing precision medicine in cancer.
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20
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Ando K, Ohira M, Takada I, Cázares-Ordoñez V, Suenaga Y, Nagase H, Kobayashi S, Koshinaga T, Kamijo T, Makishima M, Wada S. FGFR2 loss sensitizes MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma CHP134 cells to CHK1 inhibitor-induced apoptosis. Cancer Sci 2021; 113:587-596. [PMID: 34807483 PMCID: PMC8819351 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) plays a key role in genome surveillance and integrity throughout the cell cycle. Selective inhibitors of CHK1 (CHK1i) are undergoing clinical evaluation for various human malignancies, including neuroblastoma. In this study, one CHK1i‐sensitive neuroblastoma cell line, CHP134, was investigated, which characteristically carries MYCN amplification and a chromosome deletion within the 10q region. Among several cancer‐related genes in the chromosome 10q region, mRNA expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) was altered in CHP134 cells and associated with an unfavorable prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma. Induced expression of FGFR2 in CHP134 cells reactivated downstream MEK/ERK signaling and resulted in cells resistant to CHK1i‐mediated cell growth inhibition. Consistently, the MEK1/2 inhibitor, trametinib, potentiated CHK1 inhibitor–mediated cell death in these cells. These results suggested that FGFR2 loss might be prone to highly effective CHK1i treatment. In conclusion, extreme cellular dependency of ERK activation may imply a possible application for the MEK1/2 inhibitor, either as a single inhibitor or in combination with CHK1i in MYCN‐amplified neuroblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyohiro Ando
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan.,Department of Clinical Diagnostic Oncology, Showa University Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tokyo, Japan.,Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Japan.,Showa University Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miki Ohira
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Ichiro Takada
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Verna Cázares-Ordoñez
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Hiroki Nagase
- Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Shinichi Kobayashi
- Showa University Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tsugumichi Koshinaga
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takehiko Kamijo
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama, Japan
| | - Makoto Makishima
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Wada
- Department of Clinical Diagnostic Oncology, Showa University Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tokyo, Japan.,Showa University Clinical Research Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Wang M, Attardi LD. A Balancing Act: p53 Activity from Tumor Suppression to Pathology and Therapeutic Implications. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PATHOLOGY-MECHANISMS OF DISEASE 2021; 17:205-226. [PMID: 34699262 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pathol-042320-025840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
TP53, encoding the p53 transcription factor, is the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene across all human cancer types. While p53 has long been appreciated to induce antiproliferative cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and senescence programs in response to diverse stress signals, various studies in recent years have revealed additional important functions for p53 that likely also contribute to tumor suppression, including roles in regulating tumor metabolism, ferroptosis, signaling in the tumor microenvironment, and stem cell self-renewal/differentiation. Not only does p53 loss or mutation cause cancer, but hyperactive p53 also drives various pathologies, including developmental phenotypes, premature aging, neurodegeneration, and side effects of cancer therapies. These findings underscore the importance of balanced p53 activity and influence our thinking of how to best develop cancer therapies based on modulating the p53 pathway. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, Volume 17 is January 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxiong Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA;
| | - Laura D Attardi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation and Cancer Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; .,Department of Genetics and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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22
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Moore KN, Hong DS, Patel MR, Pant S, Ulahannan SV, Jones S, Meric-Bernstam F, Wang JS, Aljumaily R, Hamilton EP, Wittchen ES, Wang X, Lin AB, Bendell JC. A Phase 1b Trial of Prexasertib in Combination with Standard-of-Care Agents in Advanced or Metastatic Cancer. Target Oncol 2021; 16:569-589. [PMID: 34559360 DOI: 10.1007/s11523-021-00835-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) inhibitor prexasertib exhibited modest monotherapy antitumor activity in prior trials, suggesting that combination with chemotherapy or other targeted agents may be needed to maximize efficacy. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the recommended phase II dose and schedule of prexasertib in combination with either cisplatin, cetuximab, pemetrexed, or 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced and/or metastatic cancer, and to summarize preliminary antitumor activity of these combinations. PATIENTS AND METHODS This phase Ib, nonrandomized, open-label study comprised dose-escalation phase(s) with multiple sub-arms evaluating different prexasertib-drug combinations: Part A, prexasertib + cisplatin (n = 63); Part B, prexasertib + cetuximab (n = 41); Part C, prexasertib + pemetrexed (n = 3); Part D, prexasertib + 5-fluorouracil (n =8). Alternate dose schedules/regimens intended to mitigate toxicity and maximize dose exposure and efficacy were also explored in sub-parts. RESULTS In Part A, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of prexasertib in combination with cisplatin (75 mg/m2) was declared at 80 mg/m2, with cisplatin administered on Day 1 and prexasertib on Day 2 of a 21-day cycle. The overall objective response rate (ORR) in Part A was 12.7%, and 28 of 55 evaluable patients (50.9%) had a decrease in target lesions from baseline. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events (AEs) in Part A were hematologic, with the most common being white blood cell count decreased/neutrophil count decreased, experienced by 73.0% (any grade) and 66.7% (grade 3 or higher) of patients. In Part B, an MTD of 70 mg/m2 was established for prexasertib administered in combination with cetuximab (500 mg /m2), both administered on Day 1 of a 14-day cycle. The overall ORR in Part B was 4.9%, and 7 of 31 evaluable patients (22.6%) had decreased target lesions compared with baseline. White blood cell count decreased/neutrophil count decreased was also the most common treatment-related AE (56.1% any grade; 53.7% grade 3 or higher). In Parts A and B, hematologic toxicities, even with the addition of prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, resulted in frequent dose adjustments (> 60% of patients). In Part C, evaluation of prexasertib + pemetrexed was halted due to dose-limiting toxicities in two of the first three patients; MTD was not established. In Part D, the MTD of prexasertib in combination with 5-fluorouracil (label dose) was declared at 40 mg /m2, both administered on Day 1 of a 14-day cycle. In Part D, overall ORR was 12.5%. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the proof-of-concept that prexasertib can be combined with cisplatin, cetuximab, and 5-fluorouracil. Schedule was a key determinant of the tolerability and feasibility of combining prexasertib with these standard-of-care agents. Reversible hematologic toxicity was the most frequent AE and was dose-limiting. Insights gleaned from this study will inform future combination strategies for the development of prexasertib and next-generation CHK1 inhibitors. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER NCT02124148 (date of registration 28 April 2014).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen N Moore
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L Young Blvd WP2350, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA. .,Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David S Hong
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Manish R Patel
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.,Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Shubham Pant
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L Young Blvd WP2350, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.,The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Susanna V Ulahannan
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L Young Blvd WP2350, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.,Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Judy S Wang
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.,Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Raid Aljumaily
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 920 Stanton L Young Blvd WP2350, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.,Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Erika P Hamilton
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.,Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | | | - Johanna C Bendell
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, USA.,Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, TN, USA
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23
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Wu WH, Bonnet S, Shimauchi T, Toro V, Grobs Y, Romanet C, Bourgeois A, Vitry G, Omura J, Tremblay E, Nadeau V, Orcholski M, Breuils-Bonnet S, Martineau S, Ferraro P, Potus F, Paulin R, Provencher S, Boucherat O. Potential for inhibition of checkpoint kinases 1/2 in pulmonary fibrosis and secondary pulmonary hypertension. Thorax 2021; 77:247-258. [PMID: 34226205 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease characterised by exuberant tissue remodelling and associated with high unmet medical needs. Outcomes are even worse when IPF results in secondary pulmonary hypertension (PH). Importantly, exaggerated resistance to cell death, excessive proliferation and enhanced synthetic capacity are key endophenotypes of both fibroblasts and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, suggesting shared molecular pathways. Under persistent injury, sustained activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) is integral to the preservation of cells survival and their capacity to proliferate. Checkpoint kinases 1 and 2 (CHK1/2) are key components of the DDR. The objective of this study was to assess the role of CHK1/2 in the development and progression of IPF and IPF+PH. METHODS AND RESULTS Increased expression of DNA damage markers and CHK1/2 were observed in lungs, remodelled pulmonary arteries and isolated fibroblasts from IPF patients and animal models. Blockade of CHK1/2 expression or activity-induced DNA damage overload and reverted the apoptosis-resistant and fibroproliferative phenotype of disease cells. Moreover, inhibition of CHK1/2 was sufficient to interfere with transforming growth factor beta 1-mediated fibroblast activation. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of CHK1/2 using LY2606368 attenuated fibrosis and pulmonary vascular remodelling leading to improvement in respiratory mechanics and haemodynamic parameters in two animal models mimicking IPF and IPF+PH. CONCLUSION This study identifies CHK1/2 as key regulators of lung fibrosis and provides a proof of principle for CHK1/2 inhibition as a potential novel therapeutic option for IPF and IPF+PH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hui Wu
- Department of Cardio-Pulmonary Circulation, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Sébastien Bonnet
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tsukasa Shimauchi
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Victoria Toro
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yann Grobs
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charlotte Romanet
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alice Bourgeois
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Geraldine Vitry
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Junichi Omura
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eve Tremblay
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Valerie Nadeau
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Mark Orcholski
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sandra Breuils-Bonnet
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sandra Martineau
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pasquale Ferraro
- Department of Surgery, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Francois Potus
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Roxane Paulin
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Steeve Provencher
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Olivier Boucherat
- Pulmonary Hypertension Research Group, Quebec Heart and Lung Institute Research Centre (IUCPQ), Quebec, Quebec, Canada
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24
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Sun Y, Liu Y, Ma X, Hu H. The Influence of Cell Cycle Regulation on Chemotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6923. [PMID: 34203270 PMCID: PMC8267727 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle regulation is orchestrated by a complex network of interactions between proteins, enzymes, cytokines, and cell cycle signaling pathways, and is vital for cell proliferation, growth, and repair. The occurrence, development, and metastasis of tumors are closely related to the cell cycle. Cell cycle regulation can be synergistic with chemotherapy in two aspects: inhibition or promotion. The sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs can be improved with the cooperation of cell cycle regulation strategies. This review presented the mechanism of the commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs and the effect of the cell cycle on tumorigenesis and development, and the interaction between chemotherapy and cell cycle regulation in cancer treatment was briefly introduced. The current collaborative strategies of chemotherapy and cell cycle regulation are discussed in detail. Finally, we outline the challenges and perspectives about the improvement of combination strategies for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
| | - Xiaoli Ma
- Qingdao Institute of Measurement Technology, Qingdao 266000, China;
| | - Hao Hu
- Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China; (Y.S.); (Y.L.)
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25
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Fernandes SG, Shah P, Khattar E. Recent Advances in Therapeutic Application of DNA Damage Response Inhibitors against Cancer. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:469-484. [PMID: 34102988 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210608105735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
DNA integrity is continuously challenged by intrinsic cellular processes and environmental agents. To overcome this genomic damage, cells have developed multiple signaling pathways collectively named as DNA damage response (DDR) and composed of three components: (i) sensor proteins, which detect DNA damage, (ii) mediators that relay the signal downstream and recruit the repair machinery, and (iii) the repair proteins, which restore the damaged DNA. A flawed DDR and failure to repair the damage lead to the accumulation of genetic lesions and increased genomic instability, which is recognized as a hallmark of cancer. Cancer cells tend to harbor increased mutations in DDR genes and often have fewer DDR pathways than normal cells. This makes cancer cells more dependent on particular DDR pathways and thus become more susceptible to compounds inhibiting those pathways compared to normal cells, which have all the DDR pathways intact. Understanding the roles of different DDR proteins in the DNA damage response and repair pathways and identification of their structures have paved the way for the development of their inhibitors as targeted cancer therapy. In this review, we describe the major participants of various DDR pathways, their significance in carcinogenesis, and focus on the inhibitors developed against several key DDR proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stina George Fernandes
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (Deemed to be) University, Mumbai, India
| | - Prachi Shah
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (Deemed to be) University, Mumbai, India
| | - Ekta Khattar
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (Deemed to be) University, Mumbai, India
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26
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Ostergaard J, Jonart LM, Ebadi M, Koppenhafer SL, Gordon DJ, Gordon PM. Preclinical efficacy of prexasertib in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Br J Haematol 2021; 194:1094-1098. [PMID: 34096630 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Ostergaard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Leslie M Jonart
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Maryam Ebadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stacia L Koppenhafer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - David J Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Peter M Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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27
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Ando K, Nakagawara A. Acceleration or Brakes: Which Is Rational for Cell Cycle-Targeting Neuroblastoma Therapy? Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050750. [PMID: 34069817 PMCID: PMC8157238 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Unrestrained proliferation is a common feature of malignant neoplasms. Targeting the cell cycle is a therapeutic strategy to prevent unlimited cell division. Recently developed rationales for these selective inhibitors can be subdivided into two categories with antithetical functionality. One applies a “brake” to the cell cycle to halt cell proliferation, such as with inhibitors of cell cycle kinases. The other “accelerates” the cell cycle to initiate replication/mitotic catastrophe, such as with inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoint kinases. The fate of cell cycle progression or arrest is tightly regulated by the presence of tolerable or excessive DNA damage, respectively. This suggests that there is compatibility between inhibitors of DNA repair kinases, such as PARP inhibitors, and inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoint kinases. In the present review, we explore alterations to the cell cycle that are concomitant with altered DNA damage repair machinery in unfavorable neuroblastomas, with respect to their unique genomic and molecular features. We highlight the vulnerabilities of these alterations that are attributable to the features of each. Based on the assessment, we offer possible therapeutic approaches for personalized medicine, which are seemingly antithetical, but both are promising strategies for targeting the altered cell cycle in unfavorable neuroblastomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyohiro Ando
- Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, 818 Komuro, Ina, Saitama 362-0806, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.A.); (A.N.); Tel.: +81-48-722-1111 (K.A.); +81-942-50-8829 (A.N.)
| | - Akira Nakagawara
- Saga International Carbon Particle Beam Radiation Cancer Therapy Center, Saga HIMAT Foundation, 3049 Harakoga-Machi, Saga 841-0071, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.A.); (A.N.); Tel.: +81-48-722-1111 (K.A.); +81-942-50-8829 (A.N.)
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28
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Sun W, Zhang Q, Wang R, Li Y, Sun Y, Yang L. Targeting DNA Damage Repair for Immune Checkpoint Inhibition: Mechanisms and Potential Clinical Applications. Front Oncol 2021; 11:648687. [PMID: 34026622 PMCID: PMC8137908 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.648687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways play an essential role in maintaining genomic integrity. DDR dysfunction leads to accumulated DNA damage, predisposition to cancer, and high sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Recent studies have demonstrated that DDR status is associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Among the DDR pathways, mismatch repair is one of the most recognized predictive biomarkers for ICIs. Furthermore, preclinical and early clinical studies suggest the rationale of combining agents targeting the DDR pathways, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors, and ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related (ATR) kinase inhibitors, with ICIs. In the present review, we describe the predictive role of DDR pathways in ICIs and summarize the advances in potential combination strategies of novel agents targeting DDR with ICIs for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Department of Ultrasonic Diagnosis, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Runkun Wang
- Department of Oncology, The First People's hospital of Guangshui, Hubei, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Sun
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Oncology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers quinone exhibits neurotoxicity by inducing DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and p53-driven adaptive response in microglia BV2 cells. Toxicology 2021; 457:152807. [PMID: 33961949 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are world-wide used flame retardants before they were listed as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) by the Stockholm Convention. Previously, our studies indicated that a quinone type of PBDE metabolite (PBDEQ) exposure was linked with neurotoxicity via excess free radical formation and oxidative stress. However, it is current unknown the effect of PBDEQ on genetic biomacromolecules DNA and corresponding biological consequences in neurological cells. Here, by employing phosphorylated histone H2AX in Serine 139 (γ-H2AX) and comet assay in microglia BV2 cells, our data suggested PBDEQ could triggered DNA damage. Furthermore, PBDEQ exposure led to the caspase 3-dependent cell apoptosis. Moreover, PBDEQ induced G2/M-phase cell arrest in a p53-dependent manner. Notably, p53 activation coordinated cell cycle progression, alleviated DNA damage and ultimately mitigated apoptosis in BV2 cells. Finally, antioxidant N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) inhibited p53 activation upon PBDEQ exposure, and then ameliorated PBDEQ-induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, which illustrated that PBDEQ-induced DNA damage and p53 activation were mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Together, the current findings unveil the fundamental toxicological mechanisms of PBDEQ, which propose a potential therapeutic strategy against the adverse effect caused by PBDE exposure.
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Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) downregulates Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) through miR-195 to upregulate apoptosis and PD-L1 expression in Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Br J Cancer 2021; 125:101-111. [PMID: 33772151 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-021-01337-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CHK1 is considered an oncogene with overexpression in numerous cancers. However, CHK1 signalling regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. METHODS CHEK1 mRNA, protein, pri-miR-195 and miR-195 expression in HCC tissue was determined by qPCR, WB and IF staining assay. Survival analyses in HCC with high- and low-CHEK1 mRNA expression was performed using TCGA database. Relative luciferase activity was investigated in HCC cells transfected with p-CHEK1 3'UTR. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay. NK and CD8+ T cells were analysed by flow cytometry. RESULTS CHK1 is increased in human HCC tumours compared with non-cancerous liver. High CHK1 predicts worse prognosis. IFN-γ suppresses CHK1 via IRF-1 in HCC cells. The molecular mechanism of IRF-1 suppressing CHK1 is post-transcriptional by promoting miR-195 binding to CHEK1 mRNA 3'UTR, which exerts a translational blockade. Upregulated IRF-1 inhibits CHK1, which induces apoptosis of HCC cells. Likewise, CHK1 inhibition augments cellular apoptosis in HCC tumours. This effect may be a result of increased tumour NK cell infiltration. However, IRF-1 expression or CHK1 inhibition also upregulates PD-L1 expression via increased STAT3 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS IRF-1 induces miR-195 to suppress CHK1 protein expression. Both increased IRF-1 and decreased CHK1 upregulate cellular apoptosis and PD-L1 expression in HCC.
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Arend RC, Jackson-Fisher A, Jacobs IA, Chou J, Monk BJ. Ovarian cancer: new strategies and emerging targets for the treatment of patients with advanced disease. Cancer Biol Ther 2021; 22:89-105. [PMID: 33427569 PMCID: PMC7928025 DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2020.1868937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently approved therapies have contributed to a significant progress in the management of ovarian cancer; yet, more options are needed to further improve outcomes in patients with advanced disease. Here we review the rationale and ongoing clinical trials of novel combination strategies involving chemotherapy, poly ADP ribose polymerase, programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-ligand 1 immune checkpoint and/or vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitors. Further, we discuss novel agents aimed at targets associated with ovarian cancer growth or progression that are emerging as potential new treatment approaches. Among them, agents targeted to folate receptor α, tissue factor, and protein kinase-mediated pathways (WEE1 kinase, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase α, cell cycle checkpoint kinase 1/2, ATR kinase) are currently in clinical development as mono- or combination therapies. If successful, findings from these extensive development efforts may further transform treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C. Arend
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | | | - Jeffrey Chou
- Research and Development, Pfizer, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Konstantinopoulos PA, Lheureux S, Moore KN. PARP Inhibitors for Ovarian Cancer: Current Indications, Future Combinations, and Novel Assets in Development to Target DNA Damage Repair. Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 2021; 40:1-16. [PMID: 32364757 DOI: 10.1200/edbk_288015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PARP inhibitors (PARPIs) have revolutionized the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer, first for BRCA-associated cancer, and, recently, for all epithelial cancers of serous or high-grade endometrioid subtypes in the front line. Although there is hope that PARPIs will help prevent recurrences when used following frontline maintenance, cancer will still recur in most women, and the need for active combination strategies as well as continued development of novel assets, either as monotherapy or in combination, will be urgently needed. This review article discusses the current indications for PARPIs in both frontline and recurrent settings, current research in combination approaches, and finally, ongoing research on novel methods to target DNA damage response in an effort to exploit the common susceptibility to DNA damage repair in epithelial ovarian cancer and improve outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kathleen N Moore
- Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK
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PARP Inhibition Increases the Reliance on ATR/CHK1 Checkpoint Signaling Leading to Synthetic Lethality-An Alternative Treatment Strategy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells Independent from HR Effectiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249715. [PMID: 33352723 PMCID: PMC7766831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi, olaparib) impairs the repair of DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), resulting in double-strand breaks (DSBs) that cannot be repaired efficiently in homologous recombination repair (HRR)-deficient cancers such as BRCA1/2-mutant cancers, leading to synthetic lethality. Despite the efficacy of olaparib in the treatment of BRCA1/2 deficient tumors, PARPi resistance is common. We hypothesized that the combination of olaparib with anticancer agents that disrupt HRR by targeting ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) or checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) may be an effective strategy to reverse ovarian cancer resistance to olaparib. Here, we evaluated the effect of olaparib, the ATR inhibitor AZD6738, and the CHK1 inhibitor MK8776 alone and in combination on cell survival, colony formation, replication stress response (RSR) protein expression, DNA damage, and apoptotic changes in BRCA2 mutated (PEO-1) and HRR-proficient BRCA wild-type (SKOV-3 and OV-90) cells. Combined treatment caused the accumulation of DNA DSBs. PARP expression was associated with sensitivity to olaparib or inhibitors of RSR. Synergistic effects were weaker when olaparib was combined with CHK1i and occurred regardless of the BRCA2 status of tumor cells. Because PARPi increases the reliance on ATR/CHK1 for genome stability, the combination of PARPi with ATR inhibition suppressed ovarian cancer cell growth independently of the efficacy of HRR. The present results were obtained at sub-lethal doses, suggesting the potential of these inhibitors as monotherapy as well as in combination with olaparib.
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Wengner AM, Scholz A, Haendler B. Targeting DNA Damage Response in Prostate and Breast Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8273. [PMID: 33158305 PMCID: PMC7663807 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormone signaling induces vast gene expression programs which necessitate the local formation of transcription factories at regulatory regions and large-scale alterations of the genome architecture to allow communication among distantly related cis-acting regions. This involves major stress at the genomic DNA level. Transcriptionally active regions are generally instable and prone to breakage due to the torsional stress and local depletion of nucleosomes that make DNA more accessible to damaging agents. A dedicated DNA damage response (DDR) is therefore essential to maintain genome integrity at these exposed regions. The DDR is a complex network involving DNA damage sensor proteins, such as the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1), the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs), the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase and the ATM and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase, as central regulators. The tight interplay between the DDR and steroid hormone receptors has been unraveled recently. Several DNA repair factors interact with the androgen and estrogen receptors and support their transcriptional functions. Conversely, both receptors directly control the expression of agents involved in the DDR. Impaired DDR is also exploited by tumors to acquire advantageous mutations. Cancer cells often harbor germline or somatic alterations in DDR genes, and their association with disease outcome and treatment response led to intensive efforts towards identifying selective inhibitors targeting the major players in this process. The PARP-1 inhibitors are now approved for ovarian, breast, and prostate cancer with specific genomic alterations. Additional DDR-targeting agents are being evaluated in clinical studies either as single agents or in combination with treatments eliciting DNA damage (e.g., radiation therapy, including targeted radiotherapy, and chemotherapy) or addressing targets involved in maintenance of genome integrity. Recent preclinical and clinical findings made in addressing DNA repair dysfunction in hormone-dependent and -independent prostate and breast tumors are presented. Importantly, the combination of anti-hormonal therapy with DDR inhibition or with radiation has the potential to enhance efficacy but still needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bernard Haendler
- Preclinical Research, Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Bayer AG, Müllerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; (A.M.W.); (A.S.)
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Neizer-Ashun F, Bhattacharya R. Reality CHEK: Understanding the biology and clinical potential of CHK1. Cancer Lett 2020; 497:202-211. [PMID: 32991949 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The DNA damage response enables cells to cope with various stresses that threaten genomic integrity. A critical component of this response is the serine/threonine kinase CHK1 which is encoded by the CHEK1 gene. Originally identified as a regulator of the G2/M checkpoint, CHK1 has since been shown to play important roles in DNA replication, mitotic progression, DNA repair, and overall cell cycle regulation. However, the potential of CHK1 as a cancer therapy has not been realized clinically. Herein we expound our current understanding of the principal roles of CHK1 and highlight different avenues for CHK1 targeting in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiifi Neizer-Ashun
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, United States
| | - Resham Bhattacharya
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, United States; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States; Peggy and Charles Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, United States.
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Morimoto Y, Takada K, Takeuchi O, Watanabe K, Hirohara M, Hamamoto T, Masuda Y. Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor navitoclax increases the antitumor effect of Chk1 inhibitor prexasertib by inducing apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via inhibition of Bcl-xL but not Bcl-2. Mol Cell Biochem 2020; 472:187-198. [PMID: 32567031 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-020-03796-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In our previous study, we showed that prexasertib, a checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitor, enhances the effects of standard drugs for pancreatic cancer, including gemcitabine (GEM), S-1, and the combination of GEM and S-1 (GS). The combination of prexasertib and GS has a strong antitumor effect and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by downregulating anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. In the present study, we investigated the combined effect of GEM, S-1, and prexasertib with a selective Bcl-2 inhibitor (venetoclax) and a non-selective Bcl-2 inhibitor (navitoclax) in SUIT-2 pancreatic cancer cells. An MTT assay revealed that the combination of prexasertib with navitoclax showed a synergistic effect but the combination with venetoclax did not. Investigation of the pancreatic cancer cell lines SUIT-2, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3 revealed that BxPC-3 also showed a high synergistic effect when combined with prexasertib and navitoclax but not venetoclax. Mechanistic analysis of the combined effect showed that apoptosis was induced. Bcl-2 knockdown with siRNA and prexasertib treatment did not induce apoptosis, whereas Bcl-xL knockdown with siRNA and prexasertib treatment resulted in strong induction of apoptosis. In addition, among the three cell lines, the combined effect of prexasertib and navitoclax resulted in increased apoptotic cell death because the protein expression levels of Bcl-xL and Chk1 were higher. Our results demonstrate that the combination of prexasertib and navitoclax has a strong antitumor effect and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by downregulating Bcl-xL. Simultaneous inhibition of Chk1 and Bcl-xL could be a new strategy for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihito Morimoto
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan.
| | - Kimihiko Takada
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Osamu Takeuchi
- BioMedical Laboratory, Department of Research, Kitasato Institute Hospital, Tokyo, 108-8642, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Watanabe
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Hirohara
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Hamamoto
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Yutaka Masuda
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
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Hu Y, Guo M. Synthetic lethality strategies: Beyond BRCA1/2 mutations in pancreatic cancer. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3111-3121. [PMID: 32639661 PMCID: PMC7469842 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells are often characterized by abnormalities in DNA damage response including defects in cell cycle checkpoints and/or DNA repair. Synthetic lethality between DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways has provided a paradigm for cancer therapy by targeting DDR. The successful example is that cancer cells with BRCA1/2 mutations are sensitized to poly(adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Beyond the narrow scope of defects in the BRCA pathway, "BRCAness" provides more opportunities for synthetic lethality strategy. In human pancreatic cancer, frequent mutations were found in cell cycle and DDR genes, including P16, P73, APC, MLH1, ATM, PALB2, and MGMT. Combined DDR inhibitors and chemotherapeutic agents are under preclinical or clinical trials. Promoter region methylation was found frequently in cell cycle and DDR genes. Epigenetics joins the Knudson's "hit" theory and "BRCAness." Aberrant epigenetic changes in cell cycle or DDR regulators may serve as a new avenue for synthetic lethality strategy in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mingzhou Guo
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Henan Key Laboratory for Esophageal Cancer Research, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
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MiR-122-5p increases radiosensitivity and aggravates radiation-induced rectal injury through CCAR1. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2020; 399:115054. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.115054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Gralewska P, Gajek A, Marczak A, Rogalska A. Participation of the ATR/CHK1 pathway in replicative stress targeted therapy of high-grade ovarian cancer. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:39. [PMID: 32316968 PMCID: PMC7175546 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00874-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal gynecologic malignancies reported throughout the world. The initial, standard-of-care, adjuvant chemotherapy in epithelial ovarian cancer is usually a platinum drug, such as cisplatin or carboplatin, combined with a taxane. However, despite surgical removal of the tumor and initial high response rates to first-line chemotherapy, around 80% of women will develop cancer recurrence. Effective strategies, including chemotherapy and new research models, are necessary to improve the prognosis. The replication stress response (RSR) is characteristic of the development of tumors, including ovarian cancer. Hence, RSR pathway and DNA repair proteins have emerged as a new area for anticancer drug development. Although clinical trials have shown poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) response rates of around 40% in women who carry a mutation in the BRCA1/2 genes, PARPi is responsible for tumor suppression, but not for complete tumor regression. Recent reports suggest that cells with impaired homologous recombination (HR) activities due to mutations in TP53 gene or specific DNA repair proteins are specifically sensitive to ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) inhibitors. Replication stress activates DNA repair checkpoint proteins (ATR, CHK1), which prevent further DNA damage. This review describes the use of DNA repair checkpoint inhibitors as single agents and strategies combining these inhibitors with DNA-damaging compounds for ovarian cancer therapy, as well as the new platforms used for optimizing ovarian cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Gralewska
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Gajek
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Marczak
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| | - Aneta Rogalska
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Biophysics, University of Lodz, Pomorska 141/143, 90-236, Lodz, Poland.
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Targeting DNA Damage Response as a Strategy to Treat HPV Infections. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215455. [PMID: 31683862 PMCID: PMC6862220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mucosotropic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause prevalent anogenital infections, some of which can progress to cancers. It is imperative to identify efficacious drug candidates, as there are few therapeutic options. We have recapitulated a robust productive program of HPV-18 in organotypic raft cultures of primary human keratinocytes. The HPV E7 protein induces S phase reentry, along with DNA damage response (DDR) in differentiated cells to support viral DNA amplification. A number of small molecule inhibitors of DDR regulators are in clinical use or clinical trials to treat cancers. Here, we used our raft culture system to examine effects of inhibitors of ATR/Chk1 and ATM/Chk2 on HPV infection. The inhibitors impaired S-phase reentry and progression as well as HPV DNA amplification. The Chk1 inhibitor MK-8776 was most effective, reducing viral DNA amplification by 90-99% and caused DNA damage and apoptosis, preferentially in HPV infected cells. We found that this sensitivity was imparted by the E7 protein and report that MK-8776 also caused extensive cell death of cervical cancer cell lines. Furthermore, it sensitized the cells to cisplatin, commonly used to treat advanced cervical cancer. Based on these observations, the Chk1 inhibitors could be potential effective agents to be re-purposed to treat the spectrum of HPV infections in single or combination therapy.
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