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Previtali V, Bagnolini G, Ciamarone A, Ferrandi G, Rinaldi F, Myers SH, Roberti M, Cavalli A. New Horizons of Synthetic Lethality in Cancer: Current Development and Future Perspectives. J Med Chem 2024; 67:11488-11521. [PMID: 38955347 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, synthetic lethality has been recognized as a solid paradigm for anticancer therapies. The discovery of a growing number of synthetic lethal targets has led to a significant expansion in the use of synthetic lethality, far beyond poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors used to treat BRCA1/2-defective tumors. In particular, molecular targets within DNA damage response have provided a source of inhibitors that have rapidly reached clinical trials. This Perspective focuses on the most recent progress in synthetic lethal targets and their inhibitors, within and beyond the DNA damage response, describing their design and associated therapeutic strategies. We will conclude by discussing the current challenges and new opportunities for this promising field of research, to stimulate discussion in the medicinal chemistry community, allowing the investigation of synthetic lethality to reach its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viola Previtali
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Greta Bagnolini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Ciamarone
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ferrandi
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Rinaldi
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Samuel Harry Myers
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Marinella Roberti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Computational & Chemical Biology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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2
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Toprani SM, Scheibler C, Mordukhovich I, McNeely E, Nagel ZD. Cosmic Ionizing Radiation: A DNA Damaging Agent That May Underly Excess Cancer in Flight Crews. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7670. [PMID: 39062911 PMCID: PMC11277465 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has officially classified flight crews (FC) consisting of commercial pilots, cabin crew, or flight attendants as "radiation workers" since 1994 due to the potential for cosmic ionizing radiation (CIR) exposure at cruising altitudes originating from solar activity and galactic sources. Several epidemiological studies have documented elevated incidence and mortality for several cancers in FC, but it has not yet been possible to establish whether this is attributable to CIR. CIR and its constituents are known to cause a myriad of DNA lesions, which can lead to carcinogenesis unless DNA repair mechanisms remove them. But critical knowledge gaps exist with regard to the dosimetry of CIR, the role of other genotoxic exposures among FC, and whether possible biological mechanisms underlying higher cancer rates observed in FC exist. This review summarizes our understanding of the role of DNA damage and repair responses relevant to exposure to CIR in FC. We aimed to stimulate new research directions and provide information that will be useful for guiding regulatory, public health, and medical decision-making to protect and mitigate the risks for those who travel by air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneh M. Toprani
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Christopher Scheibler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Irina Mordukhovich
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eileen McNeely
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zachary D. Nagel
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
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Cheng X, An J, Lou J, Gu Q, Ding W, Droby GN, Wang Y, Wang C, Gao Y, Anand JR, Shelton A, Satterlee AB, Mann B, Hsiao YC, Liu CW, Lu K, Hingtgen S, Wang J, Liu Z, Miller CR, Wu D, Vaziri C, Yang Y. Trans-lesion synthesis and mismatch repair pathway crosstalk defines chemoresistance and hypermutation mechanisms in glioblastoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1957. [PMID: 38438348 PMCID: PMC10912752 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45979-5] [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: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Almost all Glioblastoma (GBM) are either intrinsically resistant to the chemotherapeutical drug temozolomide (TMZ) or acquire therapy-induced mutations that cause chemoresistance and recurrence. The genome maintenance mechanisms responsible for GBM chemoresistance and hypermutation are unknown. We show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18 (a proximal regulator of TLS) is activated in a Mismatch repair (MMR)-dependent manner in TMZ-treated GBM cells, promoting post-replicative gap-filling and survival. An unbiased CRISPR screen provides an aerial map of RAD18-interacting DNA damage response (DDR) pathways deployed by GBM to tolerate TMZ genotoxicity. Analysis of mutation signatures from TMZ-treated GBM reveals a role for RAD18 in error-free bypass of O6mG (the most toxic TMZ-induced lesion), and error-prone bypass of other TMZ-induced lesions. Our analyses of recurrent GBM patient samples establishes a correlation between low RAD18 expression and hypermutation. Taken together we define molecular underpinnings for the hallmark tumorigenic phenotypes of TMZ-treated GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing An
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jitong Lou
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46285, USA
| | - Qisheng Gu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunity and Infection, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Immunology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Weimin Ding
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Oncology Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gaith Nabil Droby
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yilin Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Chenghao Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yanzhe Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jay Ramanlal Anand
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Abigail Shelton
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Andrew Benson Satterlee
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Breanna Mann
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Yun-Chung Hsiao
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kun Lu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Shawn Hingtgen
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jiguang Wang
- Division of Life Science, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, InnoHK, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhaoliang Liu
- Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - C Ryan Miller
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Science, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cyrus Vaziri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Sriramareddy SN, Jamakhani M, Vilanova L, Brossel H, Staumont B, Hamaidia M. Selective inhibition of DNA ligase IV provides additional efficacy to the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1323313. [PMID: 38380364 PMCID: PMC10876873 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1323313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Although the incidence of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is low (2.5% of thyroid cancer cases), this cancer has a very poor prognosis (survival rates < 5 months) and accounts for 14-39% of deaths. Conventional therapies based on surgery in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy showed limited effectiveness primarily due to the robust and protective DNA damage response in thyroid cancer cells. Methods We used single-cell transcriptomic data from patients with different subtypes of thyroid cancer to study expression of genes involved in homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways. Then, we investigated the mechanisms of DNA damage and repair in anaplastic (C643 and Hth74) and papillary (TPC-1) thyroid cancer cell lines. The effect of caffeine (inhibitor of ATM and ATR) and UCN-01 (CHK1 inhibitor) was evaluated in cell cycle progression of thyroid cancer cells after γ-radiation or doxorubicin treatment. The DNA damage response was monitored after staining of phosphorylated γ-H2AX and 53BP1. Reporter plasmids were used to determine the efficacy of double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs) repair by HR and NHEJ in thyroid cancer cells. We evaluated the combination of selective inhibition of the DNA ligase IV by SCR7 and doxorubicin on cellular apoptosis and tumor growth in xenograft murine models of anaplastic thyroid cancer. Results Single-cell RNA-Seq showed that NHEJ- and HR-related genes are expressed in ATC and PTC patients. We showed that ATC cells undergo mitosis in the presence of unrepaired DNA damage caused by γ-radiation and doxorubicin treatment. To proliferate and survive, these cells efficiently repair DNA lesions using homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). The combination of SCR7 with doxorubicin, significantly increased apoptosis and impaired ATC tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model compared to doxorubicin monotherapy. Conclusion This study shows the therapeutic value of the combination of a DNA ligase IV inhibitor and DNA-damaging agents (doxorubicin and/or γ-radiation) for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathya Neelature Sriramareddy
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Majeed Jamakhani
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Léa Vilanova
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Hélène Brossel
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Bernard Staumont
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Malik Hamaidia
- Molecular and Cellular Epigenetics, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Applied Genoproteomics (GIGA), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Molecular Biology (TERRA), University of Liege, Gembloux, Belgium
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5
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Cheng X, An J, Lou J, Gu Q, Ding W, Droby G, Wang Y, Wang C, Gao Y, Shelton A, Satterlee AB, Mann BE, Hsiao YC, Liu CW, Liu K, Hingtgen S, Wang J, Liu Z, Miller R, Wu D, Vaziri C, Yang Y. Trans-Lesion Synthesis and Mismatch Repair Pathway Crosstalk Defines Chemoresistance and Hypermutation Mechanisms in Glioblastoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.16.562506. [PMID: 37905107 PMCID: PMC10614844 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.16.562506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Almost all Glioblastoma (GBM) are either intrinsically resistant to the chemotherapeutical drug temozolomide (TMZ) or acquire therapy-induced mutations that cause chemoresistance and recurrence. The genome maintenance mechanisms responsible for GBM chemoresistance and hypermutation are unknown. We show that the E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18 (a proximal regulator of TLS) is activated in a Mismatch repair (MMR)-dependent manner in TMZ-treated GBM cells, promoting post-replicative gap-filling and survival. An unbiased CRISPR screen provides a new aerial map of RAD18-interacting DNA damage response (DDR) pathways deployed by GBM to tolerate TMZ genotoxicity. Analysis of mutation signatures from TMZ-treated GBM reveals a role for RAD18 in error-free bypass of O6mG (the most toxic TMZ-induced lesion), and error-prone bypass of other TMZ-induced lesions. Our analyses of recurrent GBM patient samples establishes a correlation between low RAD18 expression and hypermutation. Taken together we define novel molecular underpinnings for the hallmark tumorigenic phenotypes of TMZ-treated GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Neuro-Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital & Chongqing Cancer Institute & Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing An
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jitong Lou
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Qisheng Gu
- Unit of Immunity and Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Immunology, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Weimin Ding
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Oncology Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gaith Droby
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Yilin Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Chenghao Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yanzhe Gao
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Abigail Shelton
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Andrew Benson Satterlee
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Breanna Elizabeth Mann
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Yun-Chung Hsiao
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Shawn Hingtgen
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Jiguang Wang
- Division of Life Science, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, InnoHK, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhaoliang Liu
- Institute of Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Ryan Miller
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Science, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cyrus Vaziri
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Pismataro MC, Astolfi A, Barreca ML, Pacetti M, Schenone S, Bandiera T, Carbone A, Massari S. Small Molecules Targeting DNA Polymerase Theta (POLθ) as Promising Synthetic Lethal Agents for Precision Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6498-6522. [PMID: 37134182 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic lethality (SL) is an innovative strategy in targeted anticancer therapy that exploits tumor genetic vulnerabilities. This topic has come to the forefront in recent years, as witnessed by the increased number of publications since 2007. The first proof of concept for the effectiveness of SL was provided by the approval of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase inhibitors, which exploit a SL interaction in BRCA-deficient cells, although their use is limited by resistance. Searching for additional SL interactions involving BRCA mutations, the DNA polymerase theta (POLθ) emerged as an exciting target. This review summarizes, for the first time, the POLθ polymerase and helicase inhibitors reported to date. Compounds are described focusing on chemical structure and biological activity. With the aim to enable further drug discovery efforts in interrogating POLθ as a target, we propose a plausible pharmacophore model for POLθ-pol inhibitors and provide a structural analysis of the known POLθ ligand binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pismataro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Astolfi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Martina Pacetti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Silvia Schenone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Tiziano Bandiera
- D3 PharmaChemistry, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Anna Carbone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Serena Massari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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Targeting the DNA damage response for cancer therapy. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:207-221. [PMID: 36606678 PMCID: PMC9988002 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The DNA damage response (DDR) is an elegant system, coordinating DNA repair with cell cycle checkpoints, that evolved to protect living organisms from the otherwise fatal levels of DNA damage inflicted by endogenous and environmental sources. Since many agents used to treat cancer; radiotherapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy, work by damaging DNA the DDR represents a mechanism of resistance. The original rational for the development of drugs to inhibit the DDR was to overcome this mechanism of resistance but clinical studies using this approach have not led to improvements in the therapeutic index. A more exciting approach is to exploit cancer-specific defects in the DDR, that represent vulnerabilities in the tumour and an opportunity to selectively target the tumour. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) selectively kill homologous recombination repair defective (HRD, e.g. through BRCA mutation) cells. This approach has proven successful clinically and there are now six PARPi approved for cancer therapy. Drugs targeting other aspects of the DDR are under pre-clinical and clinical evaluation as monotherapy agents and in combination studies. For this promising approach to cancer therapy to be fully realised reliable biomarkers are needed to identify tumours with the exploitable defect for monotherapy applications. The possibility that some combinations may result in toxicity to normal tissues also needs to be considered. A brief overview of the DDR, the development of inhibitors targeting the DDR and the current clinical status of such drugs is described here.
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8
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Predicting tumour radiosensitivity to deliver precision radiotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:83-98. [PMID: 36477705 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00709-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Owing to advances in radiotherapy, the physical properties of radiation can be optimized to enable individualized treatment; however, optimization is rarely based on biological properties and, therefore, treatments are generally planned with the assumption that all tumours respond similarly to radiation. Radiation affects multiple cellular pathways, including DNA damage, hypoxia, proliferation, stem cell phenotype and immune response. In this Review, we summarize the effect of these pathways on tumour responses to radiotherapy and the current state of research on genomic classifiers designed to exploit these variations to inform treatment decisions. We also discuss whether advances in genomics have generated evidence that could be practice changing and whether advances in genomics are now ready to be used to guide the delivery of radiotherapy alone or in combination.
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9
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Abstract
DNA polymerase θ (Pol θ) is a DNA repair enzyme widely conserved in animals and plants. Pol θ uses short DNA sequence homologies to initiate repair of double-strand breaks by theta-mediated end joining. The DNA polymerase domain of Pol θ is at the C terminus and is connected to an N-terminal DNA helicase-like domain by a central linker. Pol θ is crucial for maintenance of damaged genomes during development, protects DNA against extensive deletions, and limits loss of heterozygosity. The cost of using Pol θ for genome protection is that a few nucleotides are usually deleted or added at the repair site. Inactivation of Pol θ often enhances the sensitivity of cells to DNA strand-breaking chemicals and radiation. Since some homologous recombination-defective cancers depend on Pol θ for growth, inhibitors of Pol θ may be useful in treating such tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, Texas, USA;
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA;
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10
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Camero S, Cassandri M, Pomella S, Milazzo L, Vulcano F, Porrazzo A, Barillari G, Marchese C, Codenotti S, Tomaciello M, Rota R, Fanzani A, Megiorni F, Marampon F. Radioresistance in rhabdomyosarcomas: Much more than a question of dose. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1016894. [PMID: 36248991 PMCID: PMC9559533 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1016894] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Management of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children, frequently accounting the genitourinary tract is complex and requires a multimodal therapy. In particular, as a consequence of the advancement in dose conformity technology, radiation therapy (RT) has now become the standard therapeutic option for patients with RMS. In the clinical practice, dose and timing of RT are adjusted on the basis of patients' risk stratification to reduce late toxicity and side effects on normal tissues. However, despite the substantial improvement in cure rates, local failure and recurrence frequently occur. In this review, we summarize the general principles of the treatment of RMS, focusing on RT, and the main molecular pathways and specific proteins involved into radioresistance in RMS tumors. Specifically, we focused on DNA damage/repair, reactive oxygen species, cancer stem cells, and epigenetic modifications that have been reported in the context of RMS neoplasia in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The precise elucidation of the radioresistance-related molecular mechanisms is of pivotal importance to set up new more effective and tolerable combined therapeutic approaches that can radiosensitize cancer cells to finally ameliorate the overall survival of patients with RMS, especially for the most aggressive subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Camero
- Department of Maternal, Infantile and Urological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Matteo Cassandri
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Pomella
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Luisa Milazzo
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Vulcano
- Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Porrazzo
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Units of Molecular Genetics of Complex Phenotypes, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCSS), Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Barillari
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Marchese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Codenotti
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Miriam Tomaciello
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rossella Rota
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Fanzani
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesca Megiorni
- Department of Experimental Medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Marampon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Oncology and Anatomical Pathology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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11
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Accumulation of oncometabolite D-2-Hydroxyglutarate by SLC25A1 inhibition: A metabolic strategy for induction of HR-ness and radiosensitivity. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:641. [PMID: 35869047 PMCID: PMC9307853 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05098-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations in metabolic genes and associated oncometabolite accumulation support cancer progression but can also restrict cellular functions needed to cope with DNA damage. For example, gain-of-function mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) and the resulting accumulation of the oncometabolite D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2-HG) enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase (PARP)1 and radiotherapy (RT). In our hand, inhibition of the mitochondrial citrate transport protein (SLC25A1) enhanced radiosensitivity of cancer cells and this was associated with increased levels of D-2-HG and a delayed repair of radiation-induced DNA damage. Here we aimed to explore the suggested contribution of D-2-HG-accumulation to disturbance of DNA repair, presumably homologous recombination (HR) repair, and enhanced radiosensitivity of cancer cells with impaired SLC25A1 function. Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of SLC25A1 (SLC25A1i) increased D-2-HG-levels and sensitized lung cancer and glioblastoma cells to the cytotoxic action of ionizing radiation (IR). SLC25A1i-mediated radiosensitization was abrogated in MEFs with a HR-defect. D-2-HG-accumulation was associated with increased DNA damage and delayed resolution of IR-induced γH2AX and Rad51 foci. Combining SLC25A1i with PARP- or the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs)-inhibitors further potentiated IR-induced DNA damage, delayed DNA repair kinetics resulting in radiosensitization of cancer cells. Importantly, proof of concept experiments revealed that combining SLC25A1i with IR without and with PARPi also reduced tumor growth in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model in vivo. Thereby SLC25A1i offers an innovative strategy for metabolic induction of context-dependent lethality approaches in combination with RT and clinically relevant inhibitors of complementary DNA repair pathways.
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Vanson S, Li Y, Wood RD, Doublié S. Probing the structure and function of polymerase θ helicase-like domain. DNA Repair (Amst) 2022; 116:103358. [PMID: 35753097 PMCID: PMC10329254 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2022.103358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
DNA Polymerase θ is the key actuator of the recently identified double-strand break repair pathway, theta-mediated end joining (TMEJ). It is the only known polymerase to have a 3-domain architecture containing an independently functional family A DNA polymerase tethered by a long central region to an N-terminal helicase-like domain (HLD). Full-length polymerase θ and the isolated HLD hydrolyze ATP in the presence of DNA, but no processive DNA duplex unwinding has been observed. Based on sequence and structure conservation, the HLD is classified as a member of helicase superfamily II and, more specifically, the Ski2-like family. The specific subdomain composition and organization most closely resemble that of archaeal DNA repair helicases Hel308 and Hjm. The underlying structural basis as to why the HLD is not able to processively unwind duplex DNA, despite its similarity to bona fide helicases, remains elusive. Activities of the HLD include ATP hydrolysis, protein displacement, and annealing of complementary DNA. These observations have led to speculation about the role of the HLD within the context of double-strand break repair via TMEJ, such as removal of single-stranded DNA binding proteins like RPA and RAD51 and microhomology alignment. This review summarizes the structural classification and organization of the polymerase θ HLD and its homologs and explores emerging data on its biochemical activities. We conclude with a simple, speculative model for the HLD's role in TMEJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Vanson
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Yuzhen Li
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77230, USA
| | - Richard D Wood
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77230, USA.
| | - Sylvie Doublié
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, 89 Beaumont Ave, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
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