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Drainas AP, Hsu WH, Dallas AE, Poltorack CD, Kim JW, He A, Coles GL, Baron M, Bassik MC, Sage J. GCN2 is a determinant of the response to WEE1 kinase inhibition in small-cell lung cancer. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114606. [PMID: 39120974 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114606] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are in dire need of more effective therapeutic options. Frequent disruption of the G1 checkpoint in SCLC cells creates a dependency on the G2/M checkpoint to maintain genomic integrity. Indeed, in pre-clinical models, inhibiting the G2/M checkpoint kinase WEE1 shows promise in inhibiting SCLC growth. However, toxicity and acquired resistance limit the clinical effectiveness of this strategy. Here, using CRISPR-Cas9 knockout screens in vitro and in vivo, we identified multiple factors influencing the response of SCLC cells to the WEE1 kinase inhibitor AZD1775, including the GCN2 kinase and other members of its signaling pathway. Rapid activation of GCN2 upon AZD1775 treatment triggers a stress response in SCLC cells. Pharmacological or genetic activation of the GCN2 pathway enhances cancer cell killing by AZD1775. Thus, activation of the GCN2 pathway represents a promising strategy to increase the efficacy of WEE1 inhibitors in SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros P Drainas
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Wen-Hao Hsu
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alec E Dallas
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Carson D Poltorack
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jun W Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andy He
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Garry L Coles
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maya Baron
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Julien Sage
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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2
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Stiegeler N, Garsed DW, Au-Yeung G, Bowtell DDL, Heinzelmann-Schwarz V, Zwimpfer TA. Homologous recombination proficient subtypes of high-grade serous ovarian cancer: treatment options for a poor prognosis group. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1387281. [PMID: 38894867 PMCID: PMC11183307 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1387281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Approximately 50% of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs) have functional homologous recombination-mediated (HR) DNA repair, so-called HR-proficient tumors, which are often associated with primary platinum resistance (relapse within six months after completion of first-line therapy), minimal benefit from poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, and shorter survival. HR-proficient tumors comprise multiple molecular subtypes including cases with CCNE1 amplification, AKT2 amplification or CDK12 alteration, and are often characterized as "cold" tumors with fewer infiltrating lymphocytes and decreased expression of PD-1/PD-L1. Several new treatment approaches aim to manipulate these negative prognostic features and render HR-proficient tumors more susceptible to treatment. Alterations in multiple different molecules and pathways in the DNA damage response are driving new drug development to target HR-proficient cancer cells, such as inhibitors of the CDK or P13K/AKT pathways, as well as ATR inhibitors. Treatment combinations with chemotherapy or PARP inhibitors and agents targeting DNA replication stress have shown promising preclinical and clinical results. New approaches in immunotherapy are also being explored, including vaccines or antibody drug conjugates. Many approaches are still in the early stages of development and further clinical trials will determine their clinical relevance. There is a need to include HR-proficient tumors in ovarian cancer trials and to analyze them in a more targeted manner to provide further evidence for their specific therapy, as this will be crucial in improving the overall prognosis of HGSC and ovarian cancer in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dale W. Garsed
- Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - George Au-Yeung
- Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David D. L. Bowtell
- Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Tibor A. Zwimpfer
- Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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3
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Wang Z, Li W, Li F, Xiao R. An update of predictive biomarkers related to WEE1 inhibition in cancer therapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:13. [PMID: 38231277 PMCID: PMC10794259 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05527-y] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE WEE1 is a crucial kinase involved in the regulation of G2/M checkpoint within the cell cycle. This article aims to comprehensively review the existing knowledge on the implication of WEE1 as a therapeutic target in tumor progression and drug resistance. Furthermore, we summarize the current predictive biomarkers employed to treat cancer with WEE1 inhibitors. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was conducted to analyze the association between WEE1 inhibition and cancer progression, including tumor advancement and drug resistance. Special attention was paid to the identification and utilization of predictive biomarkers related to therapeutic response to WEE1 inhibitors. RESULTS The review highlights the intricate involvement of WEE1 in tumor progression and drug resistance. It synthesizes the current knowledge on predictive biomarkers employed in WEE1 inhibitor treatments, offering insights into their prognostic significance. Notably, the article elucidates the potential for precision medicine by understanding these biomarkers in the context of tumor treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION WEE1 plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and is a promising therapeutic target. Distinguishing patients that would benefit from WEE1 inhibition will be a major direction of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zizhuo Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenting Li
- Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuxia Li
- Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832000, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Rourou Xiao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, People's Republic of China.
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4
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Zhang C, Peng K, Liu Q, Huang Q, Liu T. Adavosertib and beyond: Biomarkers, drug combination and toxicity of WEE1 inhibitors. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 193:104233. [PMID: 38103761 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104233] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
WEE1 kinase is renowned as an S-G2 checkpoint inhibitor activated by ATR-CHK1 in response to replication stress. WEE1 inhibition enhances replication stress and effectively circumvents checkpoints into mitosis, which triggers significant genetic impairs and culminates in cell death. This approach has been validated clinically for its promising anti-tumor efficacy across various cancer types, notably in cases of ovarian cancers. Nonetheless, the initial stage of clinical trials has shown that the first-in-human WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib is limited by dose-limiting adverse events. As a result, recent efforts have been made to explore predictive biomarkers and smart combination schedules to alleviate adverse effects. In this review, we focused on the exploration of therapeutic biomarkers, as well as schedules of combination utilizing WEE1 inhibitors and canonical anticancer drugs, according to the latest preclinical and clinical studies, indicating that the optimal application of WEE1 inhibitors will likely be as part of dose-reducing combination and be tailored to specific patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Peng
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qihong Huang
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tianshu Liu
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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5
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O'Brien S, Ubhi T, Wolf L, Gandhi K, Lin S, Chaudary N, Dhani NC, Milosevic M, Brown GW, Angers S. FBXW7-loss Sensitizes Cells to ATR Inhibition Through Induced Mitotic Catastrophe. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:2596-2607. [PMID: 38032106 PMCID: PMC10734389 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
FBXW7 is a commonly mutated tumor suppressor gene that functions to regulate numerous oncogenes involved in cell-cycle regulation. Genome-wide CRISPR fitness screens identified a signature of DNA repair and DNA damage response genes as required for the growth of FBXW7-knockout cells. Guided by these findings, we show that FBXW7-mutant cells have high levels of replication stress, which results in a genotype-specific vulnerability to inhibition of the ATR signaling pathway, as these mutant cells become heavily reliant on a robust S-G2 checkpoint. ATR inhibition induces an accelerated S-phase, leading to mitotic catastrophe and cell death caused by the high replication stress present in FBXW7-/- cells. In addition, we provide evidence in cell and organoid studies, and mining of publicly available high-throughput drug screening efforts, that this genotype-specific vulnerability extends to multiple types of cancer, providing a rational means of identifying responsive patients for targeted therapy. SIGNIFICANCE We have elucidated the synthetic lethal interactions between FBXW7 mutation and DNA damage response genes, and highlighted the potential of ATR inhibitors as targeted therapies for cancers harboring FBXW7 alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan O'Brien
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tajinder Ubhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lucie Wolf
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krishna Gandhi
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sichun Lin
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Naz Chaudary
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Michael Milosevic
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Grant W. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephane Angers
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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6
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Saldanha J, Rageul J, Patel JA, Kim H. The Adaptive Mechanisms and Checkpoint Responses to a Stressed DNA Replication Fork. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10488. [PMID: 37445667 PMCID: PMC10341514 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310488] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA replication is a tightly controlled process that ensures the faithful duplication of the genome. However, DNA damage arising from both endogenous and exogenous assaults gives rise to DNA replication stress associated with replication fork slowing or stalling. Therefore, protecting the stressed fork while prompting its recovery to complete DNA replication is critical for safeguarding genomic integrity and cell survival. Specifically, the plasticity of the replication fork in engaging distinct DNA damage tolerance mechanisms, including fork reversal, repriming, and translesion DNA synthesis, enables cells to overcome a variety of replication obstacles. Furthermore, stretches of single-stranded DNA generated upon fork stalling trigger the activation of the ATR kinase, which coordinates the cellular responses to replication stress by stabilizing the replication fork, promoting DNA repair, and controlling cell cycle and replication origin firing. Deregulation of the ATR checkpoint and aberrant levels of chronic replication stress is a common characteristic of cancer and a point of vulnerability being exploited in cancer therapy. Here, we discuss the various adaptive responses of a replication fork to replication stress and the roles of ATR signaling that bring fork stabilization mechanisms together. We also review how this knowledge is being harnessed for the development of checkpoint inhibitors to trigger the replication catastrophe of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Saldanha
- The Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Julie Rageul
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jinal A Patel
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Hyungjin Kim
- The Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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7
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Stok C, Tsaridou S, van den Tempel N, Everts M, Wierenga E, Bakker FJ, Kok Y, Alves IT, Jae LT, Raas MWD, Huis In 't Veld PJ, de Boer HR, Bhattacharya A, Karanika E, Warner H, Chen M, van de Kooij B, Dessapt J, Ter Morsche L, Perepelkina P, Fradet-Turcotte A, Guryev V, Tromer EC, Chan KL, Fehrmann RSN, van Vugt MATM. FIRRM/C1orf112 is synthetic lethal with PICH and mediates RAD51 dynamics. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112668. [PMID: 37347663 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Joint DNA molecules are natural byproducts of DNA replication and repair. Persistent joint molecules give rise to ultrafine DNA bridges (UFBs) in mitosis, compromising sister chromatid separation. The DNA translocase PICH (ERCC6L) has a central role in UFB resolution. A genome-wide loss-of-function screen is performed to identify the genetic context of PICH dependency. In addition to genes involved in DNA condensation, centromere stability, and DNA-damage repair, we identify FIGNL1-interacting regulator of recombination and mitosis (FIRRM), formerly known as C1orf112. We find that FIRRM interacts with and stabilizes the AAA+ ATPase FIGNL1. Inactivation of either FIRRM or FIGNL1 results in UFB formation, prolonged accumulation of RAD51 at nuclear foci, and impaired replication fork dynamics and consequently impairs genome maintenance. Combined, our data suggest that inactivation of FIRRM and FIGNL1 dysregulates RAD51 dynamics at replication forks, resulting in persistent DNA lesions and a dependency on PICH to preserve cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Stok
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Stavroula Tsaridou
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Nathalie van den Tempel
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Everts
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elles Wierenga
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Femke J Bakker
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Yannick Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Inês Teles Alves
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lucas T Jae
- Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 25, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Maximilian W D Raas
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, the Netherlands; Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Pim J Huis In 't Veld
- Department of Mechanistic Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - H Rudolf de Boer
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arkajyoti Bhattacharya
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eleftheria Karanika
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK
| | - Harry Warner
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Mengting Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bert van de Kooij
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Julien Dessapt
- CHU de Québec Research Center-Université Laval (L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec), Cancer Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC GIR 3S3, Canada
| | - Lars Ter Morsche
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Polina Perepelkina
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Amelie Fradet-Turcotte
- CHU de Québec Research Center-Université Laval (L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec), Cancer Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC GIR 3S3, Canada
| | - Victor Guryev
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eelco C Tromer
- Cell Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Kok-Lung Chan
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
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8
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Zhu X, Su Q, Xie H, Song L, Yang F, Zhang D, Wang B, Lin S, Huang J, Wu M, Liu T. SIRT1 deacetylates WEE1 and sensitizes cancer cells to WEE1 inhibition. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:585-595. [PMID: 36635566 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01240-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The cell-cycle checkpoint kinase WEE1 is emerging as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. However, how its catalytic activity is regulated remains poorly understood, and reliable biomarkers for predicting response to WEE1 inhibitor remain to be identified. Here we identify an evolutionarily conserved segment surrounding its Lys177 residue that inhibits WEE1 activity through an intermolecular interaction with the catalytic kinase domain. Upon DNA damage, CHK1-dependent phosphorylation of WEE1 at Ser642 primes GCN5-mediated acetylation at Lys177, resulting in dissociation of the inhibitory segment from the kinase domain and subsequent activation of WEE1 and cell-cycle checkpoints. Conversely, SIRT1 associates with and deacetylates WEE1, which maintains it in an inactive state. Consequently, SIRT1 deficiency induces WEE1 hyperacetylation and activation, rendering cancer cells resistant to WEE1 inhibition. These results suggest that SIRT1 expression level and abundance of WEE1 Lys177 acetylation in tumor cells can serve as useful biomarkers for predicting WEE1 inhibitor sensitivity or resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qunshu Su
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiyuan Xie
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lizhi Song
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Biophysics, and Kidney Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Binghong Wang
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shixian Lin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Huang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengjie Wu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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9
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Sister chromatid exchanges induced by perturbed replication can form independently of BRCA1, BRCA2 and RAD51. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6722. [PMID: 36344511 PMCID: PMC9640580 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34519-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) are products of joint DNA molecule resolution, and are considered to form through homologous recombination (HR). Indeed, SCE induction upon irradiation requires the canonical HR factors BRCA1, BRCA2 and RAD51. In contrast, replication-blocking agents, including PARP inhibitors, induce SCEs independently of BRCA1, BRCA2 and RAD51. PARP inhibitor-induced SCEs are enriched at difficult-to-replicate genomic regions, including common fragile sites (CFSs). PARP inhibitor-induced replication lesions are transmitted into mitosis, suggesting that SCEs can originate from mitotic processing of under-replicated DNA. Proteomics analysis reveals mitotic recruitment of DNA polymerase theta (POLQ) to synthetic DNA ends. POLQ inactivation results in reduced SCE numbers and severe chromosome fragmentation upon PARP inhibition in HR-deficient cells. Accordingly, analysis of CFSs in cancer genomes reveals frequent allelic deletions, flanked by signatures of POLQ-mediated repair. Combined, we show PARP inhibition generates under-replicated DNA, which is processed into SCEs during mitosis, independently of canonical HR factors.
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10
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Roering P, Siddiqui A, Heuser VD, Potdar S, Mikkonen P, Oikkonen J, Li Y, Pikkusaari S, Wennerberg K, Hynninen J, Grenman S, Huhtinen K, Auranen A, Carpén O, Kaipio K. Effects of Wee1 inhibitor adavosertib on patient-derived high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells are multiple and independent of homologous recombination status. Front Oncol 2022; 12:954430. [PMID: 36081565 PMCID: PMC9445195 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.954430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective A major challenge in the treatment of platinum-resistant high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is lack of effective therapies. Much of ongoing research on drug candidates relies on HGSOC cell lines that are poorly documented. The goal of this study was to screen for effective, state-of-the-art drug candidates using primary HGSOC cells. In addition, our aim was to dissect the inhibitory activities of Wee1 inhibitor adavosertib on primary and conventional HGSOC cell lines. Methods A comprehensive drug sensitivity and resistance testing (DSRT) on 306 drug compounds was performed on three patient-derived genetically unique HGSOC cell lines and two commonly used ovarian cancer cell lines. The effect of adavosertib on the cell lines was tested in several assays, including cell-cycle analysis, apoptosis induction, proliferation, wound healing, DNA damage, and effect on nuclear integrity. Results Several compounds exerted cytotoxic activity toward all cell lines, when tested in both adherent and spheroid conditions. In further cytotoxicity tests, adavosertib exerted the most consistent cytotoxic activity. Adavosertib affected cell-cycle control in patient-derived and conventional HGSOC cells, inducing G2/M accumulation and reducing cyclin B1 levels. It induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation and migration in all cell lines. Furthermore, the DNA damage marker γH2AX and the number of abnormal cell nuclei were clearly increased following adavosertib treatment. Based on the homologous recombination (HR) signature and functional HR assays of the cell lines, the effects of adavosertib were independent of the cells' HR status. Conclusion Our study indicates that Wee1 inhibitor adavosertib affects several critical functions related to proliferation, cell cycle and division, apoptosis, and invasion. Importantly, the effects are consistent in all tested cell lines, including primary HGSOC cells, and independent of the HR status of the cells. Wee1 inhibition may thus provide treatment opportunities especially for patients, whose cancer has acquired resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy or PARP inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Roering
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- *Correspondence: Pia Roering, ; Olli Carpén,
| | - Arafat Siddiqui
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Vanina D. Heuser
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Swapnil Potdar
- High Throughput Biomedicine Unit, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Piia Mikkonen
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaana Oikkonen
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yilin Li
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sanna Pikkusaari
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Krister Wennerberg
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Johanna Hynninen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Seija Grenman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Kaisa Huhtinen
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Annika Auranen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Tays Cancer Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Olli Carpén
- Department of Pathology, Precision Cancer Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Pia Roering, ; Olli Carpén,
| | - Katja Kaipio
- Institute of Biomedicine and Finnish Cancer Center (FICAN) West Cancer Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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11
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cGAS-STING drives the IL-6-dependent survival of chromosomally instable cancers. Nature 2022; 607:366-373. [PMID: 35705809 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04847-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal instability (CIN) drives cancer cell evolution, metastasis and therapy resistance, and is associated with poor prognosis1. CIN leads to micronuclei that release DNA into the cytoplasm after rupture, which triggers activation of inflammatory signalling mediated by cGAS and STING2,3. These two proteins are considered to be tumour suppressors as they promote apoptosis and immunosurveillance. However, cGAS and STING are rarely inactivated in cancer4, and, although they have been implicated in metastasis5, it is not known why loss-of-function mutations do not arise in primary tumours4. Here we show that inactivation of cGAS-STING signalling selectively impairs the survival of triple-negative breast cancer cells that display CIN. CIN triggers IL-6-STAT3-mediated signalling, which depends on the cGAS-STING pathway and the non-canonical NF-κB pathway. Blockade of IL-6 signalling by tocilizumab, a clinically used drug that targets the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), selectively impairs the growth of cultured triple-negative breast cancer cells that exhibit CIN. Moreover, outgrowth of chromosomally instable tumours is significantly delayed compared with tumours that do not display CIN. Notably, this targetable vulnerability is conserved across cancer types that express high levels of IL-6 and/or IL-6R in vitro and in vivo. Together, our work demonstrates pro-tumorigenic traits of cGAS-STING signalling and explains why the cGAS-STING pathway is rarely inactivated in primary tumours. Repurposing tocilizumab could be a strategy to treat cancers with CIN that overexpress IL-6R.
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12
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Zuidema A, Atherton P, Kreft M, Hoekman L, Bleijerveld OB, Nagaraj N, Chen N, Fässler R, Sonnenberg A. PEAK1 Y635 phosphorylation regulates cell migration through association with Tensin3 and integrins. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2022; 221:213273. [PMID: 35687021 PMCID: PMC9194829 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202108027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrins mediate cell adhesion by connecting the extracellular matrix to the intracellular cytoskeleton and orchestrate signal transduction in response to chemical and mechanical stimuli by interacting with many cytoplasmic proteins. We used BioID to interrogate the interactomes of β1 and β3 integrins in epithelial cells and identified PEAK1 as an interactor of the RGD-binding integrins α5β1, αVβ3, and αVβ5 in focal adhesions. We demonstrate that the interaction between integrins and PEAK1 occurs indirectly through Tensin3, requiring both the membrane-proximal NPxY motif on the integrin β tail and binding of the SH2 domain of Tensin3 to phosphorylated Tyr-635 on PEAK1. Phosphorylation of Tyr-635 is mediated by Src and regulates cell migration. Additionally, we found that Shc1 localizes in focal adhesions in a PEAK1 phosphorylated Tyr-1188-dependent fashion. Besides binding Shc1, PEAK1 also associates with a protein cluster that mediates late EGFR/Shc1 signaling. We propose a model in which PEAK1 binds Tensin3 and Shc1 to converge integrin and growth factor receptor signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Zuidema
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Atherton
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Kreft
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Hoekman
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Onno B. Bleijerveld
- Proteomics Facility, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nagarjuna Nagaraj
- Mass Spectrometry Core Facility at the Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Planegg, Germany
| | - Nanpeng Chen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Planegg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Fässler
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Max-Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Planegg, Germany
| | - Arnoud Sonnenberg
- Division of Cell Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,Correspondence to Arnoud Sonnenberg:
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13
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Gallo D, Young JTF, Fourtounis J, Martino G, Álvarez-Quilón A, Bernier C, Duffy NM, Papp R, Roulston A, Stocco R, Szychowski J, Veloso A, Alam H, Baruah PS, Fortin AB, Bowlan J, Chaudhary N, Desjardins J, Dietrich E, Fournier S, Fugère-Desjardins C, Goullet de Rugy T, Leclaire ME, Liu B, Bhaskaran V, Mamane Y, Melo H, Nicolas O, Singhania A, Szilard RK, Tkáč J, Yin SY, Morris SJ, Zinda M, Marshall CG, Durocher D. CCNE1 amplification is synthetic lethal with PKMYT1 kinase inhibition. Nature 2022; 604:749-756. [PMID: 35444283 PMCID: PMC9046089 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04638-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amplification of the CCNE1 locus on chromosome 19q12 is prevalent in multiple tumour types, particularly in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, uterine tumours and gastro-oesophageal cancers, where high cyclin E levels are associated with genome instability, whole-genome doubling and resistance to cytotoxic and targeted therapies1-4. To uncover therapeutic targets for tumours with CCNE1 amplification, we undertook genome-scale CRISPR-Cas9-based synthetic lethality screens in cellular models of CCNE1 amplification. Here we report that increasing CCNE1 dosage engenders a vulnerability to the inhibition of the PKMYT1 kinase, a negative regulator of CDK1. To inhibit PKMYT1, we developed RP-6306, an orally bioavailable and selective inhibitor that shows single-agent activity and durable tumour regressions when combined with gemcitabine in models of CCNE1 amplification. RP-6306 treatment causes unscheduled activation of CDK1 selectively in CCNE1-overexpressing cells, promoting early mitosis in cells undergoing DNA synthesis. CCNE1 overexpression disrupts CDK1 homeostasis at least in part through an early activation of the MMB-FOXM1 mitotic transcriptional program. We conclude that PKMYT1 inhibition is a promising therapeutic strategy for CCNE1-amplified cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gallo
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Alejandro Álvarez-Quilón
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Robert Papp
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Rino Stocco
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Hunain Alam
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Natasha Chaudhary
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Theo Goullet de Rugy
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Bingcan Liu
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Yael Mamane
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | - Henrique Melo
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Rachel K Szilard
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ján Tkáč
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shou Yun Yin
- Repare Therapeutics, Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Daniel Durocher
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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14
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Bukhari AB, Chan GK, Gamper AM. Targeting the DNA Damage Response for Cancer Therapy by Inhibiting the Kinase Wee1. Front Oncol 2022; 12:828684. [PMID: 35251998 PMCID: PMC8891215 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.828684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells typically heavily rely on the G2/M checkpoint to survive endogenous and exogenous DNA damage, such as genotoxic stress due to genome instability or radiation and chemotherapy. The key regulator of the G2/M checkpoint, the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), is tightly controlled, including by its phosphorylation state. This posttranslational modification, which is determined by the opposing activities of the phosphatase cdc25 and the kinase Wee1, allows for a more rapid response to cellular stress than via the synthesis or degradation of modulatory interacting proteins, such as p21 or cyclin B. Reducing Wee1 activity results in ectopic activation of CDK1 activity and drives premature entry into mitosis with unrepaired or under-replicated DNA and causing mitotic catastrophe. Here, we review efforts to use small molecule inhibitors of Wee1 for therapeutic purposes, including strategies to combine Wee1 inhibition with genotoxic agents, such as radiation therapy or drugs inducing replication stress, or inhibitors of pathways that show synthetic lethality with Wee1. Furthermore, it become increasingly clear that Wee1 inhibition can also modulate therapeutic immune responses. We will discuss the mechanisms underlying combination treatments identifying both cell intrinsic and systemic anti-tumor activities.
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15
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Guerrero Llobet S, Bhattacharya A, Everts M, Kok K, van der Vegt B, Fehrmann RSN, van Vugt MATM. An mRNA expression-based signature for oncogene-induced replication-stress. Oncogene 2022; 41:1216-1224. [PMID: 35091678 PMCID: PMC7612401 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02162-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Oncogene-induced replication stress characterizes many aggressive cancers. Several treatments are being developed that target replication stress, however, identification of tumors with high levels of replication stress remains challenging. We describe a gene expression signature of oncogene-induced replication stress. A panel of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and non-transformed cell lines were engineered to overexpress CDC25A, CCNE1 or MYC, which resulted in slower replication kinetics. RNA sequencing analysis revealed a set of 52 commonly upregulated genes. In parallel, mRNA expression analysis of patient-derived tumor samples (TCGA, n = 10,592) also revealed differential gene expression in tumors with amplification of oncogenes that trigger replication stress (CDC25A, CCNE1, MYC, CCND1, MYB, MOS, KRAS, ERBB2, and E2F1). Upon integration, we identified a six-gene signature of oncogene-induced replication stress (NAT10, DDX27, ZNF48, C8ORF33, MOCS3, and MPP6). Immunohistochemical analysis of NAT10 in breast cancer samples (n = 330) showed strong correlation with expression of phospho-RPA (R = 0.451, p = 1.82 × 10-20) and γH2AX (R = 0.304, p = 2.95 × 10-9). Finally, we applied our oncogene-induced replication stress signature to patient samples from TCGA (n = 8,862) and GEO (n = 13,912) to define the levels of replication stress across 27 tumor subtypes, identifying diffuse large B cell lymphoma, ovarian cancer, TNBC and colorectal carcinoma as cancer subtypes with high levels of oncogene-induced replication stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergi Guerrero Llobet
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arkajyoti Bhattacharya
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Everts
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Klaas Kok
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bert van der Vegt
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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16
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Elbæk CR, Petrosius V, Benada J, Erichsen L, Damgaard RB, Sørensen CS. WEE1 kinase protects the stability of stalled DNA replication forks by limiting CDK2 activity. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110261. [PMID: 35045293 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular feedback systems ensure genome maintenance during DNA replication. When replication forks stall, newly replicated DNA is protected by pathways that limit excessive DNA nuclease attacks. Here we show that WEE1 activity guards against nascent DNA degradation at stalled forks. Furthermore, we identify WEE1-dependent suppression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) as a major activity counteracting fork degradation. We establish DNA2 as the nuclease responsible for excessive fork degradation in WEE1-inhibited cells. In addition, WEE1 appears to be unique among CDK activity suppressors in S phase because neither CHK1 nor p21 promote fork protection as WEE1 does. Our results identify a key role of WEE1 in protecting stalled forks, which is separate from its established role in safeguarding DNA replication initiation. Our findings highlight how WEE1 inhibition evokes massive genome challenges during DNA replication, and this knowledge may improve therapeutic strategies to specifically eradicate cancer cells that frequently harbor elevated DNA replication stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Reiter Elbæk
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark; Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Valdemaras Petrosius
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Jan Benada
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Louisa Erichsen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Rune Busk Damgaard
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Claus Storgaard Sørensen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark.
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17
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Meng X, Gao JZ, Gomendoza SMT, Li JW, Yang S. Recent Advances of WEE1 Inhibitors and Statins in Cancers With p53 Mutations. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:737951. [PMID: 34671620 PMCID: PMC8520942 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.737951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
p53 is among the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor genes given its prevalence in >50% of all human cancers. One critical tumor suppression function of p53 is to regulate transcription of downstream genes and maintain genomic stability by inducing the G1/S checkpoint in response to DNA damage. Tumor cells lacking functional p53 are defective in the G1/S checkpoint and become highly dependent on the G2/M checkpoint to maintain genomic stability and are consequently vulnerable to Wee1 inhibitors, which override the cell cycle G2/M checkpoint and induce cell death through mitotic catastrophe. In addition to the lost tumor suppression function, many mutated p53 (Mutp53) proteins acquire gain-of-function (GOF) activities as oncogenes to promote cancer progression, which manifest through aberrant expression of p53. In cancer cells with GOF Mutp53, statins can induce CHIP-mediated degradation of Mutp53 within the mevalonate pathway by blocking the interaction between mutp53 and DNAJA1. Therefore, targeting critical downstream pathways of Mutp53 provides an alternative strategy for treating cancers expressing Mutp53. In this review, we summarize recent advances with Wee1 inhibitors, statins, and mevalonate pathway inhibitors in cancers with p53 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangbing Meng
- Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Jason Z Gao
- Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | | | - John W Li
- Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Department of Human and Evolutionary Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shujie Yang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
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18
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Lockhead S, Moskaleva A, Kamenz J, Chen Y, Kang M, Reddy AR, Santos SDM, Ferrell JE. The Apparent Requirement for Protein Synthesis during G2 Phase Is due to Checkpoint Activation. Cell Rep 2021; 32:107901. [PMID: 32668239 PMCID: PMC7802425 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis inhibitors (e.g., cycloheximide) block mitotic entry, suggesting that cell cycle progression requires protein synthesis until right before mitosis. However, cycloheximide is also known to activate p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), which can delay mitotic entry through a G2/M checkpoint. Here, we ask whether checkpoint activation or a requirement for protein synthesis is responsible for the cycloheximide effect. We find that p38 inhibitors prevent cycloheximide-treated cells from arresting in G2 phase and that G2 duration is normal in approximately half of these cells. The Wee1 inhibitor MK-1775 and Wee1/Myt1 inhibitor PD0166285 also prevent cycloheximide from blocking mitotic entry, raising the possibility that Wee1 and/or Myt1 mediate the cycloheximide-induced G2 arrest. Thus, protein synthesis during G2 phase is not required for mitotic entry, at least when the p38 checkpoint pathway is abrogated. However, M phase progression is delayed in cycloheximide-plus-kinase-inhibitor-treated cells, emphasizing the different requirements of protein synthesis for timely entry and completion of mitosis. Protein synthesis inhibitors have long been known to prevent G2 phase cells from entering mitosis. Lockhead et al. demonstrate that this G2 arrest is due to the activation of p38 MAPK, not insufficient protein synthesis, arguing that protein synthesis in G2 phase is not absolutely required for mitotic entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lockhead
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA
| | - Alisa Moskaleva
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA
| | - Julia Kamenz
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA.
| | - Yuxin Chen
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA
| | - Minjung Kang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA
| | - Anay R Reddy
- Department of Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Silvia D M Santos
- Quantitative Cell Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - James E Ferrell
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5174, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5307, USA.
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19
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Wang L, Zhan L, Zhao Y, Huang Y, Wu C, Pan T, Qin Q, Xu Y, Deng Z, Li J, Hu H, Xue S, Yan S. The ATR-WEE1 kinase module inhibits the MAC complex to regulate replication stress response. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:1411-1425. [PMID: 33450002 PMCID: PMC7897505 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA damage response is a fundamental mechanism to maintain genome stability. The ATR-WEE1 kinase module plays a central role in response to replication stress. Although the ATR-WEE1 pathway has been well studied in yeasts and animals, how ATR-WEE1 functions in plants remains unclear. Through a genetic screen for suppressors of the Arabidopsis atr mutant, we found that loss of function of PRL1, a core subunit of the evolutionarily conserved MAC complex involved in alternative splicing, suppresses the hypersensitivity of atr and wee1 to replication stress. Biochemical studies revealed that WEE1 directly interacts with and phosphorylates PRL1 at Serine 145, which promotes PRL1 ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. In line with the genetic and biochemical data, replication stress induces intron retention of cell cycle genes including CYCD1;1 and CYCD3;1, which is abolished in wee1 but restored in wee1 prl1. Remarkably, co-expressing the coding sequences of CYCD1;1 and CYCD3;1 partially restores the root length and HU response in wee1 prl1. These data suggested that the ATR-WEE1 module inhibits the MAC complex to regulate replication stress responses. Our study discovered PRL1 or the MAC complex as a key downstream regulator of the ATR-WEE1 module and revealed a novel cell cycle control mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Li Zhan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yongchi Huang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Chong Wu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Ting Pan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Qi Qin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yiren Xu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Zhiping Deng
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Virology and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310021, China
| | - Jing Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Honghong Hu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Shaowu Xue
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Shunping Yan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
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20
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van Bijsterveldt L, Durley SC, Maughan TS, Humphrey TC. The Challenge of Combining Chemo- and Radiotherapy with Checkpoint Kinase Inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:937-962. [PMID: 33257428 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-3358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical models of cancer have demonstrated enhanced efficacy of cell-cycle checkpoint kinase inhibitors when used in combination with genotoxic agents. This combination therapy is predicted to be exquisitely toxic to cells with a deficient G1-S checkpoint or cells with a genetic predisposition leading to intrinsic DNA replication stress, as these cancer cells become fully dependent on the intra-S and G2-M checkpoints for DNA repair and cellular survival. Therefore, abolishing remaining cell-cycle checkpoints after damage leads to increased cell death in a tumor cell-specific fashion. However, the preclinical success of these drug combinations is not consistently replicated in clinical trials. Here, we provide a perspective on the translation of preclinical studies into rationally designed clinical studies. We will discuss successes and failures of current treatment combinations and drug regimens and provide a detailed overview of all clinical trials using ATR, CHK1, or WEE1 inhibitors in combination with genotoxic agents. This highlights the need for revised patient stratification and the use of appropriate pharmacodynamic biomarkers to improve the success rate of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda van Bijsterveldt
- MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samuel C Durley
- MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tim S Maughan
- MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy C Humphrey
- MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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21
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Keenan TE, Li T, Vallius T, Guerriero JL, Tayob N, Kochupurakkal B, Davis J, Pastorello R, Tahara RK, Anderson L, Conway J, He MX, Shannon E, Godin RE, Sorger PK, D'Andrea A, Overmoyer B, Winer EP, Mittendorf EA, Van Allen EM, Shapiro GI, Tolaney SM. Clinical Efficacy and Molecular Response Correlates of the WEE1 Inhibitor Adavosertib Combined with Cisplatin in Patients with Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:983-991. [PMID: 33257427 PMCID: PMC7887044 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-20-3089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We report results from a phase II study assessing the efficacy of the WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib with cisplatin in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with mTNBC treated with 0-1 prior lines of chemotherapy received cisplatin 75 mg/m2 i.v. followed 21 days later by cisplatin plus adavosertib 200 mg oral twice daily for five doses every 21 days. The study had 90% power to detect the difference between null (20%) and alternative (40%) objective response rates (ORR) with a one-sided type I error of 0.1: an ORR >30% was predefined as making the regimen worthy of further study. RNA sequencing and multiplex cyclic immunofluorescence on pre- and post-adavosertib tumor biopsies, as well as targeted next-generation sequencing on archival tissue, were correlated with clinical benefit, defined as stable disease ≥6 months or complete or partial response. RESULTS A total of 34 patients initiated protocol therapy; median age was 56 years, 2 patients (6%) had BRCA2 mutations, and 14 (41%) had one prior chemotherapy. ORR was 26% [95% confidence interval (CI), 13-44], and median progression-free survival was 4.9 months (95% CI, 2.3-5.7). Treatment-related grade 3-5 adverse events occurred in 53% of patients, most commonly diarrhea in 21%. One death occurred because of sepsis, possibly related to study therapy. Tumors from patients with clinical benefit demonstrated enriched immune gene expression and T-cell infiltration. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with mTNBC treated with 0-1 prior lines, adavosertib combined with cisplatin missed the prespecified ORR cutoff of >30%. The finding of immune-infiltrated tumors in patients with clinical benefit warrants validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya E Keenan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tianyu Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tuulia Vallius
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer L Guerriero
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nabihah Tayob
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bose Kochupurakkal
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Janae Davis
- Breast Tumor Immunology Laboratory, Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ricardo Pastorello
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rie K Tahara
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Leilani Anderson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jake Conway
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Meng X He
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Harvard Graduate Program in Biophysics, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Erin Shannon
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Peter K Sorger
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alan D'Andrea
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Beth Overmoyer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eric P Winer
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Elizabeth A Mittendorf
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Eliezer M Van Allen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Research at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sara M Tolaney
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
- Breast Oncology Program, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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22
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Pan T, Qin Q, Nong C, Gao S, Wang L, Cai B, Zhang M, Wu C, Chen H, Li T, Xiong D, Li G, Wang S, Yan S. A novel WEE1 pathway for replication stress responses. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:209-218. [PMID: 33574575 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00855-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
DNA replication stress poses a severe threat to genome stability and is a hallmark of cancer as well as a target for cancer therapy. It is well known that the evolutionarily conserved protein kinase WEE1 regulates replication stress responses by directly phosphorylating and inhibiting the major cell cycle driver CDKs in many organisms. Here, we report a novel WEE1 pathway. We found that Arabidopsis WEE1 directly interacts with and phosphorylates the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBL17 that promotes the degradation of CDK inhibitors. The phosphorylated FBL17 is further polyubiquitinated and degraded, thereby leading to the accumulation of CDK inhibitors and the inhibition of CDKs. In strong support for this model, either loss of function of FBL17 or overexpression of CDK inhibitors suppresses the hypersensitivity of the wee1 mutant to replication stress. Intriguingly, human WEE1 also phosphorylates and destabilizes the FBL17 equivalent protein SKP2, indicating that this is a conserved mechanism. This study reveals that the WEE1-FBL17/SKP2-CKIs-CDKs axis is a molecular framework for replication stress responses, which may have clinical implications because the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 is currently in phase II clinical trial as an anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Pan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Qin
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chubing Nong
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shan Gao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lili Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bingcheng Cai
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Chong Wu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hanchen Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tong Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dan Xiong
- College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Guoliang Li
- College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shui Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shunping Yan
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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23
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Zhu G, Pan C, Bei JX, Li B, Liang C, Xu Y, Fu X. Mutant p53 in Cancer Progression and Targeted Therapies. Front Oncol 2020; 10:595187. [PMID: 33240819 PMCID: PMC7677253 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.595187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
TP53 is the most frequently mutated tumor suppressor gene in human cancer. The majority of mutations of p53 are missense mutations, leading to the expression of the full length p53 mutant proteins. Mutant p53 (Mutp53) proteins not only lose wild-type p53-dependent tumor suppressive functions, but also frequently acquire oncogenic gain-of-functions (GOF) that promote tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in our understanding of the oncogenic GOF of mutp53 and the potential therapies targeting mutp53 in human cancers. In particular, we discuss the promising drugs that are currently under clinical trials as well as the emerging therapeutic strategies, including CRISPR/Cas9 based genome edition of mutant TP53 allele, small peptide mediated restoration of wild-type p53 function, and immunotherapies that directly eliminate mutp53 expressing tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyang Zhu
- Postdoctoral Research Center, Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan, China
| | - Chaoyun Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jin-Xin Bei
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Liang
- Shenzhen International Institute for Biomedical Research, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Xuemei Fu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
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24
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Overexpression of Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A leads to replication stress, mitotic aberrancies, and increased sensitivity to replication checkpoint inhibitors. Oncogenesis 2020; 9:88. [PMID: 33028815 PMCID: PMC7542455 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-020-00270-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogene-induced replication stress, for instance as a result of Cyclin E1 overexpression, causes genomic instability and has been linked to tumorigenesis. To survive high levels of replication stress, tumors depend on pathways to deal with these DNA lesions, which represent a therapeutically actionable vulnerability. We aimed to uncover the consequences of Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A overexpression on replication kinetics, mitotic progression, and the sensitivity to inhibitors of the WEE1 and ATR replication checkpoint kinases. We modeled oncogene-induced replication stress using inducible expression of Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A in non-transformed RPE-1 cells, either in a TP53 wild-type or TP53-mutant background. DNA fiber analysis showed Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A overexpression to slow replication speed. The resulting replication-derived DNA lesions were transmitted into mitosis causing chromosome segregation defects. Single cell sequencing revealed that replication stress and mitotic defects upon Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A overexpression resulted in genomic instability. ATR or WEE1 inhibition exacerbated the mitotic aberrancies induced by Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A overexpression, and caused cytotoxicity. Both these phenotypes were exacerbated upon p53 inactivation. Conversely, downregulation of Cyclin E1 rescued both replication kinetics, as well as sensitivity to ATR and WEE1 inhibitors. Taken together, Cyclin E1 or Cdc25A-induced replication stress leads to mitotic segregation defects and genomic instability. These mitotic defects are exacerbated by inhibition of ATR or WEE1 and therefore point to mitotic catastrophe as an underlying mechanism. Importantly, our data suggest that Cyclin E1 overexpression can be used to select patients for treatment with replication checkpoint inhibitors.
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25
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Brunner A, Suryo Rahmanto A, Johansson H, Franco M, Viiliäinen J, Gazi M, Frings O, Fredlund E, Spruck C, Lehtiö J, Rantala JK, Larsson LG, Sangfelt O. PTEN and DNA-PK determine sensitivity and recovery in response to WEE1 inhibition in human breast cancer. eLife 2020; 9:57894. [PMID: 32628111 PMCID: PMC7338058 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of WEE1 kinase by AZD1775 has shown promising results in clinical cancer trials, but markers predicting AZD1775 response are lacking. Here we analysed AZD1775 response in a panel of human breast cancer (BC) cell lines by global proteome/transcriptome profiling and identified two groups of basal-like BC (BLBCs): ‘PTEN low’ BLBCs were highly sensitive to AZD1775 and failed to recover following removal of AZD1775, while ‘PTEN high’ BLBCs recovered. AZD1775 induced phosphorylation of DNA-PK, protecting cells from replication-associated DNA damage and promoting cellular recovery. Deletion of DNA-PK or PTEN, or inhibition of DNA-PK sensitized recovering BLBCs to AZD1775 by abrogating replication arrest, allowing replication despite DNA damage. This was linked to reduced CHK1 activation, increased cyclin E levels and apoptosis. In conclusion, we identified PTEN and DNA-PK as essential regulators of replication checkpoint arrest in response to AZD1775 and defined PTEN as a promising biomarker for efficient WEE1 cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrä Brunner
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Henrik Johansson
- Cancer Proteomics Mass Spectrometry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcela Franco
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johanna Viiliäinen
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mohiuddin Gazi
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Oliver Frings
- Cancer Proteomics Mass Spectrometry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Fredlund
- Cancer Proteomics Mass Spectrometry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Charles Spruck
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, United States
| | - Janne Lehtiö
- Cancer Proteomics Mass Spectrometry, Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Juha K Rantala
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Lars-Gunnar Larsson
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Olle Sangfelt
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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26
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Antitumor effect of a WEE1 inhibitor and potentiation of olaparib sensitivity by DNA damage response modulation in triple-negative breast cancer. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9930. [PMID: 32555285 PMCID: PMC7303169 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66018-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to its regulation of CDK1/2 phosphorylation, WEE1 plays essentially roles in the regulations of G2/M checkpoint and DNA damage response (DDR). WEE1 inhibition can increase genomic instability by inducing replication stress and G2/M checkpoint inactivation, which result in increased cellular sensitivity to DNA damaging agents. We considered an increase in genomic instability induced by WEE1 inhibition might be used to augment the effects of drugs targeting DNA repair protein. Typically, PARP inhibitors are effective in germline BRCA 1/2 mutated breast and ovarian cancer, but their applicabilities in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are limited. This study was conducted to investigate the anti-tumor effects of the WEE1 inhibitor, AZD1775, and the mechanism responsible for its potentiation of sensitivity to olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) via the modulation of DDR in TNBC cells. Our results suggest that AZD1775 could be used to broaden the application range of olaparib in TNBC and provide a rationale for a clinical trial of combined olaparib and AZD1775 therapy.
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27
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Abstract
DNA damage response (DDR) pathway prevents high level endogenous and environmental DNA damage being replicated and passed on to the next generation of cells via an orchestrated and integrated network of cell cycle checkpoint signalling and DNA repair pathways. Depending on the type of damage, and where in the cell cycle it occurs different pathways are involved, with the ATM-CHK2-p53 pathway controlling the G1 checkpoint or ATR-CHK1-Wee1 pathway controlling the S and G2/M checkpoints. Loss of G1 checkpoint control is common in cancer through TP53, ATM mutations, Rb loss or cyclin E overexpression, providing a stronger rationale for targeting the S/G2 checkpoints. This review will focus on the ATM-CHK2-p53-p21 pathway and the ATR-CHK1-WEE1 pathway and ongoing efforts to target these pathways for patient benefit.
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28
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Liang L, He Y, Wang H, Zhou H, Xiao L, Ye M, Kuang Y, Luo S, Zuo Y, Feng P, Yang C, Cao W, Liu T, Roy M, Xiao X, Liu J. The Wee1 kinase inhibitor MK1775 suppresses cell growth, attenuates stemness and synergises with bortezomib in multiple myeloma. Br J Haematol 2020; 191:62-76. [PMID: 32314355 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma stem-like cells (MMSCs) are responsible for initiation and relapse, though novel treatment paradigms that effectively eradicate MMSCs are yet to be developed. Selective inhibition of the cell cycle regulatory kinase Wee1 by MK1775 is being explored as a potential anti-cancer therapeutic. We report that higher expression of Wee1 is correlated with poor survival in multiple myeloma (MM). The MM models and patient-derived CD138+ plasma cells are particularly sensitive to the growth-inhibitory effects of the Wee1 inhibitor MK1775. MK1775 induces Mus81-Eme1 endonuclease-mediated DNA damage in S-phase cell cycle that results in a blockade of replication and then apoptosis. Furthermore, MK1775 strongly suppresses the features of stemness in vitro, in vivo and in primary CD138+ cells by decreasing ALDH1+ cell fraction and the expression of ALDH1. In addition, co-treatment of MK1775 with bortezomib is synergistic in vitro and in vivo. Bortezomib, although it enhances ALDH1+ cells, when combined with MK1775 abrogates this stimulatory effect on stemness. Considering MM as an invariably incurable malignancy due to the presence of heterogenic myeloma stem-like cells, our study presents inhibition of Wee1 as a promising targeted therapy for MM and provides a compelling rationale to further investigate the activity of MK1775 against myeloma in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Liang
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yanjuan He
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haiqin Wang
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Lymphoma & Hematology Department, The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Xiangya Medical School of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ling Xiao
- Department of Histology and Embryology of School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Mao Ye
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Yijin Kuang
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Saiqun Luo
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuna Zuo
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Peifu Feng
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Chaoying Yang
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wenjie Cao
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Histology and Embryology of School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Taohua Liu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, China
| | - Mridul Roy
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory, State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaojuan Xiao
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center & Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China
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29
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WEE1 kinase limits CDK activities to safeguard DNA replication and mitotic entry. Mutat Res 2020; 819-820:111694. [PMID: 32120135 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2020.111694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Precise execution of the cell division cycle is vital for all organisms. The Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) are the main cell cycle drivers, however, their activities must be precisely fine-tuned to ensure orderly cell cycle progression. A major regulatory axis is guarded by WEE1 kinase, which directly phosphorylates and inhibits CDK1 and CDK2. The role of WEE1 in the G2/M cell-cycle phase has been thoroughly investigated, and it is a focal point of multiple clinical trials targeting a variety of cancers in combination with DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents. However, the emerging role of WEE1 in S phase has so far largely been neglected. Here, we review how WEE1 regulates cell-cycle progression highlighting the importance of this kinase for proper S phase. We discuss how its function is modulated throughout different cell-cycle stages and provide an overview of how WEE1 levels are regulated. Furthermore, we outline recent clinical trials targeting WEE1 and elaborate on the mechanisms behind the anticancer efficacy of WEE1 inhibition. Finally, we consider novel biomarkers that may benefit WEE1-inhibition approaches in the clinic.
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30
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Heijink AM, Everts M, Honeywell ME, Richards R, Kok YP, de Vries EGE, Lee MJ, van Vugt MATM. Modeling of Cisplatin-Induced Signaling Dynamics in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Reveals Mediators of Sensitivity. Cell Rep 2019; 28:2345-2357.e5. [PMID: 31461651 PMCID: PMC6718811 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.07.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) display great diversity in cisplatin sensitivity that cannot be explained solely by cancer-associated DNA repair defects. Differential activation of the DNA damage response (DDR) to cisplatin has been proposed to underlie the observed differential sensitivity, but it has not been investigated systematically. Systems-level analysis-using quantitative time-resolved signaling data and phenotypic responses, in combination with mathematical modeling-identifies that the activation status of cell-cycle checkpoints determines cisplatin sensitivity in TNBC cell lines. Specifically, inactivation of the cell-cycle checkpoint regulator MK2 or G3BP2 sensitizes cisplatin-resistant TNBC cell lines to cisplatin. Dynamic signaling data of five cell cycle-related signals predicts cisplatin sensitivity of TNBC cell lines. We provide a time-resolved map of cisplatin-induced signaling that uncovers determinants of chemo-sensitivity, underscores the impact of cell-cycle checkpoints on cisplatin sensitivity, and offers starting points to optimize treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Margriet Heijink
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Everts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Megan E Honeywell
- Program in Systems Biology and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ryan Richards
- Program in Systems Biology and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Yannick P Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Michael J Lee
- Program in Systems Biology and Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
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van Gijn SE, Wierenga E, van den Tempel N, Kok YP, Heijink AM, Spierings DCJ, Foijer F, van Vugt MATM, Fehrmann RSN. TPX2/Aurora kinase A signaling as a potential therapeutic target in genomically unstable cancer cells. Oncogene 2019; 38:852-867. [PMID: 30177840 PMCID: PMC6367211 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0470-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Genomic instability is a hallmark feature of cancer cells, and can be caused by defective DNA repair, for instance due to inactivation of BRCA2. Paradoxically, loss of Brca2 in mice results in embryonic lethality, whereas cancer cells can tolerate BRCA2 loss. This holds true for multiple DNA repair genes, and suggests that cancer cells are molecularly "rewired" to cope with defective DNA repair and the resulting high levels of genomic instability. In this study, we aim to identify genes that genomically unstable cancer cells rely on for their survival. Using functional genomic mRNA (FGmRNA) profiling, 16,172 cancer samples were previously ranked based on their degree of genomic instability. We analyzed the top 250 genes that showed a positive correlation between FGmRNA levels and the degree of genomic instability, in a co-functionality network. Within this co-functionality network, a strong cluster of 11 cell cycle-related genes was identified, including TPX2. We then assessed the dependency on these 11 genes in the context of survival of genomically unstable cancer cells, induced by BRCA2 inactivation. Depletion of TPX2 or its associated kinase Aurora-A preferentially reduced cell viability in a panel of BRCA2-deficient cancer cells. In line with these findings, BRCA2-depleted and BRCA2-mutant human cell lines, or tumor cell lines derived from Brca2-/-;p53-/- mice showed increased sensitivity to the Aurora-A kinase inhibitor alisertib, with delayed mitotic progression and frequent mitotic failure. Our findings reveal that BRCA2-deficient cancer cells show enhanced sensitivity to inactivation of TPX2 or its partner Aurora-A, which points at an actionable dependency of genomically unstable cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E van Gijn
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Elles Wierenga
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nathalie van den Tempel
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yannick P Kok
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anne Margriet Heijink
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diana C J Spierings
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Floris Foijer
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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BRCA2 deficiency instigates cGAS-mediated inflammatory signaling and confers sensitivity to tumor necrosis factor-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:100. [PMID: 30626869 PMCID: PMC6327059 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07927-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of BRCA2 affects genome stability and is deleterious for cellular survival. Using a genome-wide genetic screen in near-haploid KBM-7 cells, we show that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) signaling is a determinant of cell survival upon BRCA2 inactivation. Specifically, inactivation of the TNF receptor (TNFR1) or its downstream effector SAM68 rescues cell death induced by BRCA2 inactivation. BRCA2 inactivation leads to pro-inflammatory cytokine production, including TNFα, and increases sensitivity to TNFα. Enhanced TNFα sensitivity is not restricted to BRCA2 inactivation, as BRCA1 or FANCD2 inactivation, or hydroxyurea treatment also sensitizes cells to TNFα. Mechanistically, BRCA2 inactivation leads to cGAS-positive micronuclei and results in a cell-intrinsic interferon response, as assessed by quantitative mass-spectrometry and gene expression profiling, and requires ASK1 and JNK signaling. Combined, our data reveals that micronuclei induced by loss of BRCA2 instigate a cGAS/STING-mediated interferon response, which encompasses re-wired TNFα signaling and enhances TNFα sensitivity. The loss of homologous recombination (HR) genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 is deleterious to the survival of normal cells, yet it is tolerated in cancer cells. Here the authors identify TNFα signaling as a determinant of viability in BRCA2- inactivated cancer cells.
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de Boer HR, Pool M, Joosten E, Everts M, Samplonius DF, Helfrich W, Groen HJM, van Cooten S, Fusetti F, Fehrmann RSN, de Vries EGE, van Vugt MATM. Quantitative proteomics analysis identifies MUC1 as an effect sensor of EGFR inhibition. Oncogene 2018; 38:1477-1488. [PMID: 30305724 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0522-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Tumor responses to cancer therapeutics are generally monitored every 2-3 months based on changes in tumor size. Dynamic biomarkers that reflect effective engagement of targeted therapeutics to the targeted pathway, so-called "effect sensors", would fulfill a need for non-invasive, drug-specific indicators of early treatment effect. Using a proteomics approach to identify effect sensors, we demonstrated MUC1 upregulation in response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting treatments in breast and lung cancer models. To achieve this, using semi-quantitative mass spectrometry, we found MUC1 to be significantly and durably upregulated in response to erlotinib, an EGFR-targeting treatment. MUC1 upregulation was regulated transcriptionally, involving PI3K-signaling and STAT3. We validated these results in erlotinib-sensitive human breast and non-small lung cancer cell lines. Importantly, erlotinib treatment of mice bearing SUM149 xenografts resulted in increased MUC1 shedding into plasma. Analysis of MUC1 using serial blood sampling may therefore be a new, relatively non-invasive tool to monitor early and drug-specific effects of EGFR-targeting therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Rudolf de Boer
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Martin Pool
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Esméé Joosten
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marieke Everts
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Douwe F Samplonius
- Department of Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Wijnand Helfrich
- Department of Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Harry J M Groen
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Suzanne van Cooten
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Fabrizia Fusetti
- Department of Biochemistry, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Netherlands Proteomics Centre & Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Rudolf S N Fehrmann
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Marcel A T M van Vugt
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, Netherlands.
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Premature activation of Cdk1 leads to mitotic events in S phase and embryonic lethality. Oncogene 2018; 38:998-1018. [PMID: 30190546 PMCID: PMC6756125 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0464-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cell cycle regulation, especially faithful DNA replication and mitosis, are crucial to maintain genome stability. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)/cyclin complexes drive most processes in cellular proliferation. In response to DNA damage, cell cycle surveillance mechanisms enable normal cells to arrest and undergo repair processes. Perturbations in genomic stability can lead to tumor development and suggest that cell cycle regulators could be effective targets in anticancer therapy. However, many clinical trials ended in failure due to off-target effects of the inhibitors used. Here, we investigate in vivo the importance of WEE1- and MYT1-dependent inhibitory phosphorylation of mammalian CDK1. We generated Cdk1AF knockin mice, in which two inhibitory phosphorylation sites are replaced by the non-phosphorylatable amino acids T14A/Y15F. We uncovered that monoallelic expression of CDK1AF is early embryonic lethal in mice and induces S phase arrest accompanied by γH2AX and DNA damage checkpoint activation in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). The chromosomal fragmentation in Cdk1AF MEFs does not rely on CDK2 and is partly caused by premature activation of MUS81-SLX4 structure-specific endonuclease complexes, as well as untimely onset of chromosome condensation followed by nuclear lamina disassembly. We provide evidence that tumor development in liver expressing CDK1AF is inhibited. Interestingly, the regulatory mechanisms that impede cell proliferation in CDK1AF expressing cells differ partially from the actions of the WEE1 inhibitor, MK-1775, with p53 expression determining the sensitivity of cells to the drug response. Thus, our work highlights the importance of improved therapeutic strategies for patients with various cancer types and may explain why some patients respond better to WEE1 inhibitors.
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Chen X, Low KH, Alexander A, Jiang Y, Karakas C, Hess KR, Carey JPW, Bui TN, Vijayaraghavan S, Evans KW, Yi M, Ellis DC, Cheung KL, Ellis IO, Fu S, Meric-Bernstam F, Hunt KK, Keyomarsi K. Cyclin E Overexpression Sensitizes Triple-Negative Breast Cancer to Wee1 Kinase Inhibition. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:6594-6610. [PMID: 30181387 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Poor prognosis in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is due to an aggressive phenotype and lack of biomarker-driven targeted therapies. Overexpression of cyclin E and phosphorylated-CDK2 are correlated with poor survival in patients with TNBC, and the absence of CDK2 desensitizes cells to inhibition of Wee1 kinase, a key cell-cycle regulator. We hypothesize that cyclin E expression can predict response to therapies, which include the Wee1 kinase inhibitor, AZD1775. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Mono- and combination therapies with AZD1775 were evaluated in TNBC cell lines and multiple patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with different cyclin E expression profiles. The mechanism(s) of cyclin E-mediated replicative stress were investigated following cyclin E induction or CRISPR/Cas9 knockout by a number of assays in multiple cell lines. RESULTS Cyclin E overexpression (i) is enriched in TNBCs with high recurrence rates, (ii) sensitizes TNBC cell lines and PDX models to AZD1775, (iii) leads to CDK2-dependent activation of DNA replication stress pathways, and (iv) increases Wee1 kinase activity. Moreover, treatment of cells with either CDK2 inhibitors or carboplatin leads to transient transcriptional induction of cyclin E (in cyclin E-low tumors) and result in DNA replicative stress. Such drug-mediated cyclin E induction in TNBC cells and PDX models sensitizes them to AZD1775 in a sequential treatment combination strategy.Conclusions: Cyclin E is a potential biomarker of response (i) for AZD1775 as monotherapy in cyclin E-high TNBC tumors and (ii) for sequential combination therapy with CDK2 inhibitor or carboplatin followed by AZD1775 in cyclin E-low TNBC tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian Chen
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
| | - Kwang-Huei Low
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Angela Alexander
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Yufeng Jiang
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Cansu Karakas
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kenneth R Hess
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jason P W Carey
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Tuyen N Bui
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Smruthi Vijayaraghavan
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kurt W Evans
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Min Yi
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - D Christian Ellis
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kwok-Leung Cheung
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ian O Ellis
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Siqing Fu
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Funda Meric-Bernstam
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Kelly K Hunt
- Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Khandan Keyomarsi
- Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas.
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36
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37
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Fang B, Kannan A, Guo T, Gao L. Simultaneously targeting DNA damage repair pathway and mTORC1/2 results in small cell lung cancer growth arrest via ER stress-induced apoptosis. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:1221-1231. [PMID: 30123071 PMCID: PMC6097473 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.25488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly lethal with no effective therapy. Wee1 kinase inhibitor AZD1775 (MK-1775) and mTOR kinase inhibitor MLN0128 (TAK228) are in clinical trials for relapsed SCLC and recurrent lung cancer, respectively. However, there is no preclinical data combining these two drugs in human cancers. Methods: In this study, we set to investigate the combinatorial anti-tumor effects of AZD1775 and MLN0128 on two human SCLC cell lines H69 and H82 in vitro and in vivo. Results: We have found that AZD1775 or MLN0128 treatment results in remarkably suppressed cell proliferation and increased cell death in vitro, what's more, the salient finding here is the potent anti-tumor effect observed in combinatorial treatment in H82 xenograft tumor. Importantly, we have first observed marked induction of ER stress and CHOP-dependent SCLC cell apoptosis in MLN0128 and AZD1775-primed cells. Conclusion: Our study has first provided preclinical evidence that combination of AZD1775 and MLN0128 could be a novel effective therapy for advanced SCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Fang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205.,Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Aarthi Kannan
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205
| | - Tao Guo
- Department of Hematology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ling Gao
- Department of Dermatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205
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Jin J, Fang H, Yang F, Ji W, Guan N, Sun Z, Shi Y, Zhou G, Guan X. Combined Inhibition of ATR and WEE1 as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Neoplasia 2018; 20:478-488. [PMID: 29605721 PMCID: PMC5915994 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive subtype of breast cancer that poses a clinical challenge. Thus, new therapy strategies are urgently needed. The selective WEE1 inhibitor, AZD1775, has shown strong anti-proliferative effects on a variety of tumors. Here, we first demonstrate that inhibition of ATR by selective inhibitor AZD6738 can enhance AZD1775-caused growth inhibition in TNBC. Our results show that the enhanced cell death is attributed to repressed DNA damage repair and excessive replication stress, thereby causing increased DNA damage reflected by accumulation of the DNA double-strand-break marker γH2AX. On the other hand, combined treatment with AZD6738 and AZD1775 forces mitotic entry of cells with DNA damages by activating CDK1 activity, inducing severely aberrant mitosis and mitotic catastrophe, ultimately resulting in cell death. Dual inhibition of WEE1 and ATR also inactivated RAD51-mediated homologous recombination, which sensitized TNBC cells to cisplatin and PARP inhibitor. Here, based on the preclinical results that ATR inhibition synergizes with WEE1 inhibition in TNBC, we propose that this combination therapy alone, or in parallel with chemotherapy, represents an innovative and potent targeted therapy in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hehui Fang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenfei Ji
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Guan
- International Department American Division, Nanjing Jinling High School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zijia Sun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yaqin Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guohua Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoxiang Guan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
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New tools for old drugs: Functional genetic screens to optimize current chemotherapy. Drug Resist Updat 2018; 36:30-46. [PMID: 29499836 PMCID: PMC5844649 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite substantial advances in the treatment of various cancers, many patients still receive anti-cancer therapies that hardly eradicate tumor cells but inflict considerable side effects. To provide the best treatment regimen for an individual patient, a major goal in molecular oncology is to identify predictive markers for a personalized therapeutic strategy. Regarding novel targeted anti-cancer therapies, there are usually good markers available. Unfortunately, however, targeted therapies alone often result in rather short remissions and little cytotoxic effect on the cancer cells. Therefore, classical chemotherapy with frequent long remissions, cures, and a clear effect on cancer cell eradication remains a corner stone in current anti-cancer therapy. Reliable biomarkers which predict the response of tumors to classical chemotherapy are rare, in contrast to the situation for targeted therapy. For the bulk of cytotoxic therapeutic agents, including DNA-damaging drugs, drugs targeting microtubules or antimetabolites, there are still no reliable biomarkers used in the clinic to predict tumor response. To make progress in this direction, meticulous studies of classical chemotherapeutic drug action and resistance mechanisms are required. For this purpose, novel functional screening technologies have emerged as successful technologies to study chemotherapeutic drug response in a variety of models. They allow a systematic analysis of genetic contributions to a drug-responsive or −sensitive phenotype and facilitate a better understanding of the mode of action of these drugs. These functional genomic approaches are not only useful for the development of novel targeted anti-cancer drugs but may also guide the use of classical chemotherapeutic drugs by deciphering novel mechanisms influencing a tumor’s drug response. Moreover, due to the advances of 3D organoid cultures from patient tumors and in vivo screens in mice, these genetic screens can be applied using conditions that are more representative of the clinical setting. Patient-derived 3D organoid lines furthermore allow the characterization of the “essentialome”, the specific set of genes required for survival of these cells, of an individual tumor, which could be monitored over the course of treatment and help understanding how drug resistance evolves in clinical tumors. Thus, we expect that these functional screens will enable the discovery of novel cancer-specific vulnerabilities, and through clinical validation, move the field of predictive biomarkers forward. This review focuses on novel advanced techniques to decipher the interplay between genetic alterations and drug response.
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Emerging Therapeutics to Overcome Chemoresistance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Mini-Review. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18102171. [PMID: 29057791 PMCID: PMC5666852 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18102171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women and the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. One of the leading causes of death in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is chemoresistant disease, which may present as intrinsic or acquired resistance to therapies. Here we discuss some of the known molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance that have been exhaustively investigated in chemoresistant ovarian cancer, including drug efflux pump multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, DNA damage and repair capacity. We also discuss novel therapeutics that may address some of the challenges in bringing approaches that target chemoresistant processes from bench to bedside. Some of these new therapies include novel drug delivery systems, targets that may halt adaptive changes in the tumor, exploitation of tumor mutations that leave cancer cells vulnerable to irreversible damage, and novel drugs that target ribosomal biogenesis, a process that may be uniquely different in cancer versus non-cancerous cells. Each of these approaches, or a combination of them, may provide a greater number of positive outcomes for a broader population of HGSOC patients.
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Use of a genome-wide haploid genetic screen to identify treatment predicting factors: a proof-of-principle study in pancreatic cancer. Oncotarget 2017; 8:63635-63645. [PMID: 28969017 PMCID: PMC5609949 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to develop a comprehensive panel of treatment predicting factors would significantly improve our ability to stratify patients for cytotoxic or targeted therapies, and prevent patients receiving ineffective treatments. We have investigated if a recently developed genome-wide haploid genetic screen can be used to reveal the critical mediators of response to anticancer therapy. Pancreatic cancer is known to be highly resistant to systemic therapy. Recently epigenetic changes have been shown to be a key determinant in the maintenance of subpopulations of cancer cells with high-level resistance to cytotoxic therapy. We show that in human pancreatic cancer cell lines, treatment with the potent class I histone deacetylase inhibitor, entinostat, synergistically enhances gemcitabine-induced inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Using a genome-wide haploid genetic screen, we identified deoxycytidine kinase (DCK) as one of the genes with the highest degree of insertional enrichment following treatment with gemcitabine and entinostat; DCK is already known to be the rate-limiting activating enzyme for gemcitabine. Immunoblotting confirmed loss of DCK protein expression in the resistant KBM7 cells. CRISPR/Cas-9 inactivation of DCK in pancreatic cancer cell lines resulted in resistance to gemcitabine alone and in combination with entinostat. We have identified gemcitabine and entinostat as a potential new combination therapy in pancreatic cancer, and in this proof-of-principle study we have demonstrated that a recently developed haploid genetic screen can be used as a novel approach to identify the critical genes that determine treatment response.
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Richer AL, Cala JM, O'Brien K, Carson VM, Inge LJ, Whitsett TG. WEE1 Kinase Inhibitor AZD1775 Has Preclinical Efficacy in LKB1-Deficient Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Res 2017; 77:4663-4672. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-3565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Yuan F, Zheng A. Entry of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus. Virol Sin 2016; 32:44-50. [PMID: 27995422 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-016-3858-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is a globe-shaped virus covered by a dense icosahedral array of glycoproteins Gn/Gc that mediate the attachment of the virus to host cells and the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Several membrane factors are involved in virus entry, including C-type lectins and nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIA. The post-fusion crystal structure of the Gc protein suggests that it is a class II membrane fusion protein, similar to the E/E1 protein of flaviviruses and alphaviruses. The virus particles are internalized into host cell endosomes through the clathrin-dependent pathway, where the low pH activates the fusion of the virus with the cell membrane. With information from studies on other bunyaviruses, herein we will review our knowledge of the entry process of SFTSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Aihua Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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Inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1 mediates prolonged prophase I arrest in female germ cells and is essential for female reproductive lifespan. Cell Res 2016; 26:1212-1225. [PMID: 27767095 PMCID: PMC5099868 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2016.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A unique feature of female germ cell development in mammals is their remarkably long arrest at the prophase of meiosis I, which lasts up to 50 years in humans. Both dormant and growing oocytes are arrested at prophase I and completely lack the ability to resume meiosis. Here, we show that the prolonged meiotic arrest of female germ cells is largely achieved via the inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1 (cyclin-dependent kinase 1). In two mouse models where we have introduced mutant Cdk1T14AY15F which cannot be inhibited by phosphorylation (Cdk1AF) in small meiotically incompetent oocytes, the prophase I arrest is interrupted, leading to a premature loss of female germ cells. We show that in growing oocytes, Cdk1AF leads to premature resumption of meiosis with condensed chromosomes and germinal vesicle breakdown followed by oocyte death, whereas in dormant oocytes, Cdk1AF leads to oocyte death directly, and both situations damage the ovarian reserve that maintains the female reproductive lifespan, which should be around 1 year in mice. Furthermore, interruption of the inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1 results in DNA damage, which is accompanied by induction of the Chk2 (checkpoint kinase 2)-p53/p63-dependent cell death pathway, which eventually causes global oocyte death. Together, our data demonstrate that the phosphorylation-mediated suppression of Cdk1 activity is one of the crucial factors that maintain the lengthy prophase arrest in mammalian female germ cells, which is essential for preserving the germ cell pool and reproductive lifespan in female mammals.
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Jhuraney A, Woods NT, Wright G, Rix L, Kinose F, Kroeger JL, Remily-Wood E, Cress WD, Koomen JM, Brantley SG, Gray JE, Haura EB, Rix U, Monteiro AN. PAXIP1 Potentiates the Combination of WEE1 Inhibitor AZD1775 and Platinum Agents in Lung Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2016; 15:1669-81. [PMID: 27196765 PMCID: PMC4936941 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The DNA damage response (DDR) involves a complex network of signaling events mediated by modular protein domains such as the BRCA1 C-terminal (BRCT) domain. Thus, proteins that interact with BRCT domains and are a part of the DDR constitute potential targets for sensitization to DNA-damaging chemotherapy agents. We performed a pharmacologic screen to evaluate 17 kinases, identified in a BRCT-mediated interaction network as targets to enhance platinum-based chemotherapy in lung cancer. Inhibition of mitotic kinase WEE1 was found to have the most effective response in combination with platinum compounds in lung cancer cell lines. In the BRCT-mediated interaction network, WEE1 was found in complex with PAXIP1, a protein containing six BRCT domains involved in transcription and in the cellular response to DNA damage. We show that PAXIP1 BRCT domains regulate WEE1-mediated phosphorylation of CDK1. Furthermore, ectopic expression of PAXIP1 promotes enhanced caspase-3-mediated apoptosis in cells treated with WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 (formerly, MK-1775) and cisplatin compared with cells treated with AZD1775 alone. Cell lines and patient-derived xenograft models expressing both PAXIP1 and WEE1 exhibited synergistic effects of AZD1775 and cisplatin. In summary, PAXIP1 is involved in sensitizing lung cancer cells to the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 in combination with platinum-based treatment. We propose that WEE1 and PAXIP1 levels may be used as mechanism-based biomarkers of response when WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 is combined with DNA-damaging agents. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(7); 1669-81. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Jhuraney
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida. Cancer Biology PhD Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Nicholas T Woods
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Gabriela Wright
- Department of Drug Discovery, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Lily Rix
- Department of Drug Discovery, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Fumi Kinose
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jodi L Kroeger
- Flow Cytometry Core, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Elizabeth Remily-Wood
- Molecular Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - W Douglas Cress
- Molecular Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - John M Koomen
- Molecular Oncology Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Stephen G Brantley
- M2Gen, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Jhanelle E Gray
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Eric B Haura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Uwe Rix
- Department of Drug Discovery, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.
| | - Alvaro N Monteiro
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.
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