1
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Chao Y, Chen Y, Zheng W, Demanelis K, Liu Y, Connelly JA, Wang H, Li S, Wang QJ. Synthetic lethal combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibition for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Oncogene 2024; 43:789-803. [PMID: 38273024 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-02939-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
WEE1 and CHEK1 (CHK1) kinases are critical regulators of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage response pathways. The WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 and the CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 are in clinical trials for various cancers, but have not been thoroughly examined in prostate cancer, particularly castration-resistant (CRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancers (NEPC). Our data demonstrated elevated WEE1 and CHK1 expressions in CRPC and NEPC cell lines and patient samples. AZD1775 resulted in rapid and potent cell killing with comparable IC50s across different prostate cancer cell lines, while SRA737 displayed time-dependent progressive cell killing with 10- to 20-fold differences in IC50s. Notably, their combination synergistically reduced the viability of all CRPC cell lines and tumor spheroids in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, in a transgenic mouse model of NEPC, both agents alone or in combination suppressed tumor growth, improved overall survival, and reduced the incidence of distant metastases, with SRA737 exhibiting remarkable single agent anticancer activity. Mechanistically, SRA737 synergized with AZD1775 by blocking AZD1775-induced feedback activation of CHK1 in prostate cancer cells, resulting in increased mitotic entry and accumulation of DNA damage. In summary, this preclinical study shows that CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 alone and its combination with AZD1775 offer potential effective treatments for CRPC and NEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapeng Chao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yuzhou Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wenxiao Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kathryn Demanelis
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jaclyn A Connelly
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Song Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Qiming Jane Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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2
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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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3
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Huffman BM, Feng H, Parmar K, Wang J, Kapner KS, Kochupurakkal B, Martignetti DB, Sadatrezaei G, Abrams TA, Biller LH, Giannakis M, Ng K, Patel AK, Perez KJ, Singh H, Rubinson DA, Schlechter BL, Andrews E, Hannigan AM, Dunwell S, Getchell Z, Raghavan S, Wolpin BM, Fortier C, D’Andrea AD, Aguirre AJ, Shapiro GI, Cleary JM. A Phase I Expansion Cohort Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of the CHK1 Inhibitor LY2880070 with Low-dose Gemcitabine in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:5047-5056. [PMID: 37819936 PMCID: PMC10842136 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-23-2005] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Combining gemcitabine with CHK1 inhibition has shown promise in preclinical models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we report the findings from a phase I expansion cohort study (NCT02632448) investigating low-dose gemcitabine combined with the CHK1 inhibitor LY2880070 in patients with previously treated advanced PDAC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with metastatic PDAC were treated with gemcitabine intravenously at 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, and LY2880070 50 mg orally twice daily on days 2-6, 9-13, and 16-20 of each 21-day cycle. Pretreatment tumor biopsies were obtained from each patient for correlative studies and generation of organoid cultures for drug sensitivity testing and biomarker analyses. RESULTS Eleven patients with PDAC were enrolled in the expansion cohort between August 27, 2020 and July 30, 2021. Four patients (36%) experienced drug-related grade 3 adverse events. No objective radiologic responses were observed, and all patients discontinued the trial by 3.2 months. In contrast to the lack of efficacy observed in patients, organoid cultures derived from biopsies procured from two patients demonstrated strong sensitivity to the gemcitabine/LY2880070 combination and showed treatment-induced upregulation of replication stress and DNA damage biomarkers, including pKAP1, pRPA32, and γH2AX, as well as induction of replication fork instability. CONCLUSIONS No evidence of clinical activity was observed for combined low-dose gemcitabine and LY2880070 in this treatment-refractory PDAC cohort. However, the gemcitabine/LY2880070 combination showed in vitro efficacy, suggesting that drug sensitivity for this combination in organoid cultures may not predict clinical benefit in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon M. Huffman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hanrong Feng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kalindi Parmar
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Junning Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kevin S. Kapner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Bose Kochupurakkal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - David B. Martignetti
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Golbahar Sadatrezaei
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Thomas A. Abrams
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Leah H. Biller
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Marios Giannakis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kimmie Ng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anuj K. Patel
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kimberly J. Perez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Harshabad Singh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Douglas A. Rubinson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Benjamin L. Schlechter
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Elizabeth Andrews
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alison M. Hannigan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Stanley Dunwell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zoe Getchell
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Srivatsan Raghavan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Brian M. Wolpin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Alan D. D’Andrea
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andrew J. Aguirre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Geoffrey I. Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James M. Cleary
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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4
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Wang Q, Chao Y, Chen Y, Zheng W, Demanelis K, Liu Y, Connelly J, Wang H. Synthetic lethal combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibition for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3564450. [PMID: 37987002 PMCID: PMC10659531 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3564450/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 and CHEK1 (CHK1) kinases are critical regulators of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage response pathways. The WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 and the CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 are in clinical trials for various cancers, but have not been examined in prostate cancer, particularly castration-resistant (CRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancers (NEPC). Our data demonstrated elevated WEE1 and CHK1 expressions in CRPC/NEPC cell lines and patient samples. AZD1775 resulted in rapid and potent cell killing with comparable IC50s across different prostate cancer cell lines, while SRA737 displayed time-dependent progressive cell killing with 10- to 20-fold differences in IC50s. Notably, their combination synergistically reduced the viability of all CRPC cell lines and tumor spheroids in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, in a transgenic mouse model of NEPC, both agents alone or in combination suppressed tumor growth, improved overall survival, and reduced the incidence of distant metastases, with SRA737 exhibiting remarkable single agent anticancer activity. Mechanistically, SRA737 synergized with AZD1775 by blocking AZD1775-induced feedback activation of CHK1 in prostate cancer cells, resulting in increased mitotic entry and accumulation of DNA damage. In summary, this preclinical study shows that CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 alone and its combination with AZD1775 offer potential effective treatments for CRPC and NEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yu Liu
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | | | - Hong Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
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5
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da Costa AABA, Chowdhury D, Shapiro GI, D'Andrea AD, Konstantinopoulos PA. Targeting replication stress in cancer therapy. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:38-58. [PMID: 36202931 PMCID: PMC11132912 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00558-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 98.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Replication stress is a major cause of genomic instability and a crucial vulnerability of cancer cells. This vulnerability can be therapeutically targeted by inhibiting kinases that coordinate the DNA damage response with cell cycle control, including ATR, CHK1, WEE1 and MYT1 checkpoint kinases. In addition, inhibiting the DNA damage response releases DNA fragments into the cytoplasm, eliciting an innate immune response. Therefore, several ATR, CHK1, WEE1 and MYT1 inhibitors are undergoing clinical evaluation as monotherapies or in combination with chemotherapy, poly[ADP-ribose]polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, or immune checkpoint inhibitors to capitalize on high replication stress, overcome therapeutic resistance and promote effective antitumour immunity. Here, we review current and emerging approaches for targeting replication stress in cancer, from preclinical and biomarker development to clinical trial evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dipanjan Chowdhury
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alan D D'Andrea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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6
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Xu X, Kumari R, Zhou J, Chen J, Mao B, Wang J, Zheng M, Tu X, An X, Chen X, Zhang L, Tian X, Wang H, Dong X, Bao Z, Guo S, Ouyang X, Shang L, Wang F, Yan X, Zhang R, Vries RGJ, Clevers H, Li QX. A living biobank of matched pairs of patient-derived xenografts and organoids for cancer pharmacology. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279821. [PMID: 36602988 PMCID: PMC9815646 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDX)/organoid (PDO), driven by cancer stem cells (CSC), are considered the most predictive models for translational oncology. Large PDX collections reflective of patient populations have been created and used extensively to test various investigational therapies, including population-trials as surrogate subjects in vivo. PDOs are recognized as in vitro surrogates for patients amenable for high-throughput screening (HTS). We have built a biobank of carcinoma PDX-derived organoids (PDXOs) by converting an existing PDX library and confirmed high degree of similarities between PDXOs and parental PDXs in genomics, histopathology and pharmacology, suggesting "biological equivalence or interchangeability" between the two. Here we demonstrate the applications of PDXO biobank for HTS "matrix" screening for both lead compounds and indications, immune cell co-cultures for immune-therapies and engineering enables in vitro/in vivo imaging. This large biobank of >550 matched pairs of PDXs/PDXOs across different cancers could become powerful tools for the future cancer drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Xu
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Beijing, China
| | - Rajendra Kumari
- Crown Bioscience Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jun Zhou
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Crown Bioscience Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Binchen Mao
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | | | | | - Xiaolong Tu
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyu An
- Crown Bioscience Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | | | - Xiaoli Tian
- Shanghai Yihao Biological Technology, Xuhui District, Shanghai, China
| | - Haojie Wang
- Suzhou NeoLogics Bioscience Co, LTD, Suzhou, China
| | - Xin Dong
- Suzhou NeoLogics Bioscience Co, LTD, Suzhou, China
| | | | - Sheng Guo
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | | | | | - Fei Wang
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xuefei Yan
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Crown Bioscience Inc., Taicang City, Jiangsu, China
| | - Robert G. J. Vries
- Hubrecht Organoid Technology (HUB), Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Qi-Xiang Li
- Crown Bioscience Inc., San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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7
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Rodriguez CP, Kang H, Geiger JL, Burtness B, Chung CH, Pickering CR, Fakhry C, Le QT, Yom SS, Galloway TJ, Golemis E, Li A, Shoop J, Wong S, Mehra R, Skinner H, Saba NF, Flores ER, Myers JN, Ford JM, Karchin R, Ferris RL, Kunos C, Lynn JM, Malik S. Clinical Trial Development in TP53-Mutated Locally Advanced and Recurrent and/or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. J Natl Cancer Inst 2022; 114:1619-1627. [PMID: 36053203 PMCID: PMC9745425 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
TP53 mutation is the most frequent genetic event in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), found in more than 80% of patients with human papillomavirus-negative disease. As mutations in the TP53 gene are associated with worse outcomes in HNSCC, novel therapeutic approaches are needed for patients with TP53-mutated tumors. The National Cancer Institute sponsored a Clinical Trials Planning Meeting to address the issues of identifying and developing clinical trials for patients with TP53 mutations. Subcommittees, or breakout groups, were tasked with developing clinical studies in both the locally advanced and recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) disease settings as well as considering signal-seeking trial designs. A fourth breakout group was focused on identifying and standardizing biomarker integration into trial design; this information was provided to the other breakout groups prior to the meeting to aid in study development. A total of 4 concepts were prioritized to move forward for further development and implementation. This article summarizes the proceedings of the Clinical Trials Planning Meeting with the goal of developing clinical trials for patients with TP53-mutant HNSCC that can be conducted within the National Clinical Trials Network.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hyunseok Kang
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Geiger
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Christine H Chung
- Department of Head and Neck-Endocrine Oncology, Moffit Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Curtis R Pickering
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Carole Fakhry
- Division of Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Quynh Thu Le
- Department of Radiation Oncology-Radiation Therapy, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Sue S Yom
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thomas J Galloway
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Erica Golemis
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alice Li
- Kaiser Permanente Oakland, Oakland, CA, USA
| | | | - Stuart Wong
- Division of Neoplastic Diseases, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Ranee Mehra
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Heath Skinner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nabil F Saba
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elsa R Flores
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Moffit Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Myers
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - James M Ford
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Rachel Karchin
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert L Ferris
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Jean M Lynn
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shakun Malik
- National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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8
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Golder A, Nelson L, Tighe A, Barnes B, Coulson-Gilmer C, Morgan R, McGrail J, Taylor S. Multiple-low-dose therapy: effective killing of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells with ATR and CHK1 inhibitors. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac036. [PMID: 36381271 PMCID: PMC9653014 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is an aggressive disease that typically develops drug resistance, thus novel biomarker-driven strategies are required. Targeted therapy focuses on synthetic lethality—pioneered by PARP inhibition of BRCA1/2-mutant disease. Subsequently, targeting the DNA replication stress response (RSR) is of clinical interest. However, further mechanistic insight is required for biomarker discovery, requiring sensitive models that closely recapitulate HGSOC. We describe an optimized proliferation assay that we use to screen 16 patient-derived ovarian cancer models (OCMs) for response to RSR inhibitors (CHK1i, WEE1i, ATRi, PARGi). Despite genomic heterogeneity characteristic of HGSOC, measurement of OCM proliferation was reproducible and reflected intrinsic tumour-cell properties. Surprisingly, RSR targeting drugs were not interchangeable, as sensitivity to the four inhibitors was not correlated. Therefore, to overcome RSR redundancy, we screened the OCMs with all two-, three- and four-drug combinations in a multiple-low-dose strategy. We found that low-dose CHK1i-ATRi had a potent anti-proliferative effect on 15 of the 16 OCMs, and was synergistic with potential to minimise treatment resistance and toxicity. Low-dose ATRi-CHK1i induced replication catastrophe followed by mitotic exit and post-mitotic arrest or death. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential of the living biobank of OCMs as a drug discovery platform for HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya Golder
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Louisa Nelson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Anthony Tighe
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Bethany Barnes
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Camilla Coulson-Gilmer
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Robert D Morgan
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust , Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 4BX, UK
| | - Joanne C McGrail
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Stephen S Taylor
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
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9
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Abstract
Upon DNA damage, complex transduction cascades are unleashed to locate, recognise and repair affected lesions. The process triggers a pause in the cell cycle until the damage is resolved. Even under physiologic conditions, this deliberate interruption of cell division is essential to ensure orderly DNA replication and chromosomal segregation. WEE1 is an established regulatory protein in this vast fidelity-monitoring machinery. Its involvement in the DNA damage response and cell cycle has been a subject of study for decades. Emerging studies have also implicated WEE1 directly and indirectly in other cellular functions, including chromatin remodelling and immune response. The expanding role of WEE1 in pathophysiology is matched by the keen surge of interest in developing WEE1-targeted therapeutic agents. This review summarises WEE1 involvement in the cell cycle checkpoints, epigenetic modification and immune signalling, as well as the current state of WEE1 inhibitors in cancer therapeutics.
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10
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Rødland GE, Hauge S, Hasvold G, Bay LTE, Raabe TTH, Joel M, Syljuåsen RG. Differential Effects of Combined ATR/WEE1 Inhibition in Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153790. [PMID: 34359691 PMCID: PMC8345075 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer cells often show elevated replication stress and loss of cell cycle checkpoints. The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) and WEE1 kinases play roles in protecting cancer cells from high replication stress and in regulating the remaining cell cycle checkpoints. Inhibitors of ATR or WEE1 therefore have the potential to selectively kill cancer cells and are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, more studies are needed to understand how these inhibitors work in various types of cancer and to find the most effective ways of using them. Here, we have explored whether simultaneous treatment with ATR and WEE1 inhibitors is a promising approach. Effects were investigated in cell lines from osteosarcoma and lung cancer. We expect our results to be of importance for future treatment strategies with these inhibitors. Abstract Inhibitors of WEE1 and ATR kinases are considered promising for cancer treatment, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy. Here, we addressed whether simultaneous inhibition of WEE1 and ATR might be advantageous. Effects of the WEE1 inhibitor MK1775 and ATR inhibitor VE822 were investigated in U2OS osteosarcoma cells and in four lung cancer cell lines, H460, A549, H1975, and SW900, with different sensitivities to the WEE1 inhibitor. Despite the differences in cytotoxic effects, the WEE1 inhibitor reduced the inhibitory phosphorylation of CDK, leading to increased CDK activity accompanied by ATR activation in all cell lines. However, combining ATR inhibition with WEE1 inhibition could not fully compensate for cell resistance to the WEE1 inhibitor and reduced cell viability to a variable extent. The decreased cell viability upon the combined treatment correlated with a synergistic induction of DNA damage in S-phase in U2OS cells but not in the lung cancer cells. Moreover, less synergy was found between ATR and WEE1 inhibitors upon co-treatment with radiation, suggesting that single inhibitors may be preferable together with radiotherapy. Altogether, our results support that combining WEE1 and ATR inhibitors may be beneficial for cancer treatment in some cases, but also highlight that the effects vary between cancer cell lines.
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11
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Lieftink C, Beijersbergen RL. It takes two to tango, and the right music: Synergistic drug combinations with cell-cycle phase-dependent sensitivities. EBioMedicine 2021; 69:103448. [PMID: 34186491 PMCID: PMC8243350 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cor Lieftink
- Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The NKI Robotics and Screening Center, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Roderick L Beijersbergen
- Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, The NKI Robotics and Screening Center, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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12
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Koh SB, Ross K, Isakoff SJ, Melkonjan N, He L, Matissek KJ, Schultz A, Mayer EL, Traina TA, Carey LA, Rugo HS, Liu MC, Stearns V, Langenbucher A, Saladi SV, Ramaswamy S, Lawrence MS, Ellisen LW. RASAL2 Confers Collateral MEK/EGFR Dependency in Chemoresistant Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:4883-4897. [PMID: 34168046 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE While chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), identifying and managing chemoresistant tumors has proven elusive. We sought to discover hallmarks and therapeutically actionable features of refractory TNBC through molecular analysis of primary chemoresistant TNBC specimens. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed transcriptional profiling of tumors from a phase II clinical trial of platinum chemotherapy for advanced TNBC (TBCRC-009), revealing a gene expression signature that identified de novo chemorefractory tumors. We then employed pharmacogenomic data mining, proteomic and other molecular studies to define the therapeutic vulnerabilities of these tumors. RESULTS We reveal the RAS-GTPase-activating protein (RAS-GAP) RASAL2 as an upregulated factor that mediates chemotherapy resistance but also an exquisite collateral sensitivity to combination MAP kinase kinase (MEK1/2) and EGFR inhibitors in TNBC. Mechanistically, RASAL2 GAP activity is required to confer kinase inhibitor sensitivity, as RASAL2-high TNBCs sustain basal RAS activity through suppression of negative feedback regulators SPRY1/2, together with EGFR upregulation. Consequently, RASAL2 expression results in failed feedback compensation upon co-inhibition of MEK1/2 and EGFR that induces synergistic apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In patients with TNBC, high RASAL2 levels predict clinical chemotherapy response and long-term outcomes, and are associated via direct transcriptional regulation with activated oncogenic Yes-Associated Protein (YAP). Accordingly, chemorefractory patient-derived TNBC models exhibit YAP activation, high RASAL2 expression, and tumor regression in response to MEK/EGFR inhibitor combinations despite well-tolerated intermittent dosing. CONCLUSIONS These findings identify RASAL2 as a mediator of TNBC chemoresistance that rewires MAPK feedback and cross-talk to confer profound collateral sensitivity to combination MEK1/2 and EGFR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siang-Boon Koh
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kenneth Ross
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Steven J Isakoff
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nsan Melkonjan
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lei He
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karina J Matissek
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Andrew Schultz
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Erica L Mayer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Lisa A Carey
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Hope S Rugo
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Minetta C Liu
- Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Vered Stearns
- Johns Hopkins University and Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Adam Langenbucher
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Srinivas Vinod Saladi
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sridhar Ramaswamy
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael S Lawrence
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Leif W Ellisen
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts. .,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
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13
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Barnaba N, LaRocque JR. Targeting cell cycle regulation via the G2-M checkpoint for synthetic lethality in melanoma. CELL CYCLE (GEORGETOWN, TEX.) 2021; 20:1041-1051. [PMID: 33966611 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2021.1922806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Disruption of cell cycle checkpoints has been well established as a hallmark of cancer. In particular, the G1-S transition mediated by the cyclin D-cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) pathway is dysregulated in more than 90% of melanoma cases. Therefore, tumor cells mainly rely on the G2-M checkpoint to halt the cell cycle in order to repair DNA damage. Here, we review the promising method of cell cycle-mediated synthetic lethality for melanoma treatment, which entails exploiting somatically acquired mutations in the G1-S transition with inhibitors of the G2-M transition in order to specifically kill melanoma cells. The idea stems from the theory that melanoma cells lacking G1-S checkpoints are particularly vulnerable to mitotic catastrophe when presented with G2-M checkpoint inhibition in addition to DNA damage, whereas normal cells with intact G1-S checkpoints should theoretically be spared. This review explores the link between cell cycle dysregulation and synthetic lethality in melanoma cells and discusses potential future applications for this treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Barnaba
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.,Georgetown University School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA
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14
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Store-Operated Calcium Entry: Shaping the Transcriptional and Epigenetic Landscape in Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2021; 10:cells10050966. [PMID: 33919156 PMCID: PMC8143176 DOI: 10.3390/cells10050966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) displays a particularly poor prognosis and low survival rate, mainly due to late diagnosis and high incidence of chemotherapy resistance. Genomic aberrations, together with changes in the epigenomic profile, elicit a shift in cellular signaling response and a transcriptional reprograming in pancreatic tumors. This endows them with malignant attributes that enable them to not only overcome chemotherapeutic challenges, but to also attain diverse oncogenic properties. In fact, certain genetic amplifications elicit a rewiring of calcium signaling, which can confer ER stress resistance to tumors while also aberrantly activating known drivers of oncogenic programs such as NFAT. While calcium is a well-known second messenger, the transcriptional programs driven by aberrant calcium signaling remain largely undescribed in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we focus on calcium-dependent signaling and its role in epigenetic programs and transcriptional regulation. We also briefly discuss genetic aberration events, exemplifying how genetic alterations can rewire cellular signaling cascades, including calcium-dependent ones.
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15
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Gorecki L, Andrs M, Korabecny J. Clinical Candidates Targeting the ATR-CHK1-WEE1 Axis in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:795. [PMID: 33672884 PMCID: PMC7918546 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective killing of cancer cells while sparing healthy ones is the principle of the perfect cancer treatment and the primary aim of many oncologists, molecular biologists, and medicinal chemists. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms that distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones. Accordingly, several clinical candidates that use particular mutations in cell-cycle progressions have been developed to kill cancer cells. As the majority of cancer cells have defects in G1 control, targeting the subsequent intra‑S or G2/M checkpoints has also been extensively pursued. This review focuses on clinical candidates that target the kinases involved in intra‑S and G2/M checkpoints, namely, ATR, CHK1, and WEE1 inhibitors. It provides insight into their current status and future perspectives for anticancer treatment. Overall, even though CHK1 inhibitors are still far from clinical establishment, promising accomplishments with ATR and WEE1 inhibitors in phase II trials present a positive outlook for patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Gorecki
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
| | - Martin Andrs
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Korabecny
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
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16
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Chang HR, Jung E, Cho S, Jeon YJ, Kim Y. Targeting Non-Oncogene Addiction for Cancer Therapy. Biomolecules 2021; 11:129. [PMID: 33498235 PMCID: PMC7909239 DOI: 10.3390/biom11020129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and technological advances have been useful in identifying genetic profiles of tumorigenesis, novel target proteins and various clinical biomarkers, cancer continues to be a major global health threat. DNA replication, DNA damage response (DDR) and repair, and cell cycle regulation continue to be essential systems in targeted cancer therapies. Although many genes involved in DDR are known to be tumor suppressor genes, cancer cells are often dependent and addicted to these genes, making them excellent therapeutic targets. In this review, genes implicated in DNA replication, DDR, DNA repair, cell cycle regulation are discussed with reference to peptide or small molecule inhibitors which may prove therapeutic in cancer patients. Additionally, the potential of utilizing novel synthetic lethal genes in these pathways is examined, providing possible new targets for future therapeutics. Specifically, we evaluate the potential of TONSL as a novel gene for targeted therapy. Although it is a scaffold protein with no known enzymatic activity, the strategy used for developing PCNA inhibitors can also be utilized to target TONSL. This review summarizes current knowledge on non-oncogene addiction, and the utilization of synthetic lethality for developing novel inhibitors targeting non-oncogenic addiction for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hae Ryung Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences and Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (E.J.); (S.C.)
| | - Eunyoung Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences and Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (E.J.); (S.C.)
| | - Soobin Cho
- Department of Biological Sciences and Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (E.J.); (S.C.)
| | - Young-Jun Jeon
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea;
| | - Yonghwan Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Research Institute of Women’s Health, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 04310, Korea; (E.J.); (S.C.)
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17
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Pharmacological Inhibition of WEE1 Potentiates the Antitumoral Effect of the dl922-947 Oncolytic Virus in Malignant Mesothelioma Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197333. [PMID: 33020398 PMCID: PMC7582744 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a very aggressive asbestos-related cancer, for which no therapy proves to be effective. We have recently shown that the oncolytic adenovirus dl922-947 had antitumor effects in MM cell lines and murine xenografts. Previous studies demonstrated that dl922-947-induced host cell cycle checkpoint deregulation and consequent DNA lesions associated with the virus efficacy. However, the cellular DNA damage response (DDR) can counteract this virus action. Therefore, we assessed whether AZD1775, an inhibitor of the G2/M DNA damage checkpoint kinase WEE1, could enhance MM cell sensitivity to dl922-947. Through cell viability assays, we found that AZD1775 synergized with dl922-947 selectively in MM cell lines and increased dl922-947-induced cell death, which showed hallmarks of apoptosis (annexinV-positivity, caspase-dependency, BCL-XL decrease, chromatin condensation). Predictably, dl922-947 and/or AZD1775 activated the DDR, as indicated by increased levels of three main DDR players: phosphorylated histone H2AX (γ-H2AX), phospho-replication protein A (RPA)32, phospho-checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1). Dl922-947 also increased inactive Tyr-15-phosphorylated cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), a key WEE1 substrate, which is indicative of G2/M checkpoint activation. This increase in phospho-CDK1 was effectively suppressed by AZD1775, thus suggesting that this compound could, indeed, abrogate the dl922-947-induced DNA damage checkpoint in MM cells. Overall, our data suggest that the dl922-947-AZD1775 combination could be a feasible strategy against MM.
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18
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Ghelli Luserna di Rorà A, Cerchione C, Martinelli G, Simonetti G. A WEE1 family business: regulation of mitosis, cancer progression, and therapeutic target. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:126. [PMID: 32958072 PMCID: PMC7507691 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00959-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway in the treatment of cancer has recently gained interest, and different DDR inhibitors have been developed. Among them, the most promising ones target the WEE1 kinase family, which has a crucial role in cell cycle regulation and DNA damage identification and repair in both nonmalignant and cancer cells. This review recapitulates and discusses the most recent findings on the biological function of WEE1/PKMYT1 during the cell cycle and in the DNA damage repair, with a focus on their dual role as tumor suppressors in nonmalignant cells and pseudo-oncogenes in cancer cells. We here report the available data on the molecular and functional alterations of WEE1/PKMYT1 kinases in both hematological and solid tumors. Moreover, we summarize the preclinical information on 36 chemo/radiotherapy agents, and in particular their effect on cell cycle checkpoints and on the cellular WEE1/PKMYT1-dependent response. Finally, this review outlines the most important pre-clinical and clinical data available on the efficacy of WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitors in monotherapy and in combination with chemo/radiotherapy agents or with other selective inhibitors currently used or under evaluation for the treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna di Rorà
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Claudio Cerchione
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy.
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19
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Chemogenomic screening identifies the Hsp70 co-chaperone DNAJA1 as a hub for anticancer drug resistance. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13831. [PMID: 32796891 PMCID: PMC7429498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70764-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is an important molecular chaperone that regulates oncoprotein stability and tumorigenesis. However, attempts to develop anti-chaperone drugs targeting molecules such as Hsp70 have been hampered by toxicity issues. Hsp70 is regulated by a suite of co-chaperone molecules that bring “clients” to the primary chaperone for efficient folding. Rather than targeting Hsp70 itself, here we have examined the feasibility of inhibiting the Hsp70 co-chaperone DNAJA1 as a novel anticancer strategy. We found DNAJA1 to be upregulated in a variety of cancers, suggesting a role in malignancy. To confirm this role, we screened the NIH Approved Oncology collection for chemical-genetic interactions with loss of DNAJA1 in cancer. 41 compounds showed strong synergy with DNAJA1 loss, whereas 18 dramatically lost potency. Several hits were validated using a DNAJA1 inhibitor (116-9e) in castration-resistant prostate cancer cell (CRPC) and spheroid models. Taken together, these results confirm that DNAJA1 is a hub for anticancer drug resistance and that DNAJA1 inhibition is a potent strategy to sensitize cancer cells to current and future therapeutics. The large change in drug efficacy linked to DNAJA1 suggests a personalized medicine approach where tumor DNAJA1 status may be used to optimize therapeutic strategy.
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20
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Simonenko V, Lu X, Roesch E, Mutisya D, Shao C, Sun Q, Patterson-Orazem A, McNair M, Shanmuganathan A, Lu P, Evans DM. A novel siRNA-gemcitabine construct as a potential therapeutic for treatment of pancreatic cancer. NAR Cancer 2020; 2:zcaa016. [PMID: 34316688 PMCID: PMC8209983 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The non-nucleoside analog gemcitabine has been the standard of care for treating pancreatic cancer. The drug shows good potency in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro but, due to poor bioavailability, requires administration in large doses by infusion and this systemic exposure results in significant toxicity for the patient. Genes have been identified that, when silenced by siRNA, synergize with gemcitabine treatment and offer a means of reducing the gemcitabine dosage required for efficacy. However, benefiting from the synergism between the two agents requires that the gemcitabine and siRNA penetrate the same cells. To ensure co-delivery, we incorporated gemcitabine covalently within siRNAs against targets synergistic with gemcitabine (CHK1 or RAD17). We demonstrated that specific bases within an siRNA can be replaced with gemcitabine to increase efficacy. The result is a single drug molecule that simultaneously co-delivers gemcitabine and a synergistic siRNA. The siRNA–gemcitabine constructs demonstrate a 5–30-fold improvement in potency compared with gemcitabine alone. Co-delivering a CHK1 siRNA–gemcitabine construct together with a WEE1 siRNA resulted in a 10-fold improvement in IC50 compared with gemcitabine alone. These constructs demonstrate efficacy across a wide array of pancreatic tumor cells and may represent a novel therapeutic approach for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Simonenko
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - Xiaoyong Lu
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - Eric Roesch
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - Daniel Mutisya
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - Chunbo Shao
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - Qian Sun
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | | | - Marcus McNair
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | | | - Patrick Lu
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
| | - David M Evans
- Sirnaomics Inc., Suite 280, 401 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, USA
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21
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Cleary JM, Aguirre AJ, Shapiro GI, D'Andrea AD. Biomarker-Guided Development of DNA Repair Inhibitors. Mol Cell 2020; 78:1070-1085. [PMID: 32459988 PMCID: PMC7316088 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anti-cancer drugs targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) exploit genetic or functional defects in this pathway through synthetic lethal mechanisms. For example, defects in homologous recombination (HR) repair arise in cancer cells through inherited or acquired mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, or other genes in the Fanconi anemia/BRCA pathway, and these tumors have been shown to be particularly sensitive to inhibitors of the base excision repair (BER) protein poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Recent work has identified additional genomic and functional assays of DNA repair that provide new predictive and pharmacodynamic biomarkers for these targeted therapies. Here, we examine the development of selective agents targeting DNA repair, including PARP inhibitors; inhibitors of the DNA damage kinases ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR), CHK1, WEE1, and ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM); and inhibitors of classical non-homologous end joining (cNHEJ) and alternative end joining (Alt EJ). We also review the biomarkers that guide the use of these agents and current clinical trials with these therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Cleary
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andrew J Aguirre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alan D D'Andrea
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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22
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Warren NJH, Eastman A. Comparison of the different mechanisms of cytotoxicity induced by checkpoint kinase I inhibitors when used as single agents or in combination with DNA damage. Oncogene 2020; 39:1389-1401. [PMID: 31659257 PMCID: PMC7023985 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-1079-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of the DNA damage response is an emerging strategy to treat cancer. Understanding how DNA damage response inhibitors cause cytotoxicity in cancer cells is crucial to their further clinical development. This review focuses on three different mechanisms of cell killing by checkpoint kinase I inhibitors (CHK1i). DNA damage induced by chemotherapy drugs, such as topoisomerase I inhibitors, results in S and G2 phase arrest. Addition of CHK1i promotes cell cycle progression before repair is completed resulting in mitotic catastrophe. Ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors such as gemcitabine also arrest cells in S phase by preventing dNTP synthesis. Addition of CHK1i re-activates the DNA helicase to unwind DNA, but in the absence of dNTPs, this leads to excessive single-strand DNA that exceeds the protective capacity of the single-strand-binding protein RPA. Unprotected DNA is subjected to nuclease cleavage, resulting in replication catastrophe. CHK1i alone also kills a subset of cell lines through MRE11 and MUS81-mediated DNA cleavage in S phase cells. The choice of mechanism depends on the activation state of CDK2. Low level activation of CDK2 mediates helicase activation, cell cycle progression, and both replication and mitotic catastrophe. In contrast, high CDK2 activity is required for sensitivity to CHK1i as monotherapy. This high CDK2 activity threshold usually occurs late in the cell cycle to prepare for mitosis, but in CHK1i-sensitive cells, high activity can be attained in early S phase, resulting in DNA cleavage and cell death. This sensitivity to CHK1i has previously been associated with endogenous replication stress, but the dependence on high CDK2 activity, as well as MRE11, contradicts this hypothesis. The major unresolved question is why some cell lines fail to restrain their high CDK2 activity and hence succumb to CHK1i in S phase. Resolving this question will facilitate stratification of patients for treatment with CHK1i as monotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J H Warren
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA
| | - Alan Eastman
- Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, 03756, USA.
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23
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Koppenhafer SL, Goss KL, Terry WW, Gordon DJ. Inhibition of the ATR-CHK1 Pathway in Ewing Sarcoma Cells Causes DNA Damage and Apoptosis via the CDK2-Mediated Degradation of RRM2. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:91-104. [PMID: 31649026 PMCID: PMC6942212 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of deoxyribonucleotides, causes DNA replication stress and activates the ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related protein (ATR)-checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) pathway. Notably, a number of different cancers, including Ewing sarcoma tumors, are sensitive to the combination of RNR and ATR-CHK1 inhibitors. However, multiple, overlapping mechanisms are reported to underlie the toxicity of ATR-CHK1 inhibitors, both as single agents and in combination with RNR inhibitors, toward cancer cells. Here, we identified a feedback loop in Ewing sarcoma cells in which inhibition of the ATR-CHK1 pathway depletes RRM2, the small subunit of RNR, and exacerbates the DNA replication stress and DNA damage caused by RNR inhibitors. Mechanistically, we identified that the inhibition of ATR-CHK1 activates CDK2, which targets RRM2 for degradation via the proteasome. Similarly, activation of CDK2 by inhibition or knockdown of the WEE1 kinase also depletes RRM2 and causes DNA damage and apoptosis. Moreover, we show that the concurrent inhibition of ATR and WEE1 has a synergistic effect in Ewing sarcoma cells. Overall, our results provide novel insight into the response to DNA replication stress, as well as a rationale for targeting the ATR, CHK1, and WEE1 pathways, in Ewing sarcoma tumors. IMPLICATIONS: Targeting the ATR, CHK1, and WEE1 kinases in Ewing sarcoma cells activates CDK2 and increases DNA replication stress by promoting the proteasome-mediated degradation of RRM2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacia L Koppenhafer
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kelli L Goss
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - William W Terry
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - David J Gordon
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
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24
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Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà A, Bocconcelli M, Ferrari A, Terragna C, Bruno S, Imbrogno E, Beeharry N, Robustelli V, Ghetti M, Napolitano R, Chirumbolo G, Marconi G, Papayannidis C, Paolini S, Sartor C, Simonetti G, Yen TJ, Martinelli G. Synergism Through WEE1 and CHK1 Inhibition in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11111654. [PMID: 31717700 PMCID: PMC6895917 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Screening for synthetic lethality markers has demonstrated that the inhibition of the cell cycle checkpoint kinases WEE1 together with CHK1 drastically affects stability of the cell cycle and induces cell death in rapidly proliferating cells. Exploiting this finding for a possible therapeutic approach has showed efficacy in various solid and hematologic tumors, though not specifically tested in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methods: The efficacy of the combination between WEE1 and CHK1 inhibitors in B and T cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B/T-ALL) was evaluated in vitro and ex vivo studies. The efficacy of the therapeutic strategy was tested in terms of cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and changes in cell cycle profile and protein expression using B/T-ALL cell lines. In addition, the efficacy of the drug combination was studied in primary B-ALL blasts using clonogenic assays. Results: This study reports, for the first time, the efficacy of the concomitant inhibition of CHK1/CHK2 and WEE1 in ALL cell lines and primary leukemic B-ALL cells using two selective inhibitors: PF-0047736 (CHK1/CHK2 inhibitor) and AZD-1775 (WEE1 inhibitor). We showed strong synergism in the reduction of cell viability, proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The efficacy of the combination was related to the induction of early S-phase arrest and to the induction of DNA damage, ultimately triggering cell death. We reported evidence that the efficacy of the combination treatment is independent from the activation of the p53-p21 pathway. Moreover, gene expression analysis on B-ALL primary samples showed that Chek1 and Wee1 are significantly co-expressed in samples at diagnosis (Pearson r = 0.5770, p = 0.0001) and relapse (Pearson r= 0.8919; p = 0.0001). Finally, the efficacy of the combination was confirmed by the reduction in clonogenic survival of primary leukemic B-ALL cells. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibitors may be a promising therapeutic strategy to be tested in clinical trials for adult ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo Bocconcelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrari
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Carolina Terragna
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Samantha Bruno
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrica Imbrogno
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | | | - Valentina Robustelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Martina Ghetti
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Roberta Napolitano
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Gabriella Chirumbolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marconi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Papayannidis
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Paolini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Sartor
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Timothy J. Yen
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111-2497, USA
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
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25
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Everything in Moderation: Lessons Learned by Exploiting Moderate Replication Stress in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11091320. [PMID: 31500184 PMCID: PMC6769680 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11091320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The poor selectivity of standard cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens causes severe side-effects in patients and reduces the quality of life during treatment. Targeting cancer-specific vulnerabilities can improve response rates, increase overall survival and limit toxic side effects in patients. Oncogene-induced replication stress serves as a tumour specific vulnerability and rationale for the clinical development of inhibitors targeting the DNA damage response (DDR) kinases (CHK1, ATR, ATM and WEE1). CHK1 inhibitors (CHK1i) have served as the pilot compounds in this class and their efficacy in clinical trials as single agents has been disappointing. Initial attempts to combine CHK1i with chemotherapies agents that enhance replication stress (such as gemcitabine) were reported to be excessively toxic. More recently, it has emerged that combining CHK1i with subclinical doses of replication stress inducers is more effective, better tolerated and more compatible with immunotherapies. Here we focus on the lessons learned during the clinical development of CHK1i with the goal of improving the design of future clinical trials utilizing DDR inhibitors to target replication stress in cancer.
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26
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Warren NJH, Eastman A. Reply to Koh: Signaling dynamics of DNA damage response invoked by combination therapy are dose-dependent. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:2192. [PMID: 30737319 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rl119.007419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J H Warren
- From the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
| | - Alan Eastman
- From the Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
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27
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Koh SB. Signaling dynamics of DNA damage response invoked by combination therapy are dose-dependent. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:2191. [DOI: 10.1074/jbc.l119.007381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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28
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Warren NJH, Eastman A. Inhibition of checkpoint kinase 1 following gemcitabine-mediated S phase arrest results in CDC7- and CDK2-dependent replication catastrophe. J Biol Chem 2018; 294:1763-1778. [PMID: 30573684 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Combining DNA-damaging drugs with DNA checkpoint inhibitors is an emerging strategy to manage cancer. Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitors (CHK1is) sensitize most cancer cell lines to DNA-damaging drugs and also elicit single-agent cytotoxicity in 15% of cell lines. Consequently, combination therapy may be effective in a broader patient population. Here, we characterized the molecular mechanism of sensitization to gemcitabine by the CHK1i MK8776. Brief gemcitabine incubation irreversibly inhibited ribonucleotide reductase, depleting dNTPs, resulting in durable S phase arrest. Addition of CHK1i 18 h after gemcitabine elicited cell division cycle 7 (CDC7)- and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2)-dependent reactivation of the replicative helicase, but did not reinitiate DNA synthesis due to continued lack of dNTPs. Helicase reactivation generated extensive single-strand (ss)DNA that exceeded the protective capacity of the ssDNA-binding protein, replication protein A. The subsequent cleavage of unprotected ssDNA has been termed replication catastrophe. This mechanism did not occur with concurrent CHK1i plus gemcitabine treatment, providing support for delayed administration of CHK1i in patients. Alternative mechanisms of CHK1i-mediated sensitization to gemcitabine have been proposed, but their role was ruled out; these mechanisms include premature mitosis, inhibition of homologous recombination, and activation of double-strand break repair nuclease (MRE11). In contrast, single-agent activity of CHK1i was MRE11-dependent and was prevented by lower concentrations of a CDK2 inhibitor. Hence, both pathways require CDK2 but appear to depend on different CDK2 substrates. We conclude that a small-molecule inhibitor of CHK1 can elicit at least two distinct, context-dependent mechanisms of cytotoxicity in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J H Warren
- From the Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
| | - Alan Eastman
- From the Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756
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29
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Chung S, Vail P, Witkiewicz AK, Knudsen ES. Coordinately Targeting Cell-Cycle Checkpoint Functions in Integrated Models of Pancreatic Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:2290-2304. [PMID: 30538111 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer cells often have deficiencies in cell-cycle control mechanisms and could be dependent on specific cell-cycle checkpoints to maintain viability. Because of the documented role of KRAS in driving replication stress, we targeted the checkpoint governing DNA replication using CHK1 kinase inhibitors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) models and examined mechanisms of resistance. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Single-agent efficacy of CHK1 inhibition was investigated in established and primary PDAC lines. Drug screening was performed to identify cooperative agents. In vitro and in vivo studies were employed to interrogate combination treatment efficacy and mechanisms of resistance. RESULTS Many PDAC models evade single-agent inhibition through mechanisms that allow S-phase progression with CHK1 inhibited. Gene expression analysis revealed FOXM1 as a potential marker of CHK1 sensitivity and defined a form of pancreatic cancer with poor prognosis. Drug screen analysis identified WEE1 as a cooperative agent with CHK1 and was effective in cell culture. In vivo experiments validated the combination efficacy; however, resistance could evolve. Resistance was due to selection of a stable subclone from the original PDX tumor, which harbored high baseline replication stress. In vitro analysis revealed that gemcitabine could eliminate viability in the resistant models. The triplet regimen of gemcitabine, CHK1, and WEE1 inhibition provided strong disease control in all xenograft models interrogated. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate the therapeutic resiliency of pancreatic cancer and indicate that coordinately targeting cell-cycle checkpoints in concert with chemotherapy could be particularly efficacious.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejin Chung
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | - Paris Vail
- The University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Agnieszka K Witkiewicz
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York. .,Department of Pathology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
| | - Erik S Knudsen
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York
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30
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Shi Q, Shen LY, Dong B, Fu H, Kang XZ, Yang YB, Dai L, Yan WP, Xiong HC, Liang Z, Chen KN. The identification of the ATR inhibitor VE-822 as a therapeutic strategy for enhancing cisplatin chemosensitivity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2018; 432:56-68. [PMID: 29890208 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Inducing DNA damage is known to be one of the mechanisms of cytotoxic chemotherapy agents for cancer such as cisplatin. The endogenous DNA damage response confers chemoresistance to these agents by repairing DNA damage. The initiation and transduction of the DNA damage response (DDR) signaling pathway, which is dependent on the activation of ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related), is essential for DNA damage repair, the maintenance of genomic stability and cell survival. Therefore, ATM or ATR inhibition is considered as a promising strategy for sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy. This study is aimed to explore the effect of ATR inhibitor on sensitizing ESCC (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma) cells to cisplatin, and whether ATM deficiency could impact the sensitization. We found that 21.5% of ESCC cases had ATM deficiency and that patients with ATR activation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy had worse chemotherapy response and poorer overall survival than that without ATR activation (32 mons vs. >140mons). Then, it was shown that VE-822 inhibited ATR-CHK1 pathway activation, leading to the accumulation of cisplatin-modified DNA. And it inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell cycle arrest in G1 phase and enhanced cell apoptosis. Moreover, VE-822 significantly sensitized ESCC cells to cisplatin, and these two drugs had synergistic effects, especially in ATM-deficient cells, in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that ATR inhibition combining with cisplatin is a new strategy for managing patients with ESCC, especially those with ATM-deficiency. However, this is an idea that requires further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Shi
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu-Yan Shen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Dong
- Department of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Fu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Zheng Kang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yong-Bo Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Dai
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wan-Pu Yan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Chao Xiong
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Liang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke-Neng Chen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery I, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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