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Casimir L, Zimmer S, Racine-Brassard F, Goudreau F, Jacques PÉ, Maréchal A. Chronic treatment with ATR and CHK1 inhibitors does not substantially increase the mutational burden of human cells. Mutat Res 2023; 827:111834. [PMID: 37531716 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2023.111834] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA replication stress (RS) entails the frequent slow down and arrest of replication forks by a variety of conditions that hinder accurate and processive genome duplication. Elevated RS leads to genome instability, replication catastrophe and eventually cell death. RS is particularly prevalent in cancer cells and its exacerbation to unsustainable levels by chemotherapeutic agents remains a cornerstone of cancer treatments. The adverse consequences of RS are normally prevented by the ATR and CHK1 checkpoint kinases that stabilize stressed forks, suppress origin firing and promote cell cycle arrest when replication is perturbed. Specific inhibitors of these kinases have been developed and shown to potentiate RS and cell death in multiple in vitro cancer settings. Ongoing clinical trials are now probing their efficacy against various cancer types, either as single agents or in combination with mainstay chemotherapeutics. Despite their promise as valuable additions to the anti-cancer pharmacopoeia, we still lack a genome-wide view of the potential mutagenicity of these new drugs. To investigate this question, we performed chronic long-term treatments of TP53-depleted human cancer cells with ATR and CHK1 inhibitors (ATRi, AZD6738/ceralasertib and CHK1i, MK8776/SCH-900776). ATR or CHK1 inhibition did not significantly increase the mutational burden of cells, nor generate specific mutational signatures. Indeed, no notable changes in the numbers of base substitutions, short insertions/deletions and larger scale rearrangements were observed despite induction of replication-associated DNA breaks during treatments. Interestingly, ATR inhibition did induce a slight increase in closely-spaced mutations, a feature previously attributed to translesion synthesis DNA polymerases. The results suggest that ATRi and CHK1i do not have substantial mutagenic effects in vitro when used as standalone agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Casimir
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel Zimmer
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada
| | - Félix Racine-Brassard
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada
| | - Félix Goudreau
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre-Étienne Jacques
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS), Sherbrooke J1H 5N3, QC, Canada.
| | - Alexandre Maréchal
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Institut de Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Université de Sherbrooke (IRCUS), Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada; Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS), Sherbrooke J1H 5N3, QC, Canada.
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Tao L, Zhou K, Zhao Y, Xia X, Guo Y, Gao Y, Peng G, Liu Y. Betulinic acid, a major therapeutic triterpene of Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb., acts as a chemosensitizer of gemcitabine by promoting Chk1 degradation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 309:116295. [PMID: 36813244 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb., also called as oriental bittersweet vine or climbing spindle berry, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine has been used to treat a spectrum of painful and inflammatory diseases for centuries. Explored for their unique medicinal properties, C.orbiculatus offers additional therapeutic effects on cancerous diseases. The effect of single-agent gemcitabine on survival has not long been encouraging, combination therapies provide patients multiple chances of benefit for improved clinical response. AIMS OF THIS STUDY This study aims at expounding the chemopotentiating effects and underlying mechanisms of betulinic acid, a primary therapeutic triterpene of C. orbiculatus in combination with gemcitabine chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS The preparation of betulinic acid was optimized using ultrasonic-assisted extraction method. Gemcitabine-resistant cell model was established by induction of the cytidine deaminase. MTT, colony formation, EdU incorporation and Annexin V/PI staining assays were used to evaluate cytotoxicity, cell proliferation and apoptosis in BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cell line and H1299 non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line. Comet assay, metaphase chromosome spread and γH2AX immunostaining were applied for DNA damage assessment. Western blot and co-immunoprecipitation was used to detect the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of Chk1. Mode of action of gemcitabine in combination with betulinic acid was further captured in BxPC-3-derived mouse xenograft model. RESULTS We noticed that the extraction method had an impact on the thermal stability of C. orbiculatus. Ultrasound-assisted extraction at room temperature in shorter processing time could maximize the overall yields and biological activities of C. orbiculatus. The major constituent was identified as betulinic acid, and the pentacyclic triterpene represented the prominent anticancer activity of C. orbiculatus. Forced expression of cytidine deaminase conferred acquired resistance to gemcitabine, while betulinic acid displayed equivalent cytotoxicity toward gemcitabine-resistant and sensitive cells. A combination therapy of gemcitabine with betulinic acid produced synergistic pharmacologic interaction on cell viability, apoptosis and DNA double-strand breaks. Moreover, betulinic acid abrogated gemcitabine-triggered Chk1 activation by destabilizing Chk1 loading via proteasomal degradation. The combination of gemcitabine and betulinic acid significantly retarded BxPC-3 tumor growth in vivo compared to single-agent gemcitabine treatment alone, accompanied with reduced Chk1 expression. CONCLUSIONS These data provide evidence that betulinic acid is a potential candidate for chemosensitization as a naturally occurring Chk1 inhibitor and warrants further preclinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Tao
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China.
| | - Kehui Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; Department of Medicine, Linfen Vocational and Technical College, Linfen, Shanxi, 041000, China
| | - Xiangyu Xia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China
| | - Yajie Guo
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China; The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China
| | - Yang Gao
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China
| | - Guoping Peng
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210046, China.
| | - Yanqing Liu
- The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Key Laboratory of Toxic Pathogens-Based Therapeutic Approaches of Gastric Cancer, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, 225009, China.
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Chen JK, Merrick KA, Kong YW, Izrael-Tomasevic A, Eng G, Handly ED, Patterson JC, Cannell IG, Suarez-Lopez L, Hosios AM, Dinh A, Kirkpatrick DS, Yu K, Rose CM, Hernandez JM, Hwangbo H, Palmer AC, Vander Heiden MG, Yilmaz ÖH, Yaffe MB. An RNA Damage Response Network Mediates the Lethality of 5-FU in Clinically Relevant Tumor Types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.28.538590. [PMID: 37162991 PMCID: PMC10168374 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.28.538590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a successful and broadly used anti-cancer therapeutic. A major mechanism of action of 5-FU is thought to be through thymidylate synthase (TYMS) inhibition resulting in dTTP depletion and activation of the DNA damage response. This suggests that 5-FU should synergize with other DNA damaging agents. However, we found that combinations of 5-FU and oxaliplatin or irinotecan failed to display any evidence of synergy in clinical trials, and resulted in sub-additive killing in a panel of colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. In seeking to understand this antagonism, we unexpectedly found that an RNA damage response during ribosome biogenesis dominates the drug's efficacy in tumor types for which 5-FU shows clinical benefit. 5-FU has an inherent bias for RNA incorporation, and blocking this greatly reduced drug-induced lethality, indicating that accumulation of damaged RNA is more deleterious than the lack of new RNA synthesis. Using 5-FU metabolites that specifically incorporate into either RNA or DNA revealed that CRC cell lines and patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids are inherently more sensitive to RNA damage. This difference held true in cell lines from other tissues in which 5-FU has shown clinical utility, whereas cell lines from tumor tissues that lack clinical 5-FU responsiveness typically showed greater sensitivity to the drug's DNA damage effects. Analysis of changes in the phosphoproteome and ubiquitinome shows RNA damage triggers the selective ubiquitination of multiple ribosomal proteins leading to autophagy-dependent rRNA catabolism and proteasome-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated ribosome proteins. Further, RNA damage response to 5-FU is selectively enhanced by compounds that promote ribosome biogenesis, such as KDM2A inhibitors. These results demonstrate the presence of a strong RNA damage response linked to apoptotic cell death, with clear utility of combinatorially targeting this response in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Kuei Chen
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Karl A. Merrick
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yi Wen Kong
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - George Eng
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Erika D. Handly
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jesse C. Patterson
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ian G. Cannell
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lucia Suarez-Lopez
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Aaron M. Hosios
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Anh Dinh
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | - Kebing Yu
- Genentech Biotechnology company, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Jonathan M. Hernandez
- Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Haeun Hwangbo
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Computational Medicine Program, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adam C. Palmer
- Department of Pharmacology, Computational Medicine Program, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew G. Vander Heiden
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ömer H. Yilmaz
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Michael B. Yaffe
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Medical Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Surgical Oncology Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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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: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 89.0] [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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Abstract
AbstractsChk1 inhibition can selectively improve gemcitabine sensitivity in p53-deficient cells by checkpoints abrogation throughout the cell cycle. However, the dependency of p53 status is still controversial for predicting the priority of such synergy. This study aimed at expounding the differential therapeutic properties of gemcitabine sensitization by Chk1 inhibition potentially affected by p53 status. We introduced wild-type and hotspot mutant p53 in p53-null H1299 cells, and quantified combination of gemcitabine with two Chk1 inhibitors using Chou-Talalay method. As a result, depletion of p53 preferentially produced synergistic effects. Wild-type and mutant p53 also conferred drug synergy but gradually showed compromised potency of growth inhibition. These data provide increased evidence that p53 status is a weak predictor for identifying an effective synergy, but genetic loss of p53 is relatively favorable for combination treatment. Further efforts on validation in more cell lines and clinical models could improve the predictive validity in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanlong Pan
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Rongrong Li
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Li Tao
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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6
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Katoueezadeh M, Pilehvari N, Fatemi A, Hassanshahi G, Torabizadeh SA. Inhibition of DNA damage response pathway using combination of DDR pathway inhibitors and radiation in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Future Oncol 2021; 17:2803-2816. [PMID: 33960207 DOI: 10.2217/fon-2020-1072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
An alarming increase in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases among children and adults has attracted the attention of researchers to discover new therapeutic strategies with a better prognosis. In cancer cells, the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway elements have been recognized to protect tumor cells from various stresses and cause tumor progression; targeting these DDR members is an attractive strategy for treatment of cancers. The inhibition of the DDR pathway in cancer cells for the treatment of cancers has recently been introduced. Hence, effective treatment strategies are needed for this purpose. Chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy is considered a potential therapeutic strategy for acute leukemia. This review aims to assess the synergistic effects of these inhibitors with irradiation for the treatment of leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Katoueezadeh
- Department of Hematology & Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616911333, Iran
| | - Niloofar Pilehvari
- Department of Hematology & Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616911333, Iran
| | - Ahmad Fatemi
- Department of Hematology & Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616911333, Iran
| | - Gholamhossein Hassanshahi
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, 7718796755, Iran
| | - Seyedeh Atekeh Torabizadeh
- Pharmaceutics Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, 7616911319, Iran
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7
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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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8
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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: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [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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9
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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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Zeng L, Nikolaev A, Xing C, Della Manna DL, Yang ES. CHK1/2 Inhibitor Prexasertib Suppresses NOTCH Signaling and Enhances Cytotoxicity of Cisplatin and Radiation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 19:1279-1288. [PMID: 32371584 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Platinum-based chemoradiotherapy is a mainstay of organ-preserving therapy for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cancer (HNSCC). However, the disease eventually becomes resistant to treatment necessitating new therapies. Checkpoint kinase 1 and 2 (CHK1/2) are serine/threonine kinases that activate cell-cycle checkpoints and serve a critical role in the DNA-damage response (DDR). As resistance to cisplatin and radiation may involve a heightened DDR, we hypothesized that prexasertib, an inhibitor of CHK1/2, may enhance the cytotoxicity induced by cisplatin and irradiation in HNSCC. In this study, we found that combining prexasertib with cisplatin and radiation significantly decreased the in vitro survival fraction in HNSCC cell lines both with and without radiotherapy. Reduced survival was accompanied by inhibition of DNA repair checkpoint activation, which resulted in persistent DNA damage and increased apoptosis. In addition, NanoString analysis with the PanCancer Pathways Panel revealed that prexasertib downregulated NOTCH signaling target genes (NOTCH1, NOTCH2, and NOTCH3) and their associated ligands (JAG1, JAG2, SKP2, MAML2, and DLL1). Prexasertib also reduced NOTCH1, NOTCH3 and HES1 protein expression. Importantly, a significant tumor growth delay was observed in vivo in both human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive UM-SCC47 and HPV-negative UM-SCC1 cell line xenografts treated with prexasertib, cisplatin, and radiotherapy without increased toxicity as measured by mouse body weight. Taken together, prexasertib reduced NOTCH signaling and enhanced the in vitro and in vivo response of HNSCCs to cisplatin and radiation, suggesting combination therapy may increase clinical benefit. A clinical trial has recently completed accrual (NCT02555644).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zeng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Anatoly Nikolaev
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Chuan Xing
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Deborah L Della Manna
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Eddy S Yang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama. .,Department of Pharmacology and Toxiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama.,O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
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11
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Rogers RF, Walton MI, Cherry DL, Collins I, Clarke PA, Garrett MD, Workman P. CHK1 Inhibition Is Synthetically Lethal with Loss of B-Family DNA Polymerase Function in Human Lung and Colorectal Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2020; 80:1735-1747. [PMID: 32161100 PMCID: PMC7611445 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-1372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is a key mediator of the DNA damage response that regulates cell-cycle progression, DNA damage repair, and DNA replication. Small-molecule CHK1 inhibitors sensitize cancer cells to genotoxic agents and have shown single-agent preclinical activity in cancers with high levels of replication stress. However, the underlying genetic determinants of CHK1 inhibitor sensitivity remain unclear. We used the developmental clinical drug SRA737 in an unbiased large-scale siRNA screen to identify novel mediators of CHK1 inhibitor sensitivity and uncover potential combination therapies and biomarkers for patient selection. We identified subunits of the B-family of DNA polymerases (POLA1, POLE, and POLE2) whose silencing sensitized the human A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and SW620 colorectal cancer cell lines to SRA737. B-family polymerases were validated using multiple siRNAs in a panel of NSCLC and colorectal cancer cell lines. Replication stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis were increased in human cancer cells following depletion of the B-family DNA polymerases combined with SRA737 treatment. Moreover, pharmacologic blockade of B-family DNA polymerases using aphidicolin or CD437 combined with CHK1 inhibitors led to synergistic inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, low levels of POLA1, POLE, and POLE2 protein expression in NSCLC and colorectal cancer cells correlated with single-agent CHK1 inhibitor sensitivity and may constitute biomarkers of this phenotype. These findings provide a potential basis for combining CHK1 and B-family polymerase inhibitors in cancer therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate how the therapeutic benefit of CHK1 inhibitors may potentially be enhanced and could have implications for patient selection and future development of new combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca F Rogers
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael I Walton
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel L Cherry
- School of Biosciences, Stacey Building, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Collins
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A Clarke
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle D Garrett
- School of Biosciences, Stacey Building, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom.
| | - Paul Workman
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom.
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12
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Italiano A, Infante JR, Shapiro GI, Moore KN, LoRusso PM, Hamilton E, Cousin S, Toulmonde M, Postel-Vinay S, Tolaney S, Blackwood EM, Mahrus S, Peale FV, Lu X, Moein A, Epler J, DuPree K, Tagen M, Murray ER, Schutzman JL, Lauchle JO, Hollebecque A, Soria JC. Phase I study of the checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor GDC-0575 in combination with gemcitabine in patients with refractory solid tumors. Ann Oncol 2019; 29:1304-1311. [PMID: 29788155 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibition following chemotherapy-elicited DNA damage overrides cell cycle arrest and induces mitotic catastrophe and cell death. GDC-0575 is a highly-selective oral small-molecule Chk1 inhibitor that results in tumor shrinkage and growth delay in xenograft models. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic properties of GDC-0575 alone and in combination with gemcitabine. Antitumor activity and Chk1 pathway modulation were assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this phase I open-label study, in the dose escalation stage, patients were enrolled in a GDC-0575 monotherapy Arm (1) or GDC-0575 combination with gemcitabine Arm (2) to determine the maximum tolerated dose. Patients in arm 2 received either i.v. gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 (arm 2a) or 500 mg/m2 (arm 2b), followed by GDC-0575 (45 or 80 mg, respectively, as RP2D). Stage II enrolled disease-specific cohorts. RESULTS Of 102 patients treated, 70% were female, the median age was 59 years (range 27-85), and 47% were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group PS 0. The most common tumor type was breast (37%). The most frequent adverse events (all grades) related to GDC-0575 and/or gemcitabine were neutropenia (68%), anemia (48%), nausea (43%), fatigue (42%), and thrombocytopenia (35%). Maximum concentrations of GDC-0575 were achieved within 2 hours of dosing, and half-life was ∼23 hours. No pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction was observed between GDC-0575 and gemcitabine. Among patients treated with GDC-0575 and gemcitabine, there were four confirmed partial responses, three occurring in patients with tumors harboring TP53 mutation. Pharmacodynamic data were consistent with GDC-0575 inhibition of gemcitabine-induced expression of pCDK1/2. CONCLUSION GDC-0575 can be safely administered as a monotherapy and in combination with gemcitabine; however, overall tolerability with gemcitabine was modest. Hematological toxicities were frequent but manageable. Preliminary antitumor activity was observed but limited to a small number of patients with a variety of refractory solid tumors treated with GDC-0575 and gemcitabine. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER NCT01564251.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Italiano
- Early Phase Trials and Sarcoma Units, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France.
| | - J R Infante
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville; Tennessee Oncology, Nashville
| | - G I Shapiro
- Early Drug Development Center; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
| | - K N Moore
- Stevenson Oklahoma Cancer Center, Oklahoma City; University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City
| | - P M LoRusso
- Smilow Cancer Center, New Haven; Yale University, New Haven, USA
| | - E Hamilton
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville; Tennessee Oncology, Nashville
| | - S Cousin
- Early Phase Trials and Sarcoma Units, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
| | - M Toulmonde
- Early Phase Trials and Sarcoma Units, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
| | - S Postel-Vinay
- Départemement d'Innovation Thérapeutique et des Essais Précoces (DITEP), Villejuif; Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif; INSERM, U981, Villejuif, France
| | - S Tolaney
- Early Drug Development Center; Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston
| | | | - S Mahrus
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - F V Peale
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - X Lu
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - A Moein
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - J Epler
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - K DuPree
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - M Tagen
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | - E R Murray
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | | | | | - A Hollebecque
- Départemement d'Innovation Thérapeutique et des Essais Précoces (DITEP), Villejuif; Gustave Roussy, Villejuif; Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif
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13
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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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14
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Oo ZY, Proctor M, Stevenson AJ, Nazareth D, Fernando M, Daignault SM, Lanagan C, Walpole S, Bonazzi V, Škalamera D, Snell C, Haass NK, Larsen JE, Gabrielli B. Combined use of subclinical hydroxyurea and CHK1 inhibitor effectively controls melanoma and lung cancer progression, with reduced normal tissue toxicity compared to gemcitabine. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:1503-1518. [PMID: 31044505 PMCID: PMC6599846 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drugs such as gemcitabine that increase replication stress are effective chemotherapeutics in a range of cancer settings. These drugs effectively block replication and promote DNA damage, triggering a cell cycle checkpoint response through the ATR–CHK1 pathway. Inhibiting this signalling pathway sensitises cells to killing by replication stress‐inducing drugs. Here, we investigated the effect of low‐level replication stress induced by low concentrations (> 0.2 mm) of the reversible ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU), which slows S‐phase progression but has little effect on cell viability or proliferation. We demonstrate that HU effectively synergises with CHK1, but not ATR inhibition, in > 70% of melanoma and non‐small‐cell lung cancer cells assessed, resulting in apoptosis and complete loss of proliferative potential in vitro and in vivo. Normal fibroblasts and haemopoietic cells retain viability and proliferative potential following exposure to CHK1 inhibitor plus low doses of HU, but normal cells exposed to CHK1 inhibitor combined with submicromolar concentrations of gemcitabine exhibited complete loss of proliferative potential. The effects of gemcitabine on normal tissue correlate with irreversible ATR–CHK1 pathway activation, whereas low doses of HU reversibly activate CHK1 independently of ATR. The combined use of CHK1 inhibitor and subclinical HU also triggered an inflammatory response involving the recruitment of macrophages in vivo. These data indicate that combining CHK1 inhibitor with subclinical HU is superior to combination with gemcitabine, as it provides equal anticancer efficacy but with reduced normal tissue toxicity. These data suggest a significant proportion of melanoma and lung cancer patients could benefit from treatment with this drug combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zay Yar Oo
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Martina Proctor
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alexander J Stevenson
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Deborah Nazareth
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Madushan Fernando
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sheena M Daignault
- Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Catherine Lanagan
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sebastian Walpole
- Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Vanessa Bonazzi
- Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia.,Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dubravka Škalamera
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Cameron Snell
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Mater Pathology, Mater Adults Hospital, Mater Misericordiae Limited, South Brisbane, Australia
| | - Nikolas K Haass
- Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jill E Larsen
- QIMR-Berghofer Medical Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Brian Gabrielli
- Smiling for Smiddy Research Group, Translational Research Institute, Mater Research Institute-The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.,Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland-Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Australia
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15
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Lukášová E, Řezáčová M, Bačíková A, Šebejová L, Vávrová J, Kozubek S. Distinct cellular responses to replication stress leading to apoptosis or senescence. FEBS Open Bio 2019; 9:870-890. [PMID: 30982228 PMCID: PMC6487726 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Replication stress (RS) is a major driver of genomic instability and tumorigenesis. Here, we investigated whether RS induced by the nucleotide analog fludarabine and specific kinase inhibitors [e.g. targeting checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) or ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related (ATR)] led to apoptosis or senescence in four cancer cell lines differing in TP53 mutation status and expression of lamin A/C (LA/C). RS resulted in uneven chromatin condensation in all cell types, as evidenced by the presence of metaphasic chromosomes with unrepaired DNA damage, as well as detection of less condensed chromatin in the same nucleus, frequent ultrafine anaphase bridges, and micronuclei. We observed that responses to these chromatin changes may be distinct in individual cell types, suggesting that expression of lamin A/C and lamin B1 (LB1) may play an important role in the transition of damaged cells to senescence. MCF7 mammary carcinoma cells harboring wild‐type p53 (WT‐p53) and LA/C responded to RS by transition to senescence with a significant reduction of lamin B receptor and LB1 proteins. In contrast, a lymphoid cancer cell line WSU‐NHL (WT‐p53) lacking LA/C and expressing low levels of LB1 died after several hours, while lines MEC‐1 and SU‐DHL‐4, both with mutated p53, and SU‐DHL‐4 with mutations in LA/C, died at different rates by apoptosis. Our results show that, in addition to being influenced by p53 mutation status, the response to RS (apoptosis or senescence) may also be influenced by lamin A/C and LB1 status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Lukášová
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Řezáčová
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Bačíková
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ludmila Šebejová
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiřina Vávrová
- Department of Radiobiology, Faculty of Military Health Sciences Hradec Králové, University of Defence Brno, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Stanislav Kozubek
- Department of Cell Biology and Radiobiology, Institute of Biophysics, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
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16
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Chung SW, Kim GC, Kweon S, Lee H, Choi JU, Mahmud F, Chang HW, Kim JW, Son WC, Kim SY, Byun Y. Metronomic oral doxorubicin in combination of Chk1 inhibitor MK-8776 for p53-deficient breast cancer treatment. Biomaterials 2018; 182:35-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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17
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Genomic Alterations Associated with Recurrence and TNBC Subtype in High-Risk Early Breast Cancers. Mol Cancer Res 2018; 17:97-108. [DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-18-0619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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18
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Hwang BJ, Adhikary G, Eckert RL, Lu AL. Chk1 inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy in melanoma. Oncotarget 2018; 9:30450-30464. [PMID: 30100999 PMCID: PMC6084399 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma patients respond poorly to chemotherapies because they acquire drug resistance. Therapies that can overcome the resistance to inhibitors of the mutated BRAF protein kinase in melanoma are urgently needed. Chk1 protein kinase is a central component of the DNA damage response and plays a crucial role in controlling cell cycle progression. Analyses indicate that low mRNA expression of Chk1 is significantly associated with good overall survival of melanoma patients. To evaluate the effectiveness of Chk1 inhibitors in melanoma therapy, we have generated BRAF inhibitor (PLX4032 or vemurafenib) resistant melanoma cell lines (A375-PLX-R and WM9-PLX-R) from A375 and WM9, respectively. We observe that AKT (protein kinase B) is constitutively activated in A375-PLX-R, but not in WM9-PLX-R cells, suggesting that these cells develop resistance to PLX4032 through different mechanisms. We show that a potent and specific inhibitor of Chk1 (PF477736) is effective in reducing cell viability and colony formation of PLX4032-resistant cells. Even more impressively, PF477736 triggers PLX4032-resistant melanoma cells to regain sensitivity to the PLX4032. Mouse xenograft studies show that treating A375-PLX-R derived tumors with combined PLX4032 and PF477736 significantly reduce tumor growth. Combined treatments with PLX4032 and PF477736 reduce the levels of total Chk1 protein and alter Chk1 phosphorylation at several sites in both PLX4032 sensitive and resistant melanoma cells. Combinatorial treatments with PLX4032 and PF477736 to melanoma cells substantially induce DNA damage and cell death. Our results suggest that Chk1 inhibitors may provide new therapy options for melanoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bor-Jang Hwang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gautam Adhikary
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Richard L Eckert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Dermatology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Reproductive Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A-Lien Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
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19
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Zemanova J, Hylse O, Collakova J, Vesely P, Oltova A, Borsky M, Zaprazna K, Kasparkova M, Janovska P, Verner J, Kohoutek J, Dzimkova M, Bryja V, Jaskova Z, Brychtova Y, Paruch K, Trbusek M. Chk1 inhibition significantly potentiates activity of nucleoside analogs in TP53-mutated B-lymphoid cells. Oncotarget 2018; 7:62091-62106. [PMID: 27556692 PMCID: PMC5308713 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment options for TP53-mutated lymphoid tumors are very limited. In experimental models, TP53-mutated lymphomas were sensitive to direct inhibition of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), a pivotal regulator of replication. We initially tested the potential of the highly specific Chk1 inhibitor SCH900776 to synergize with nucleoside analogs (NAs) fludarabine, cytarabine and gemcitabine in cell lines derived from B-cell malignancies. In p53-proficient NALM-6 cells, SCH900776 added to NAs enhanced signaling towards Chk1 (pSer317/pSer345), effectively blocked Chk1 activation (Ser296 autophosphorylation), increased replication stress (p53 and γ-H2AX accumulation) and temporarily potentiated apoptosis. In p53-defective MEC-1 cell line representing adverse chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Chk1 inhibition together with NAs led to enhanced and sustained replication stress and significantly potentiated apoptosis. Altogether, among 17 tested cell lines SCH900776 sensitized four of them to all three NAs. Focusing further on MEC-1 and co-treatment of SCH900776 with fludarabine, we disclosed chromosome pulverization in cells undergoing aberrant mitoses. SCH900776 also increased the effect of fludarabine in a proportion of primary CLL samples treated with pro-proliferative stimuli, including those with TP53 disruption. Finally, we observed a fludarabine potentiation by SCH900776 in a T-cell leukemia 1 (TCL1)-driven mouse model of CLL. Collectively, we have substantiated the significant potential of Chk1 inhibition in B-lymphoid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Zemanova
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Hylse
- Center of Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Collakova
- Institute of Physical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Vesely
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alexandra Oltova
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Borsky
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristina Zaprazna
- CEITEC - Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Kasparkova
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Janovska
- Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Verner
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Kohoutek
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marta Dzimkova
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vitezslav Bryja
- Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Jaskova
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Yvona Brychtova
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Paruch
- Center of Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Trbusek
- Department of Internal Medicine - Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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20
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Arnould S, Rodier G, Matar G, Vincent C, Pirot N, Delorme Y, Berthet C, Buscail Y, Noël JY, Lachambre S, Jarlier M, Bernex F, Delpech H, Vidalain PO, Janin YL, Theillet C, Sardet C. Checkpoint kinase 1 inhibition sensitises transformed cells to dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibition. Oncotarget 2017; 8:95206-95222. [PMID: 29221122 PMCID: PMC5707016 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduction in nucleotide pools through the inhibition of mitochondrial enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) has been demonstrated to effectively reduce cancer cell proliferation and tumour growth. The current study sought to investigate whether this antiproliferative effect could be enhanced by combining Chk1 kinase inhibition. The pharmacological activity of DHODH inhibitor teriflunomide was more selective towards transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts than their primary or immortalised counterparts, and this effect was amplified when cells were subsequently exposed to PF477736 Chk1 inhibitor. Flow cytometry analyses revealed substantial accumulations of cells in S and G2/M phases, followed by increased cytotoxicity which was characterised by caspase 3-dependent induction of cell death. Associating PF477736 with teriflunomide also significantly sensitised SUM159 and HCC1937 human triple negative breast cancer cell lines to dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibition. The main characteristic of this effect was the sustained accumulation of teriflunomide-induced DNA damage as cells displayed increased phospho serine 139 H2AX (γH2AX) levels and concentration-dependent phosphorylation of Chk1 on serine 345 upon exposure to the combination as compared with either inhibitor alone. Importantly a similar significant increase in cell death was observed upon dual siRNA mediated depletion of Chk1 and DHODH in both murine and human cancer cell models. Altogether these results suggest that combining DHODH and Chk1 inhibitions may be a strategy worth considering as a potential alternative to conventional chemotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Arnould
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Geneviève Rodier
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Gisèle Matar
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Charles Vincent
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Nelly Pirot
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Réseau d'Histologie Expérimentale de Montpellier, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Yoann Delorme
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Charlène Berthet
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Réseau d'Histologie Expérimentale de Montpellier, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Yoan Buscail
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Réseau d'Histologie Expérimentale de Montpellier, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean Yohan Noël
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Réseau d'Histologie Expérimentale de Montpellier, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Simon Lachambre
- Montpellier RIO Imaging, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Marta Jarlier
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Bernex
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Réseau d'Histologie Expérimentale de Montpellier, BioCampus, UMS3426 CNRS-US009 INSERM-UM, Montpellier, France
| | - Hélène Delpech
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Olivier Vidalain
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Equipe Chimie and Biologie, Modélisation et Immunologie pour la Thérapie, CNRS UMR 8601 CNRS-Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Yves L. Janin
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse, CNRS UMR3523, Paris, France
| | - Charles Theillet
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Claude Sardet
- Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- INSERM U1194, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Institut Régional du Cancer de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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21
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Jing W, Song N, Liu Y, Qu X, Hou K, Yang X, Che X. DNA methyltransferase 3a modulates chemosensitivity to gemcitabine and oxaliplatin via CHK1 and AKT in p53‑deficient pancreatic cancer cells. Mol Med Rep 2017; 17:117-124. [PMID: 29115606 PMCID: PMC5780073 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The aberrant expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) has been considered to be associated with pancreatic carcinogenesis and progression. DNMT3a is widely involved in cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells. However, its regulation of chemosensitivity to gemcitabine (GEM) and oxaliplatin (OXA) in p53‑deficient PDAC remains unclear. In the present study, the effect and mechanisms of DNMT3a on GEM and OXA chemosensitivity in p53‑deficient PDAC cells were investigated using MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis analysis and western blotting. The treatment of GEM and OXA induced S phase arrest by DNA damage, and enhanced the activation of the AKT signaling pathway in Panc‑1 cells. Downregulation of DNMT3a increased the chemosensitivity to both GEM and OXA in Panc‑1 cells. DNMT3a depletion distinctly abolished S phase arrest induced by GEM and OXA. Further research demonstrated that activation inhibition of CHK1 and AKT, as well as an increase in apoptosis, were involved in DNMT3a‑mediated chemosensitivity to GEM and OXA. Taken together, these data demonstrated that DNMT3a serves a crucial role in the regulation of chemosensitivity to GEM and OXA, and suggests a promising therapeutic target for p53‑deficient PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jing
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Na Song
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Yunpeng Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiujuan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Kezuo Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xianghong Yang
- Department of Pathology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110004, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofang Che
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
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22
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Qiu Z, Oleinick NL, Zhang J. ATR/CHK1 inhibitors and cancer therapy. Radiother Oncol 2017; 126:450-464. [PMID: 29054375 DOI: 10.1016/j.radonc.2017.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The cell cycle checkpoint proteins ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated-and-Rad3-related kinase (ATR) and its major downstream effector checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) prevent the entry of cells with damaged or incompletely replicated DNA into mitosis when the cells are challenged by DNA damaging agents, such as radiation therapy (RT) or chemotherapeutic drugs, that are the major modalities to treat cancer. This regulation is particularly evident in cells with a defective G1 checkpoint, a common feature of cancer cells, due to p53 mutations. In addition, ATR and/or CHK1 suppress replication stress (RS) by inhibiting excess origin firing, particularly in cells with activated oncogenes. Those functions of ATR/CHK1 make them ideal therapeutic targets. ATR/CHK1 inhibitors have been developed and are currently used either as single agents or paired with radiotherapy or a variety of genotoxic chemotherapies in preclinical and clinical studies. Here, we review the status of the development of ATR and CHK1 inhibitors. We also discuss the potential mechanisms by which ATR and CHK1 inhibition induces cell killing in the presence or absence of exogenous DNA damaging agents, such as RT and chemotherapeutic agents. Lastly, we discuss synthetic lethality interactions between the inhibition of ATR/CHK1 and defects in other DNA damage response (DDR) pathways/genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaojun Qiu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Nancy L Oleinick
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Junran Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA.
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23
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Abstract
Proliferating cells rely on the so-called DNA replication checkpoint to ensure orderly completion of genome duplication, and its malfunction may lead to catastrophic genome disruption, including unscheduled firing of replication origins, stalling and collapse of replication forks, massive DNA breakage, and, ultimately, cell death. Despite many years of intensive research into the molecular underpinnings of the eukaryotic replication checkpoint, the mechanisms underlying the dismal consequences of its failure remain enigmatic. A recent development offers a unifying model in which the replication checkpoint guards against global exhaustion of rate-limiting replication regulators. Here we discuss how such a mechanism can prevent catastrophic genome disruption and suggest how to harness this knowledge to advance therapeutic strategies to eliminate cancer cells that inherently proliferate under increased DNA replication stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Toledo
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Chromosome Stability, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Kai John Neelsen
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jiri Lukas
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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24
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Suzuki M, Yamamori T, Bo T, Sakai Y, Inanami O. MK-8776, a novel Chk1 inhibitor, exhibits an improved radiosensitizing effect compared to UCN-01 by exacerbating radiation-induced aberrant mitosis. Transl Oncol 2017; 10:491-500. [PMID: 28550769 PMCID: PMC5447387 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in G2/M checkpoint signaling. Here, we evaluate the radiosensitizing effects of a novel selective Chk1 inhibitor MK-8776, comparing its efficacy with a first-generation Chk1 inhibitor UCN-01, and attempt to elucidate the mechanism of radiosensitization. In a clonogenic survival assay, MK-8776 demonstrated a more pronounced radiosensitizing effect than UCN-01, with lower cytotoxicity. Importantly, radiosensitization by MK-8776 can be achieved at doses as low as 2.5 Gy, which is a clinically applicable irradiation dose. MK-8776, but not UCN-01, exacerbated mitotic catastrophe (MC) and centrosome abnormalities, without affecting repair kinetics of DNA double strand breaks. Furthermore, live-cell imaging revealed that MK-8776 significantly abrogated the radiation-induced G2/M checkpoint, prolonged the mitotic phase, and enhanced aberrant mitosis. This suggests that Chk1 inhibition by MK-8776 activates a spindle assembly checkpoint and increases mitotic defects in irradiated EMT6 cells. In conclusion, we have shown that, at minimally toxic concentrations, MK-8776 enhances radiation-induced cell death through the enhancement of aberrant mitosis and MC, without affecting DNA damage repair.
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25
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Goss KL, Koppenhafer SL, Harmoney KM, Terry WW, Gordon DJ. Inhibition of CHK1 sensitizes Ewing sarcoma cells to the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor gemcitabine. Oncotarget 2017; 8:87016-87032. [PMID: 29152060 PMCID: PMC5675612 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.18776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ewing sarcoma is a bone and soft tissue sarcoma that occurs in children and young adults. The EWS-FLI1 gene fusion is the driver mutation in most Ewing sarcoma tumors and functions, in part, as an aberrant transcription factor. We recently identified that Ewing sarcoma cells are sensitive to inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), which catalyzes the formation of deoxyribonucleotides from ribonucleotides. In this report, we show that Ewing sarcoma cells are sensitive to treatment with clofarabine, which is a nucleoside analogue and allosteric inhibitor of RNR. However, clofarabine is a reversible inhibitor of RNR and we found that the effect of clofarabine is limited when using a short (6-hour) drug treatment. Gemcitabine, on the other hand, is an irreversible inhibitor of the RRM1 subunit of RNR and this drug induces apoptosis in Ewing sarcoma cells when used in both 6-hour and longer drug treatments. Treatment of Ewing sarcoma cells with gemcitabine also results in activation of checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1), which is a critical mediator of cell survival in the setting of impaired DNA replication. Notably, inhibition of CHK1 function in Ewing sarcoma cells using a small-molecule CHK1 inhibitor, or siRNA knockdown, in combination with gemcitabine results in increased toxicity both in vitro and in vivo in a mouse xenograft experiment. Overall, our results provide insight into Ewing sarcoma biology and identify a candidate therapeutic target, and drug combination, in Ewing sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelli L Goss
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Stacia L Koppenhafer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - Kathryn M Harmoney
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - William W Terry
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
| | - David J Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA
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26
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Zhou ZR, Yang ZZ, Wang SJ, Zhang L, Luo JR, Feng Y, Yu XL, Chen XX, Guo XM. The Chk1 inhibitor MK-8776 increases the radiosensitivity of human triple-negative breast cancer by inhibiting autophagy. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2017; 38:513-523. [PMID: 28042876 PMCID: PMC5386307 DOI: 10.1038/aps.2016.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MK-8776 is a recently described inhibitor that is highly selective for checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), which can weaken the DNA repair capacity in cancer cells to achieve chemo-sensitization. A number of studies show that MK-8776 enhances the cytotoxicity of hydroxyurea and gemcitabine without increasing normal tissue toxicities. Thus far, there is no evidence that MK-8776 can be used as a radiotherapy sensitization agent. In this study, we investigated the effects of MK-8776 on the radiosensitivity of 3 human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines MDA-MB-231, BT-549 and CAL-51. MK-8776 dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231, BT-549 and CAL-51 cells with IC50 values of 9.4, 17.6 and 2.1 μmol/L, respectively. Compared with irradiation-alone treatment, pretreatment with a low dose of MK-8776 (100–400 nmol/L) significantly increased irradiation-induced γH2A.X foci in the 3 TNBC cell lines, suggesting enhanced DNA damage by MK-8776, inhibited the cell proliferation and increased the radiosensitivity of the 3 TNBC cell lines. Similar results were obtained in MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors in nude mice that received MK-8776 (15 or 40 mg/kg, ip) 26 d after irradiation. To explore the mechanisms underlying the radio-sensitization by MK-8776, we used TEM and found that irradiation significantly increased the numbers of autophagosomes in the 3 TNBC cell lines. Moreover, irradiation markedly elevated the levels of Atg5, and promoted the transformation of LC3-I to LC3-II in the cells. Pretreatment with the low dose of MK-8776 suppressed these effects. The above results suggest that MK-8776 increases human TNBC radiosensitivity by inhibiting irradiation-induced autophagy and that MK-8776 may be a potential agent in the radiosensitization of human TNBC.
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27
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Takahashi RH, Halladay JS, Siu M, Chen Y, Hop CECA, Khojasteh SC, Ma S. Novel Mechanism of Decyanation of GDC-0425 by Cytochrome P450. Drug Metab Dispos 2017; 45:430-440. [DOI: 10.1124/dmd.116.074336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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28
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Massey AJ. Modification of tumour cell metabolism modulates sensitivity to Chk1 inhibitor-induced DNA damage. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40778. [PMID: 28106079 PMCID: PMC5247758 DOI: 10.1038/srep40778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Chk1 kinase inhibitors are currently under clinical investigation as potentiators of cytotoxic chemotherapy and demonstrate potent activity in combination with anti-metabolite drugs that increase replication stress through the inhibition of nucleotide or deoxyribonucleotide biosynthesis. Inhibiting other metabolic pathways critical for the supply of building blocks necessary to support DNA replication may lead to increased DNA damage and synergy with an inhibitor of Chk1. A screen of small molecule metabolism modulators identified combinatorial activity between a Chk1 inhibitor and chloroquine or the LDHA/LDHB inhibitor GSK 2837808A. Compounds, such as 2-deoxyglucose or 6-aminonicotinamide, that reduced the fraction of cells undergoing active replication rendered tumour cells more resistant to Chk1 inhibitor-induced DNA damage. Withdrawal of glucose or glutamine induced G1 and G2/M arrest without increasing DNA damage and reduced Chk1 expression and activation through autophosphorylation. This suggests the expression and activation of Chk1 kinase is associated with cells undergoing active DNA replication. Glutamine starvation rendered tumour cells more resistant to Chk1 inhibitor-induced DNA damage and reversal of the glutamine starvation restored the sensitivity of tumour cells to Chk1 inhibitor-induced DNA damage. Chk1 inhibitors may be a potentially useful therapeutic treatment for patients whose tumours contain a high fraction of replicating cells.
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29
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Infante JR, Hollebecque A, Postel-Vinay S, Bauer TM, Blackwood EM, Evangelista M, Mahrus S, Peale FV, Lu X, Sahasranaman S, Zhu R, Chen Y, Ding X, Murray ER, Schutzman JL, Lauchle JO, Soria JC, LoRusso PM. Phase I Study of GDC-0425, a Checkpoint Kinase 1 Inhibitor, in Combination with Gemcitabine in Patients with Refractory Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2016; 23:2423-2432. [PMID: 27815358 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-1782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Chk1 inhibition potentiates DNA-damaging chemotherapy by overriding cell-cycle arrest and genome repair. This phase I study evaluated the Chk1 inhibitor GDC-0425 given in combination with gemcitabine to patients with advanced solid tumors.Experimental Design: Patients received GDC-0425 alone for a 1-week lead-in followed by 21-day cycles of gemcitabine plus GDC-0425. Gemcitabine was initially administered at 750 mg/m2 (Arm A), then increased to 1,000 mg/m2 (Arm B), on days 1 and 8 in a 3 + 3 + 3 dose escalation to establish maximum tolerated dose (MTD). GDC-0425 was initially administered daily for three consecutive days; however, dosing was abbreviated to a single day on the basis of pharmacokinetics and tolerability. TP53 mutations were evaluated in archival tumor tissue. On-treatment tumor biopsies underwent pharmacodynamic biomarker analyses.Results: Forty patients were treated with GDC-0425. The MTD of GDC-0425 was 60 mg when administered approximately 24 hours after gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 Dose-limiting toxicities included thrombocytopenia (n = 5), neutropenia (n = 4), dyspnea, nausea, pyrexia, syncope, and increased alanine aminotransferase (n = 1 each). Common related adverse events were nausea (48%); anemia, neutropenia, vomiting (45% each); fatigue (43%); pyrexia (40%); and thrombocytopenia (35%). The GDC-0425 half-life was approximately 15 hours. There were two confirmed partial responses in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TP53-mutated) and melanoma (n = 1 each) and one unconfirmed partial response in a patient with cancer of unknown primary origin.Conclusions: Chk1 inhibition with GDC-0425 in combination with gemcitabine was tolerated with manageable bone marrow suppression. The observed preliminary clinical activity warrants further investigation of this chemopotentiation strategy. Clin Cancer Res; 23(10); 2423-32. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey R Infante
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Antoine Hollebecque
- Départemement d'Innovation Thérapeutique et des Essais Précoces (DITEP), Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Sophie Postel-Vinay
- Départemement d'Innovation Thérapeutique et des Essais Précoces (DITEP), Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U981, Villejuif, France
| | - Todd M Bauer
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute/Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, Tennessee
| | | | | | - Sami Mahrus
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | | | - Xuyang Lu
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | | | - Rui Zhu
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Yuan Chen
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Xiao Ding
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | | | | | | | - Jean-Charles Soria
- Départemement d'Innovation Thérapeutique et des Essais Précoces (DITEP), Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay, Villejuif, France.,INSERM, U981, Villejuif, France
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30
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Rorà AGLD, Iacobucci I, Imbrogno E, Papayannidis C, Derenzini E, Ferrari A, Guadagnuolo V, Robustelli V, Parisi S, Sartor C, Abbenante MC, Paolini S, Martinelli G. Prexasertib, a Chk1/Chk2 inhibitor, increases the effectiveness of conventional therapy in B-/T- cell progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Oncotarget 2016; 7:53377-53391. [PMID: 27438145 PMCID: PMC5288194 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.10535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last few years many Checkpoint kinase 1/2 (Chk1/Chk2) inhibitors have been developed for the treatment of different type of cancers. In this study we evaluated the efficacy of the Chk 1/2 inhibitor prexasertib mesylate monohydrate in B-/T- cell progenitor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as single agent and in combination with other drugs. The prexasertib reduced the cell viability in a dose and time dependent manner in all the treated cell lines. The cytotoxic activity was confirmed by the increment of apoptotic cells (Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining), by the increase of γH2A.X protein expression and by the activation of different apoptotic markers (Parp-1 and pro-Caspase3 cleavage). Furthermore, the inhibition of Chk1 changed the cell cycle profile. In order to evaluate the chemo-sensitizer activity of the compound, different cell lines were treated for 24 and 48 hours with prexasertib in combination with other drugs (imatinib, dasatinib and clofarabine). The results from cell line models were strengthened in primary leukemic blasts isolated from peripheral blood of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. In this study we highlighted the mechanism of action and the effectiveness of prexasertib as single agent or in combination with other conventional drugs like imatinib, dasatinib and clofarabine in the treatment of B-/T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ilaria Iacobucci
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrica Imbrogno
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Papayannidis
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Derenzini
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrari
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Viviana Guadagnuolo
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Robustelli
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sarah Parisi
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Sartor
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Abbenante
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Paolini
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seragnoli”, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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31
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Osborne JD, Matthews TP, McHardy T, Proisy N, Cheung KMJ, Lainchbury M, Brown N, Walton MI, Eve PD, Boxall KJ, Hayes A, Henley AT, Valenti MR, De Haven Brandon AK, Box G, Jamin Y, Robinson SP, Westwood IM, van Montfort RLM, Leonard PM, Lamers MBAC, Reader JC, Aherne GW, Raynaud FI, Eccles SA, Garrett MD, Collins I. Multiparameter Lead Optimization to Give an Oral Checkpoint Kinase 1 (CHK1) Inhibitor Clinical Candidate: (R)-5-((4-((Morpholin-2-ylmethyl)amino)-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl)amino)pyrazine-2-carbonitrile (CCT245737). J Med Chem 2016; 59:5221-37. [PMID: 27167172 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b01938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Multiparameter optimization of a series of 5-((4-aminopyridin-2-yl)amino)pyrazine-2-carbonitriles resulted in the identification of a potent and selective oral CHK1 preclinical development candidate with in vivo efficacy as a potentiator of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damaging chemotherapy and as a single agent. Cellular mechanism of action assays were used to give an integrated assessment of compound selectivity during optimization resulting in a highly CHK1 selective adenosine triphosphate (ATP) competitive inhibitor. A single substituent vector directed away from the CHK1 kinase active site was unexpectedly found to drive the selective cellular efficacy of the compounds. Both CHK1 potency and off-target human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) ion channel inhibition were dependent on lipophilicity and basicity in this series. Optimization of CHK1 cellular potency and in vivo pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) properties gave a compound with low predicted doses and exposures in humans which mitigated the residual weak in vitro hERG inhibition.
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Gao X, Han L, Ren Y. In Silico Exploration of 1,7-Diazacarbazole Analogs as Checkpoint Kinase 1 Inhibitors by Using 3D QSAR, Molecular Docking Study, and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Molecules 2016; 21:molecules21050591. [PMID: 27164065 PMCID: PMC6273173 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21050591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is an important serine/threonine kinase with a self-protection function. The combination of Chk1 inhibitors and anti-cancer drugs can enhance the selectivity of tumor therapy. In this work, a set of 1,7-diazacarbazole analogs were identified as potent Chk1 inhibitors through a series of computer-aided drug design processes, including three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. The optimal QSAR models showed significant cross-validated correlation q2 values (0.531, 0.726), fitted correlation r2 coefficients (higher than 0.90), and standard error of prediction (less than 0.250). These results suggested that the developed models possess good predictive ability. Moreover, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to highlight the important interactions between the ligand and the Chk1 receptor protein. This study shows that hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces are key interactions that confer bioactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Gao
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China.
| | - Liping Han
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China.
| | - Yujie Ren
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai 201418, China.
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Walton MI, Eve PD, Hayes A, Henley AT, Valenti MR, De Haven Brandon AK, Box G, Boxall KJ, Tall M, Swales K, Matthews TP, McHardy T, Lainchbury M, Osborne J, Hunter JE, Perkins ND, Aherne GW, Reader JC, Raynaud FI, Eccles SA, Collins I, Garrett MD. The clinical development candidate CCT245737 is an orally active CHK1 inhibitor with preclinical activity in RAS mutant NSCLC and Eµ-MYC driven B-cell lymphoma. Oncotarget 2016; 7:2329-42. [PMID: 26295308 PMCID: PMC4823038 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CCT245737 is the first orally active, clinical development candidate CHK1 inhibitor to be described. The IC50 was 1.4 nM against CHK1 enzyme and it exhibited>1,000-fold selectivity against CHK2 and CDK1. CCT245737 potently inhibited cellular CHK1 activity (IC50 30-220 nM) and enhanced gemcitabine and SN38 cytotoxicity in multiple human tumor cell lines and human tumor xenograft models. Mouse oral bioavailability was complete (100%) with extensive tumor exposure. Genotoxic-induced CHK1 activity (pS296 CHK1) and cell cycle arrest (pY15 CDK1) were inhibited both in vitro and in human tumor xenografts by CCT245737, causing increased DNA damage and apoptosis. Uniquely, we show CCT245737 enhanced gemcitabine antitumor activity to a greater degree than for higher doses of either agent alone, without increasing toxicity, indicating a true therapeutic advantage for this combination. Furthermore, development of a novel ELISA assay for pS296 CHK1 autophosphorylation, allowed the quantitative measurement of target inhibition in a RAS mutant human tumor xenograft of NSCLC at efficacious doses of CCT245737. Finally, CCT245737 also showed significant single-agent activity against a MYC-driven mouse model of B-cell lymphoma. In conclusion, CCT245737 is a new CHK1 inhibitor clinical development candidate scheduled for a first in man Phase I clinical trial, that will use the novel pS296 CHK1 ELISA to monitor target inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike I. Walton
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Paul D. Eve
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Angela Hayes
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Alan T. Henley
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Melanie R. Valenti
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Alexis K. De Haven Brandon
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Gary Box
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Kathy J. Boxall
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Matthew Tall
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Karen Swales
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Thomas P. Matthews
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Tatiana McHardy
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Michael Lainchbury
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - James Osborne
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Jill E. Hunter
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Neil D. Perkins
- Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - G. Wynne Aherne
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | | | - Florence I. Raynaud
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Suzanne A. Eccles
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Ian Collins
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Michelle D. Garrett
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, UK
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Massey AJ, Stokes S, Browne H, Foloppe N, Fiumana A, Scrace S, Fallowfield M, Bedford S, Webb P, Baker L, Christie M, Drysdale MJ, Wood M. Identification of novel, in vivo active Chk1 inhibitors utilizing structure guided drug design. Oncotarget 2015; 6:35797-812. [PMID: 26437226 PMCID: PMC4742142 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chk1 kinase is a critical component of the DNA damage response checkpoint especially in cancer cells and targeting Chk1 is a potential therapeutic opportunity for potentiating the anti-tumor activity of DNA damaging chemotherapy drugs. Fragment elaboration by structure guided design was utilized to identify and develop a novel series of Chk1 inhibitors culminating in the identification of V158411, a potent ATP-competitive inhibitor of the Chk1 and Chk2 kinases. V158411 abrogated gemcitabine and camptothecin induced cell cycle checkpoints, resulting in the expected modulation of cell cycle proteins and increased cell death in cancer cells. V158411 potentiated the cytotoxicity of gemcitabine, cisplatin, SN38 and camptothecin in a variety of p53 deficient human tumor cell lines in vitro, p53 proficient cells were unaffected. In nude mice, V158411 showed minimal toxicity as a single agent and in combination with irinotecan. In tumor bearing animals, V158411 was detected at high levels in the tumor with a long elimination half-life; no pharmacologically significant in vivo drug-drug interactions with irinotecan were identified through analysis of the pharmacokinetic profiles. V158411 potentiated the anti-tumor activity of irinotecan in a variety of human colon tumor xenograft models without additional systemic toxicity. These results demonstrate the opportunity for combining V158411 with standard of care chemotherapeutic agents to potentiate the therapeutic efficacy of these agents without increasing their toxicity to normal cells. Thus, V158411 would warrant further clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Simon Scrace
- Vernalis Research, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK
- Horizon Discovery, Cambridge Research Park, Waterbeach, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | - Paul Webb
- Vernalis Research, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lisa Baker
- Vernalis Research, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Martin J. Drysdale
- Vernalis Research, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mike Wood
- Vernalis Research, Granta Park, Cambridge, UK
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Manic G, Obrist F, Sistigu A, Vitale I. Trial Watch: Targeting ATM-CHK2 and ATR-CHK1 pathways for anticancer therapy. Mol Cell Oncol 2015; 2:e1012976. [PMID: 27308506 PMCID: PMC4905354 DOI: 10.1080/23723556.2015.1012976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 01/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The ataxia telangiectasia mutated serine/threonine kinase (ATM)/checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2, best known as CHK2) and the ATM and Rad3-related serine/threonine kinase (ATR)/CHEK1 (best known as CHK1) cascades are the 2 major signaling pathways driving the DNA damage response (DDR), a network of processes crucial for the preservation of genomic stability that act as a barrier against tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Mutations and/or deletions of ATM and/or CHK2 are frequently found in tumors and predispose to cancer development. In contrast, the ATR-CHK1 pathway is often upregulated in neoplasms and is believed to promote tumor growth, although some evidence indicates that ATR and CHK1 may also behave as haploinsufficient oncosuppressors, at least in a specific genetic background. Inactivation of the ATM-CHK2 and ATR-CHK1 pathways efficiently sensitizes malignant cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Moreover, ATR and CHK1 inhibitors selectively kill tumor cells that present high levels of replication stress, have a deficiency in p53 (or other DDR players), or upregulate the ATR-CHK1 module. Despite promising preclinical results, the clinical activity of ATM, ATR, CHK1, and CHK2 inhibitors, alone or in combination with other therapeutics, has not yet been fully demonstrated. In this Trial Watch, we give an overview of the roles of the ATM-CHK2 and ATR-CHK1 pathways in cancer initiation and progression, and summarize the results of clinical studies aimed at assessing the safety and therapeutic profile of regimens based on inhibitors of ATR and CHK1, the only 2 classes of compounds that have so far entered clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Florine Obrist
- Université Paris-Sud/Paris XI; Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- INSERM, UMRS1138; Paris, France
- Equipe 11 labelisée par la Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer; Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers; Paris, France
- Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus; Villejuif, France
| | | | - Ilio Vitale
- Regina Elena National Cancer Institute; Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Rome “TorVergata”; Rome, Italy
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36
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Targeting the Mitotic Catastrophe Signaling Pathway in Cancer. Mediators Inflamm 2015; 2015:146282. [PMID: 26491220 PMCID: PMC4600505 DOI: 10.1155/2015/146282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitotic catastrophe, as defined in 2012 by the International Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death, is a bona fide intrinsic oncosuppressive mechanism that senses mitotic failure and responds by driving a cell to an irreversible antiproliferative fate of death or senescence. Thus, failed mitotic catastrophe can promote the unrestrained growth of defective cells, thereby representing a major gateway to tumour development. Furthermore, the activation of mitotic catastrophe offers significant therapeutic advantage which has been exploited in the action of conventional and targeted anticancer agents. Yet, despite its importance in tumour prevention and treatment, the molecular mechanism of mitotic catastrophe is not well understood. A better understanding of the signals that determine cell fate following failed or defective mitosis will reveal new opportunities to selectively target and enhance the programme for therapeutic benefit and reveal biomarkers to predict patient response. This review is focused on the molecular mechanism of mitotic catastrophe induction and signalling and highlights current strategies to exploit the process in cancer therapy.
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37
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Karnitz LM, Zou L. Molecular Pathways: Targeting ATR in Cancer Therapy. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:4780-5. [PMID: 26362996 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-0479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The human ATR gene encodes a kinase that is activated by DNA damage and replication stress as a central transducer of a checkpoint signaling pathway. Once activated, ATR phosphorylates multiple substrates, including the kinase Chk1, to regulate cell-cycle progression, replication fork stability, and DNA repair. These events promote cell survival during replication stress and in cells with DNA damage. Accordingly, there has been the tantalizing possibility that ATR inhibitors would be therapeutically useful, especially if they were more effective in tumor versus normal cells. Indeed, multiple studies have demonstrated that alterations that promote tumorigenesis, such as defects in the ATM-p53 pathway, constitutive oncogene activation, and acquisition of the alternative lengthening of telomeres pathway, render tumor cells sensitive to ATR inhibitor monotherapy and/or increase the synergy between ATR inhibitors and genotoxic chemotherapies. Now, nearly two decades after the discovery of ATR, two highly selective and potent ATR inhibitors, AZD6738 and VX-970, are in early-phase clinical trials either as monotherapies or paired with a variety of genotoxic chemotherapies. These trials will generate important insights into the effects of ATR inhibition in humans and the potential role of inhibiting this kinase in the treatment of human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larry M Karnitz
- Division of Oncology Research and Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
| | - Lee Zou
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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38
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Gazzard L, Williams K, Chen H, Axford L, Blackwood E, Burton B, Chapman K, Crackett P, Drobnick J, Ellwood C, Epler J, Flagella M, Gancia E, Gill M, Goodacre S, Halladay J, Hewitt J, Hunt H, Kintz S, Lyssikatos J, Macleod C, Major S, Médard G, Narukulla R, Ramiscal J, Schmidt S, Seward E, Wiesmann C, Wu P, Yee S, Yen I, Malek S. Mitigation of Acetylcholine Esterase Activity in the 1,7-Diazacarbazole Series of Inhibitors of Checkpoint Kinase 1. J Med Chem 2015; 58:5053-74. [PMID: 25988399 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint kinase 1 (ChK1) plays a key role in the DNA damage response, facilitating cell-cycle arrest to provide sufficient time for lesion repair. This leads to the hypothesis that inhibition of ChK1 might enhance the effectiveness of DNA-damaging therapies in the treatment of cancer. Lead compound 1 (GNE-783), the prototype of the 1,7-diazacarbazole class of ChK1 inhibitors, was found to be a highly potent inhibitor of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and unsuitable for development. A campaign of analogue synthesis established SAR delineating ChK1 and AChE activities and allowing identification of new leads with improved profiles. In silico docking using a model of AChE permitted rationalization of the observed SAR. Compounds 19 (GNE-900) and 30 (GNE-145) were identified as selective, orally bioavailable ChK1 inhibitors offering excellent in vitro potency with significantly reduced AChE activity. In combination with gemcitabine, these compounds demonstrate an in vivo pharmacodynamic effect and are efficacious in a mouse p53 mutant xenograft model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen Williams
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lorraine Axford
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | - Brenda Burton
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Kerry Chapman
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Crackett
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | - Charles Ellwood
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Emanuela Gancia
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Gill
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Goodacre
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joanne Hewitt
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Hazel Hunt
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Calum Macleod
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Major
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Guillaume Médard
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | - Raman Narukulla
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Eileen Seward
- ∇Argenta, A Charles River Company, 8-9 Spire Green Centre, Harlow, Essex CM19 5TR, United Kingdom
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Enhancement of hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302 anti-tumor activity by Chk1 inhibition. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:422. [PMID: 25994202 PMCID: PMC4453293 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1387-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302 is reduced at its nitroimidazole group and selectively under hypoxic conditions releases the DNA cross-linker bromo-isophosphoramide mustard (Br-IPM). Here, we have explored the effect of Chk1 inhibition on TH-302-mediated pharmacological activities. METHODS We employed in vitro cell viability, DNA damage, cellular signaling assays and the in vivo HT29 human tumor xenograft model to study the effect of Chk1inhibition on TH-302 antitumor activities. RESULTS TH-302 cytotoxicity is greatly enhanced by Chk1 inhibition in p53-deficient but not in p53-proficient human cancer cell lines. Chk1 inhibitors reduced TH-302-induced cell cycle arrest via blocking TH-302-induced decrease of phosphorylation of histone H3 and increasing Cdc2-Y15 phosphorylation. Employing the single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay, we observed a potentiation of the TH-302 dependent tail moment. TH-302 induced γH2AX and apoptosis were also increased upon the addition of Chk1 inhibitor. Potentiation of TH-302 cytotoxicity by Chk1 inhibitor was only observed in cell lines proficient in, but not deficient in homology-directed DNA repair. We also show that combination treatment led to lowering of Rad51 expression levels as compared to either agent alone. In vivo data demonstrate that Chk1 inhibitor enhances TH-302 anti-tumor activity in p53 mutant HT-29 human tumor xenografts, supporting the hypothesis that these in vitro results can translate to enhanced in vivo efficacy of the combination. CONCLUSIONS TH-302-mediated in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activities were greatly enhanced by the addition of Chk1 inhibitors. The preclinical data presented in this study support a new approach for the treatment of p53-deficient hypoxic cancers by combining Chk1 inhibitors with the hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302.
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40
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Gross S, Rahal R, Stransky N, Lengauer C, Hoeflich KP. Targeting cancer with kinase inhibitors. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:1780-9. [PMID: 25932675 DOI: 10.1172/jci76094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 301] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinase inhibitors have played an increasingly prominent role in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. Currently, more than 25 oncology drugs that target kinases have been approved, and numerous additional therapeutics are in various stages of clinical evaluation. In this Review, we provide an in-depth analysis of activation mechanisms for kinases in cancer, highlight recent successes in drug discovery, and demonstrate the clinical impact of selective kinase inhibitors. We also describe the substantial progress that has been made in designing next-generation inhibitors to circumvent on-target resistance mechanisms, as well as ongoing strategies for combining kinase inhibitors in the clinic. Last, there are numerous prospects for the discovery of novel kinase targets, and we explore cancer immunotherapy as a new and promising research area for studying kinase biology.
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41
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Kim MK, James J, Annunziata CM. Topotecan synergizes with CHEK1 (CHK1) inhibitor to induce apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. BMC Cancer 2015; 15:196. [PMID: 25884494 PMCID: PMC4379550 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1231-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Topotecan (TPT) is a therapeutic option for women with platinum-resistant or -refractory ovarian cancer. However, the dose-limiting toxicity of TPT is myelosuppression. This led us to seek a combination treatment to augment TPT anti-cancer activity in a cancer-targeted manner. Ovarian serous cancers, a major subtype, show dysregulated DNA repair pathway and often display a high level of CHEK1 (CHK1), a cell cycle regulator and DNA damage sensor. CHEK1 inhibitors are a novel approach to treatment, and have been used as single agents or in combination chemotherapy in many cancers. Methods We evaluated the cellular effects of TPT in a panel of high grade serous (HGS) and non-HGS ovarian cancer cells. We then determined IC50s of TPT in the absence and presence of CHEK1 inhibitor, PF477736. Synergism between TPT and PF477736 was calculated based on cellular viability assays. Cytotoxic effect of the combined treatment was compared with apoptotic activities by Caspase3/7 activity assay and Western blotting of cleaved-PARP1 and γH2AX. Results Non-HGS ovarian cancer cells were generally more sensitive to TPT treatment compared to HGS ovarian cancer cells. When combined with CHEK1 inhibitor, TPT potently and synergistically inhibited the proliferation of HGS ovarian cancer cells. This dramatic synergism in cellular toxicity was consistent with increases in markers of apoptosis. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the addition of CHEK1 inhibitor increases the response of ovarian cancer cells to TPT. Furthermore, reduced dosages of both drugs achieved maximal cytotoxic effects by combining TPT with CHEK1 inhibitor. This strategy would potentially minimize side effects of the drugs for extended clinical benefit. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1231-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne K Kim
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Jana James
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Christina M Annunziata
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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42
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Lecona E, Fernández-Capetillo O. Replication stress and cancer: it takes two to tango. Exp Cell Res 2014; 329:26-34. [PMID: 25257608 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2014.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2014] [Revised: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Problems arising during DNA replication require the activation of the ATR-CHK1 pathway to ensure the stabilization and repair of the forks, and to prevent the entry into mitosis with unreplicated genomes. Whereas the pathway is essential at the cellular level, limiting its activity is particularly detrimental for some cancer cells. Here we review the links between replication stress (RS) and cancer, which provide a rationale for the use of ATR and Chk1 inhibitors in chemotherapy. First, we describe how the activation of oncogene-induced RS promotes genome rearrangements and chromosome instability, both of which could potentially fuel carcinogenesis. Next, we review the various pathways that contribute to the suppression of RS, and how mutations in these components lead to increased cancer incidence and/or accelerated ageing. Finally, we summarize the evidence showing that tumors with high levels of RS are dependent on a proficient RS-response, and therefore vulnerable to ATR or Chk1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Lecona
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), C/ Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Fernández-Capetillo
- Genomic Instability Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), C/ Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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43
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γH2AX and Chk1 phosphorylation as predictive pharmacodynamic biomarkers of Chk1 inhibitor-chemotherapy combination treatments. BMC Cancer 2014; 14:483. [PMID: 24996846 PMCID: PMC4094550 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-14-483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chk1 inhibitors are currently in clinical trials in combination with a range of cytotoxic agents and have the potential to potentiate the clinical activity of a large number of standard of care chemotherapeutic agents. Utilizing pharmacodynamic biomarkers to optimize drug dose and scheduling in these trials could greatly enhance the likelihood of clinical success. Methods In this study, we evaluated the in vitro potentiation of the cytotoxicity of a range of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic drugs by the novel Chk1 inhibitor V158411 in p53 mutant colon cancer cells. Pharmacodynamic biomarkers were evaluated in vitro. Results V158411 potentiated the cytotoxicity of a range of chemotherapeutic agents with distinct mechanisms of action in p53 mutant colon cancer cell lines grown in anchorage dependent or independent culture conditions. Analysis of pharmacodynamic biomarker changes identified dependencies on the chemotherapeutic agent, the concentration of the chemotherapeutic and the duration of time between combination treatment and biomarker analysis. A reduction in total Chk1 and S296/S317/S345 phosphorylation occurred consistently with all cytotoxics in combination with V158411 but did not predict cell line potentiation. Induction of γH2AX levels was chemotherapeutic dependent and correlated closely with potentiation of gemcitabine and camptothecin in p53 mutant colon cancer cells. Conclusions Our results suggest that Chk1 phosphorylation could be a useful biomarker for monitoring inhibition of Chk1 activity in clinical trials involving a range of V158411-chemotherapy combinations and γH2AX induction as a predictor of potentiation in combinations containing gemcitabine or camptothecin.
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Beeharry N, Banina E, Hittle J, Skobeleva N, Khazak V, Deacon S, Andrake M, Egleston BL, Peterson JR, Astsaturov I, Yen TJ. Re-purposing clinical kinase inhibitors to enhance chemosensitivity by overriding checkpoints. Cell Cycle 2014; 13:2172-91. [PMID: 24955955 DOI: 10.4161/cc.29214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitors of the DNA damage checkpoint kinase, Chk1, are highly effective as chemo- and radio-sensitizers in preclinical studies but are not well-tolerated by patients. We exploited the promiscuous nature of kinase inhibitors to screen 9 clinically relevant kinase inhibitors for their ability to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to a sub-lethal concentration of gemcitabine. Bosutinib, dovitinib, and BEZ-235 were identified as sensitizers that abrogated the DNA damage checkpoint. We further characterized bosutinib, an FDA-approved Src/Abl inhibitor approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Unbeknownst to us, we used an isomer (Bos-I) that was unknowingly synthesized and sold to the research community as "authentic" bosutinib. In vitro and cell-based assays showed that both the authentic bosutinib and Bos-I inhibited DNA damage checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Wee1, with Bos-I showing greater potency. Imaging data showed that Bos-I forced cells to override gemcitabine-induced DNA damage checkpoint arrest and destabilized stalled replication forks. These inhibitors enhanced sensitivity to the DNA damaging agents' gemcitabine, cisplatin, and doxorubicin in pancreatic cancer cell lines. The in vivo efficacy of Bos-I was validated using cells derived directly from a pancreatic cancer patient's tumor. Notably, the xenograft studies showed that the combination of gemcitabine and Bos-I was significantly more effective in suppressing tumor growth than either agent alone. Finally, we show that the gatekeeper residue in Wee1 dictates its sensitivity to the 2 compounds. Our strategy to screen clinically relevant kinase inhibitors for off-target effects on cell cycle checkpoints is a promising approach to re-purpose drugs as chemosensitizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Beeharry
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Eugenia Banina
- Program in Developmental Therapeutics; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - James Hittle
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Natalia Skobeleva
- Program in Developmental Therapeutics; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Vladimir Khazak
- Program in Developmental Therapeutics; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Sean Deacon
- Reaction Biology Corporation; Malvern, PA USA
| | - Mark Andrake
- Molecular Modeling Facility; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Brian L Egleston
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Facility; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | | | - Igor Astsaturov
- Program in Developmental Therapeutics; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Timothy J Yen
- Cancer Biology Program; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Philadelphia, PA USA
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The checkpoint 1 kinase inhibitor LY2603618 induces cell cycle arrest, DNA damage response and autophagy in cancer cells. Apoptosis 2014; 19:1389-98. [DOI: 10.1007/s10495-014-1010-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Del Nagro CJ, Choi J, Xiao Y, Rangell L, Mohan S, Pandita A, Zha J, Jackson PK, O'Brien T. Chk1 inhibition in p53-deficient cell lines drives rapid chromosome fragmentation followed by caspase-independent cell death. Cell Cycle 2013; 13:303-14. [PMID: 24247149 PMCID: PMC3906246 DOI: 10.4161/cc.27055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) following DNA damage mediates cell cycle arrest to prevent cells with damaged DNA from entering mitosis. Here we provide a high-resolution analysis of cells as they undergo S- and G₂-checkpoint bypass in response to Chk1 inhibition with the selective Chk1 inhibitor GNE-783. Within 4-8 h of Chk1 inhibition following gemcitabine induced DNA damage, cells with both sub-4N and 4N DNA content prematurely enter mitosis. Coincident with premature transition into mitosis, levels of DNA damage dramatically increase and chromosomes condense and attempt to align along the metaphase plate. Despite an attempt to congress at the metaphase plate, chromosomes rapidly fragment and lose connection to the spindle microtubules. Gemcitabine mediated DNA damage promotes the formation of Rad51 foci; however, while Chk1 inhibition does not disrupt Rad51 foci that are formed in response to gemcitabine, these foci are lost as cells progress into mitosis. Premature entry into mitosis requires the Aurora, Cdk1/2 and Plk1 kinases and even though caspase-2 and -3 are activated upon mitotic exit, they are not required for cell death. Interestingly, p53, but not p21, deficiency enables checkpoint bypass and chemo-potentiation. Finally, we uncover a differential role for the Wee-1 checkpoint kinase in response to DNA damage, as Wee-1, but not Chk1, plays a more prominent role in the maintenance of S- and G₂-checkpoints in p53 proficient cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yang Xiao
- Discovery Oncology; Genentech; San Francisco, CA
| | - Linda Rangell
- Department of Pathology; Genentech; San Francisco, CA
| | - Sankar Mohan
- Department of Research Diagnostics; Genentech; San Francisco, CA
| | - Ajay Pandita
- Department of Research Diagnostics; Genentech; San Francisco, CA
| | - Jiping Zha
- Department of Pathology; Genentech; San Francisco, CA
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