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De Mel S, Lee AR, Tan JHI, Tan RZY, Poon LM, Chan E, Lee J, Chee YL, Lakshminarasappa SR, Jaynes PW, Jeyasekharan AD. Targeting the DNA damage response in hematological malignancies. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1307839. [PMID: 38347838 PMCID: PMC10859481 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1307839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of the DNA damage response (DDR) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of many cancers. The dependency of certain cancers on DDR pathways has enabled exploitation of such through synthetically lethal relationships e.g., Poly ADP-Ribose Polymerase (PARP) inhibitors for BRCA deficient ovarian cancers. Though lagging behind that of solid cancers, DDR inhibitors (DDRi) are being clinically developed for haematological cancers. Furthermore, a high proliferative index characterize many such cancers, suggesting a rationale for combinatorial strategies targeting DDR and replicative stress. In this review, we summarize pre-clinical and clinical data on DDR inhibition in haematological malignancies and highlight distinct haematological cancer subtypes with activity of DDR agents as single agents or in combination with chemotherapeutics and targeted agents. We aim to provide a framework to guide the design of future clinical trials involving haematological cancers for this important class of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay De Mel
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ainsley Ryan Lee
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joelle Hwee Inn Tan
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rachel Zi Yi Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Li Mei Poon
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Esther Chan
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joanne Lee
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yen Lin Chee
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Satish R. Lakshminarasappa
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Patrick William Jaynes
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anand D. Jeyasekharan
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research (N2CR), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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2
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Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà A, Ghetti M, Ledda L, Ferrari A, Bocconcelli M, Padella A, Napolitano R, Fontana MC, Liverani C, Imbrogno E, Bochicchio MT, Paganelli M, Robustelli V, Sanogo S, Cerchione C, Fumagalli M, Rondoni M, Imovilli A, Musuraca G, Martinelli G, Simonetti G. Exploring the ATR-CHK1 pathway in the response of doxorubicin-induced DNA damages in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:795-811. [PMID: 34519926 PMCID: PMC10406704 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-021-09640-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Doxorubicin (Dox) is one of the most commonly used anthracyclines for the treatment of solid and hematological tumors such as B-/T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Dox compromises topoisomerase II enzyme functionality, thus inducing structural damages during DNA replication and causes direct damages intercalating into DNA double helix. Eukaryotic cells respond to DNA damages by activating the ATM-CHK2 and/or ATR-CHK1 pathway, whose function is to regulate cell cycle progression, to promote damage repair, and to control apoptosis. We evaluated the efficacy of a new drug schedule combining Dox and specific ATR (VE-821) or CHK1 (prexasertib, PX) inhibitors in the treatment of human B-/T cell precursor ALL cell lines and primary ALL leukemic cells. We found that ALL cell lines respond to Dox activating the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint. Exposure of Dox-pretreated ALL cell lines to VE-821 or PX enhanced Dox cytotoxic effect. This phenomenon was associated with the abrogation of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint with changes in the expression pCDK1 and cyclin B1, and cell entry in mitosis, followed by the induction of apoptosis. Indeed, the inhibition of the G2/M checkpoint led to a significant increment of normal and aberrant mitotic cells, including those showing tripolar spindles, metaphases with lagging chromosomes, and massive chromosomes fragmentation. In conclusion, we found that the ATR-CHK1 pathway is involved in the response to Dox-induced DNA damages and we demonstrated that our new in vitro drug schedule that combines Dox followed by ATR/CHK1 inhibitors can increase Dox cytotoxicity against ALL cells, while using lower drug doses. • Doxorubicin activates the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. • ALL cells respond to doxorubicin-induced DNA damages by activating the ATR-CHK1 pathway. • The inhibition of the ATR-CHK1 pathway synergizes with doxorubicin in the induction of cytotoxicity in ALL cells. • The inhibition of ATR-CHK1 pathway induces aberrant chromosome segregation and mitotic spindle defects in doxorubicin-pretreated ALL cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy.
| | - Martina Ghetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Ledda
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrari
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Matteo Bocconcelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology "L. e A. Seràgnoli", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonella Padella
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Roberta Napolitano
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Fontana
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Chiara Liverani
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Enrica Imbrogno
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Bochicchio
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Matteo Paganelli
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Valentina Robustelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology "L. e A. Seràgnoli", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Seydou Sanogo
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Claudio Cerchione
- Hematology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Monica Fumagalli
- Hematology Division and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
| | - Michela Rondoni
- Hematology Unit, Ospedale Santa Maria delle Croci, Ravenna, Italy
| | | | - Gerardo Musuraca
- Hematology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Scientific Directorate, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Via Piero Maroncelli, 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
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Brandão P, Pineiro M, M.V.D. Pinho e Melo T. Flow Chemistry: Sequential Flow Processes for the Synthesis of Heterocycles. HETEROCYCLES 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527832002.ch11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Dual targeting of the DNA damage response pathway and BCL-2 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Leukemia 2022; 36:197-209. [PMID: 34304248 PMCID: PMC8727301 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01347-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Standard chemotherapies for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), based on the induction of exogenous DNA damage and oxidative stress, are often less effective in the presence of increased MYC and BCL-2 levels, especially in the case of double hit (DH) lymphomas harboring rearrangements of the MYC and BCL-2 oncogenes, which enrich for a patient's population characterized by refractoriness to anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Here we hypothesized that adaptive mechanisms to MYC-induced replicative and oxidative stress, consisting in DNA damage response (DDR) activation and BCL-2 overexpression, could represent the biologic basis of the poor prognosis and chemoresistance observed in MYC/BCL-2-positive lymphoma. We first integrated targeted gene expression profiling (T-GEP), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, and characterization of replicative and oxidative stress biomarkers in two independent DLBCL cohorts. The presence of oxidative DNA damage biomarkers identified a poor prognosis double expresser (DE)-DLBCL subset, characterized by relatively higher BCL-2 gene expression levels and enrichment for DH lymphomas. Based on these findings, we tested therapeutic strategies based on combined DDR and BCL-2 inhibition, confirming efficacy and synergistic interactions in in vitro and in vivo DH-DLBCL models. These data provide the rationale for precision-therapy strategies based on combined DDR and BCL-2 inhibition in DH or DE-DLBCL.
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Vakili-Samiani S, Turki Jalil A, Abdelbasset WK, Yumashev AV, Karpisheh V, Jalali P, Adibfar S, Ahmadi M, Hosseinpour Feizi AA, Jadidi-Niaragh F. Targeting Wee1 kinase as a therapeutic approach in Hematological Malignancies. DNA Repair (Amst) 2021; 107:103203. [PMID: 34390915 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Hematologic malignancies include various diseases that develop from hematopoietic stem cells of bone marrow or lymphatic organs. Currently, conventional DNA-damage-based chemotherapy drugs are approved as standard therapeutic regimens for these malignancies. Although many improvements have been made, patients with relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies have a poor prognosis. Therefore, novel and practical therapeutic approaches are required for the treatment of these diseases. Interestingly several studies have shown that targeting Wee1 kinase in the Hematological malignancies, including AML, ALL, CML, CLL, DLBCL, BL, MCL, etc., can be an effective therapeutic strategy. It plays an essential role in regulating the cell cycle process by abrogating the G2-M cell-cycle checkpoint, which provides time for DNA damage repair before mitotic entry. Consistently, Wee1 overexpression is observed in various Hematological malignancies. Also, in healthy normal cells, repairing DNA damages occurs due to G1-S checkpoint function; however, in the cancer cells, which have an impaired G1-S checkpoint, the damaged DNA repair process depends on the G2-M checkpoint function. Thus, Wee1 inhibition could be a promising target in the presence of DNA damage in order to potentiate multiple therapeutic drugs. This review summarized the potentials and challenges of Wee1 inhibition combined with other therapies as a novel effective therapeutic strategy in Hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Vakili-Samiani
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Hematology and Oncology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | | | - Vahid Karpisheh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Pooya Jalali
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sara Adibfar
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Majid Ahmadi
- Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Farhad Jadidi-Niaragh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Zhang L, Bu Z, Shen J, Shang L, Chen Y, Zhang P, Wang Y. MicroRNA-221 regulates cell activity and apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia via regulating PTEN. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:1133. [PMID: 34504582 PMCID: PMC8383336 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), an aggressive and heterogeneous malignancy originating from T cell precursors (thymocytes), accounts for ~15% of all ALL cases in children and for ~25% in adults. The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA-221 (miR-221) in the regulation of cell viability and apoptosis of human T-ALL cells and its related regulatory mechanisms. To perform this investigation, miR-221 was upregulated or knocked down in human T-ALL cells (Jurkat cells) using miR-221 mimic or inhibitor, respectively. Then, cell viability was determined using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiahiazol-2-y1)-2,5-diphenytetrazolium bromide assay, cell invasion and migration were analyzed via Transwell assays, and cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry. It was found that transfection with a miR-221 inhibitor significantly inhibited Jurkat cell viability, migration and invasion, and induced Jurkat cell apoptosis. Whereas, transfection with the miR-221 mimic resulted in the opposite effects. Besides, the results showed that phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) was a target of miR-221. Moreover, it was observed that the effects of the miR-221 inhibitor on Jurkat cell viability, migration and invasion, and cell apoptosis were significantly eliminated by PTEN-small interfering RNA. In addition, it was shown that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway was involved in the effect of miR-221 on Jurkat cells. In conclusion, the data indicated that miR-221 existed as an oncogene in T-ALL, and its downregulation could inhibit the development of ALL by targeting PTEN. Therefore, miR-221 may be a novel potential therapeutic target for ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyan Zhang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Zibin Bu
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Juan Shen
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Liping Shang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center For Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
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Huang R, Zhou PK. DNA damage repair: historical perspectives, mechanistic pathways and clinical translation for targeted cancer therapy. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:254. [PMID: 34238917 PMCID: PMC8266832 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00648-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 288] [Impact Index Per Article: 96.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability is the hallmark of various cancers with the increasing accumulation of DNA damage. The application of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in cancer treatment is typically based on this property of cancers. However, the adverse effects including normal tissues injury are also accompanied by the radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Targeted cancer therapy has the potential to suppress cancer cells' DNA damage response through tailoring therapy to cancer patients lacking specific DNA damage response functions. Obviously, understanding the broader role of DNA damage repair in cancers has became a basic and attractive strategy for targeted cancer therapy, in particular, raising novel hypothesis or theory in this field on the basis of previous scientists' findings would be important for future promising druggable emerging targets. In this review, we first illustrate the timeline steps for the understanding the roles of DNA damage repair in the promotion of cancer and cancer therapy developed, then we summarize the mechanisms regarding DNA damage repair associated with targeted cancer therapy, highlighting the specific proteins behind targeting DNA damage repair that initiate functioning abnormally duo to extrinsic harm by environmental DNA damage factors, also, the DNA damage baseline drift leads to the harmful intrinsic targeted cancer therapy. In addition, clinical therapeutic drugs for DNA damage and repair including therapeutic effects, as well as the strategy and scheme of relative clinical trials were intensive discussed. Based on this background, we suggest two hypotheses, namely "environmental gear selection" to describe DNA damage repair pathway evolution, and "DNA damage baseline drift", which may play a magnified role in mediating repair during cancer treatment. This two new hypothesis would shed new light on targeted cancer therapy, provide a much better or more comprehensive holistic view and also promote the development of new research direction and new overcoming strategies for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixue Huang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Ping-Kun Zhou
- Department of Radiation Biology, Beijing Key Laboratory for Radiobiology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, AMMS, Beijing, China.
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8
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Ostergaard J, Jonart LM, Ebadi M, Koppenhafer SL, Gordon DJ, Gordon PM. Preclinical efficacy of prexasertib in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Br J Haematol 2021; 194:1094-1098. [PMID: 34096630 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Ostergaard
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Leslie M Jonart
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Maryam Ebadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Stacia L Koppenhafer
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - David J Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Peter M Gordon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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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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de Almeida LC, Calil FA, Machado-Neto JA, Costa-Lotufo LV. DNA damaging agents and DNA repair: From carcinogenesis to cancer therapy. Cancer Genet 2021; 252-253:6-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Alhmoud JF, Mustafa AG, Malki MI. Targeting DNA Repair Pathways in Hematological Malignancies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197365. [PMID: 33036137 PMCID: PMC7582413 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA repair plays an essential role in protecting cells that are repeatedly exposed to endogenous or exogenous insults that can induce varying degrees of DNA damage. Any defect in DNA repair mechanisms results in multiple genomic changes that ultimately may result in mutation, tumor growth, and/or cell apoptosis. Furthermore, impaired repair mechanisms can also lead to genomic instability, which can initiate tumorigenesis and development of hematological malignancy. This review discusses recent findings and highlights the importance of DNA repair components and the impact of their aberrations on hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jehad F. Alhmoud
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan;
| | - Ayman G. Mustafa
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar;
| | - Mohammed Imad Malki
- College of Medicine, QU Health, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713 Doha, Qatar;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +97-44403-7847
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Huang TT, Brill E, Nair JR, Zhang X, Wilson KM, Chen L, Thomas CJ, Lee JM. Targeting the PI3K/mTOR Pathway Augments CHK1 Inhibitor-Induced Replication Stress and Antitumor Activity in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Res 2020; 80:5380-5392. [PMID: 32998994 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-1439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in industrialized countries and has limited treatment options. Targeting ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related/cell-cycle checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1)-mediated S-phase and G2-M-phase cell-cycle checkpoints has been a promising therapeutic strategy in HGSOC. To improve the efficacy of CHK1 inhibitor (CHK1i), we conducted a high-throughput drug combination screening in HGSOC cells. PI3K/mTOR pathway inhibitors (PI3K/mTORi) showed supra-additive cytotoxicity with CHK1i. Combined treatment with CHK1i and PI3K/mTORi significantly attenuated cell viability and increased DNA damage, chromosomal breaks, and mitotic catastrophe compared with monotherapy. PI3K/mTORi decelerated fork speed by promoting new origin firing via increased CDC45, thus potentiating CHK1i-induced replication stress. PI3K/mTORi also augmented CHK1i-induced DNA damage by attenuating DNA homologous recombination repair activity and RAD51 foci formation. High expression of replication stress markers was associated with poor prognosis in patients with HGSOC. Our findings indicate that combined PI3K/mTORi and CHK1i induces greater cell death in HGSOC cells and in vivo models by causing lethal replication stress and DNA damage. This insight can be translated therapeutically by further developing combinations of PI3K and cell-cycle pathway inhibitors in HGSOC. SIGNIFICANCE: Dual inhibition of CHK1 and PI3K/mTOR pathways yields potent synthetic lethality by causing lethal replication stress and DNA damage in HGSOC, warranting further clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Ting Huang
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland.
| | - Ethan Brill
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jayakumar R Nair
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Xiaohu Zhang
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kelli M Wilson
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lu Chen
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Craig J Thomas
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.,Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jung-Min Lee
- Women's Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
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13
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Morimoto Y, Takada K, Takeuchi O, Watanabe K, Hirohara M, Hamamoto T, Masuda Y. Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor navitoclax increases the antitumor effect of Chk1 inhibitor prexasertib by inducing apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via inhibition of Bcl-xL but not Bcl-2. Mol Cell Biochem 2020; 472:187-198. [PMID: 32567031 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-020-03796-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In our previous study, we showed that prexasertib, a checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibitor, enhances the effects of standard drugs for pancreatic cancer, including gemcitabine (GEM), S-1, and the combination of GEM and S-1 (GS). The combination of prexasertib and GS has a strong antitumor effect and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by downregulating anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. In the present study, we investigated the combined effect of GEM, S-1, and prexasertib with a selective Bcl-2 inhibitor (venetoclax) and a non-selective Bcl-2 inhibitor (navitoclax) in SUIT-2 pancreatic cancer cells. An MTT assay revealed that the combination of prexasertib with navitoclax showed a synergistic effect but the combination with venetoclax did not. Investigation of the pancreatic cancer cell lines SUIT-2, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3 revealed that BxPC-3 also showed a high synergistic effect when combined with prexasertib and navitoclax but not venetoclax. Mechanistic analysis of the combined effect showed that apoptosis was induced. Bcl-2 knockdown with siRNA and prexasertib treatment did not induce apoptosis, whereas Bcl-xL knockdown with siRNA and prexasertib treatment resulted in strong induction of apoptosis. In addition, among the three cell lines, the combined effect of prexasertib and navitoclax resulted in increased apoptotic cell death because the protein expression levels of Bcl-xL and Chk1 were higher. Our results demonstrate that the combination of prexasertib and navitoclax has a strong antitumor effect and induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells by downregulating Bcl-xL. Simultaneous inhibition of Chk1 and Bcl-xL could be a new strategy for treating pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihito Morimoto
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan.
| | - Kimihiko Takada
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Osamu Takeuchi
- BioMedical Laboratory, Department of Research, Kitasato Institute Hospital, Tokyo, 108-8642, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Watanabe
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Hirohara
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Hamamoto
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
| | - Yutaka Masuda
- Center for Education and Research on Clinical Pharmacy, Showa Pharmaceutical University, 3-3165 Higashi-Tamagawagakuen, Machida, Tokyo, 194-8543, Japan
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14
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Heidler CL, Roth EK, Thiemann M, Blattmann C, Perez RL, Huber PE, Kovac M, Amthor B, Neu‐Yilik G, Kulozik AE. Prexasertib (LY2606368) reduces clonogenic survival by inducing apoptosis in primary patient-derived osteosarcoma cells and synergizes with cisplatin and talazoparib. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:1059-1070. [PMID: 31782150 PMCID: PMC7384073 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Progress in the systemic control of osteosarcoma has been limited over the past decades thus indicating the urgent clinical need for the development of novel treatment strategies. Therefore, we have recently developed new preclinical models to study promising novel agents for the treatment of pediatric osteosarcoma. The checkpoint kinase (chk) inhibitor prexasertib (LY2606368) and its salt form (LSN2940930) have recently been shown to be active in adult and pediatric malignancies, including sarcoma. We have now tested the potency of prexasertib in clonogenic survival assays in two new lines of primary patient-derived osteosarcoma cells and in two established osteosarcoma cell lines as a single agent and in combination with cisplatin and the poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor talazoparib. Prexasertib alone results in strongly reduced clonogenic survival at low nanomolar concentrations and acts by affecting cell cycle progression, induction of apoptosis and induction of double-stranded DNA breakage at concentrations that are well below clinically tolerable and safe plasma concentrations. In combination with cisplatin and talazoparib, prexasertib acts in a synergistic fashion. Chk1 inhibition by prexasertib and its combination with the DNA damaging agent cisplatin and the PARP-inhibitor talazoparib thus emerges as a potential new treatment option for pediatric osteosarcoma which will now have to be tested in preclinical primary patient derived in vivo models and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher L. Heidler
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Eva K. Roth
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Markus Thiemann
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Claudia Blattmann
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
- Pediatrics 5 (Oncology, Hematology, Immunology)Klinikum Stuttgart OlgahospitalStuttgartGermany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)HeidelbergGermany
| | - Ramon L. Perez
- Department of Molecular and Radiation OncologyGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO)National Center for Radiation Research in OncologyHeidelbergGermany
| | - Peter E. Huber
- Department of Molecular and Radiation OncologyGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
- Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology (HIRO)National Center for Radiation Research in OncologyHeidelbergGermany
- Department of Radiation OncologyHeidelberg University HospitalHeidelbergGermany
| | - Michal Kovac
- Bone Tumour Reference Center, Institute of PathologyUniversity Hospital Basel and University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Beate Amthor
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Gabriele Neu‐Yilik
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
| | - Andreas E. Kulozik
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Hopp Children's Cancer Research Center Heidelberg (KiTZ)Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit (MMPU) European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and University of HeidelbergHeidelbergGermany
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15
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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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16
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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: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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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17
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SynToxProfiler: An interactive analysis of drug combination synergy, toxicity and efficacy. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007604. [PMID: 32012154 PMCID: PMC7018095 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug combinations are becoming a standard treatment of many complex diseases due to their capability to overcome resistance to monotherapy. In the current preclinical drug combination screening, the top combinations for further study are often selected based on synergy alone, without considering the combination efficacy and toxicity effects, even though these are critical determinants for the clinical success of a therapy. To promote the prioritization of drug combinations based on integrated analysis of synergy, efficacy and toxicity profiles, we implemented a web-based open-source tool, SynToxProfiler (Synergy-Toxicity-Profiler). When applied to 20 anti-cancer drug combinations tested both in healthy control and T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) patient cells, as well as to 77 anti-viral drug pairs tested in Huh7 liver cell line with and without Ebola virus infection, SynToxProfiler prioritized as top hits those synergistic drug pairs that showed higher selective efficacy (difference between efficacy and toxicity), which offers an improved likelihood for clinical success. High-throughput combinatorial screening is an established approach to identify candidate drug combinations to be further developed as safe and effective treatment options for many diseases, such as various types of cancers, bacterial, malarial, and viral infections. The selection of top performing drug combinations for further development is an important step for the success of the screen, where not only the synergy but also selective efficacy and potential toxicity of the drug pairs should be critically assessed. Currently, there is no method available for this; therefore, we developed SynToxProfiler tool, which was demonstrated in two different application cases to prioritize synergistic drug pairs with higher efficacy and lower toxicity as top hits, providing thus an increased likelihood for their clinical success.
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18
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Brandão P, Pineiro M, Pinho e Melo TMVD. Flow Chemistry: Towards A More Sustainable Heterocyclic Synthesis. European J Org Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201901335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Brandão
- CQC and Department of Chemistry; University of Coimbra; 3004-535 Coimbra Portugal
- Centro de Química de Évora; Institute for Research and Advanced Studies; University of Évora; 7000 Évora Portugal
| | - Marta Pineiro
- CQC and Department of Chemistry; University of Coimbra; 3004-535 Coimbra Portugal
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19
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Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà A, Bocconcelli M, Ferrari A, Terragna C, Bruno S, Imbrogno E, Beeharry N, Robustelli V, Ghetti M, Napolitano R, Chirumbolo G, Marconi G, Papayannidis C, Paolini S, Sartor C, Simonetti G, Yen TJ, Martinelli G. Synergism Through WEE1 and CHK1 Inhibition in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11111654. [PMID: 31717700 PMCID: PMC6895917 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11111654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Screening for synthetic lethality markers has demonstrated that the inhibition of the cell cycle checkpoint kinases WEE1 together with CHK1 drastically affects stability of the cell cycle and induces cell death in rapidly proliferating cells. Exploiting this finding for a possible therapeutic approach has showed efficacy in various solid and hematologic tumors, though not specifically tested in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methods: The efficacy of the combination between WEE1 and CHK1 inhibitors in B and T cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B/T-ALL) was evaluated in vitro and ex vivo studies. The efficacy of the therapeutic strategy was tested in terms of cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and changes in cell cycle profile and protein expression using B/T-ALL cell lines. In addition, the efficacy of the drug combination was studied in primary B-ALL blasts using clonogenic assays. Results: This study reports, for the first time, the efficacy of the concomitant inhibition of CHK1/CHK2 and WEE1 in ALL cell lines and primary leukemic B-ALL cells using two selective inhibitors: PF-0047736 (CHK1/CHK2 inhibitor) and AZD-1775 (WEE1 inhibitor). We showed strong synergism in the reduction of cell viability, proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The efficacy of the combination was related to the induction of early S-phase arrest and to the induction of DNA damage, ultimately triggering cell death. We reported evidence that the efficacy of the combination treatment is independent from the activation of the p53-p21 pathway. Moreover, gene expression analysis on B-ALL primary samples showed that Chek1 and Wee1 are significantly co-expressed in samples at diagnosis (Pearson r = 0.5770, p = 0.0001) and relapse (Pearson r= 0.8919; p = 0.0001). Finally, the efficacy of the combination was confirmed by the reduction in clonogenic survival of primary leukemic B-ALL cells. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibitors may be a promising therapeutic strategy to be tested in clinical trials for adult ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matteo Bocconcelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrari
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Carolina Terragna
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Samantha Bruno
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrica Imbrogno
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | | | - Valentina Robustelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Martina Ghetti
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Roberta Napolitano
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
| | - Gabriella Chirumbolo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marconi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Papayannidis
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Paolini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Sartor
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Timothy J. Yen
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111-2497, USA
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, 47014 Meldola, Italy; (A.G.L.D.R.)
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20
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Loss of CHEK2 Predicts Progression in Stage pT1 Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC). Pathol Oncol Res 2019; 26:1625-1632. [PMID: 31506803 DOI: 10.1007/s12253-019-00745-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Downregulation of checkpoint protein kinase 2 (CHEK2), which is involved in DNA repair, is associated with poorer outcome in various tumors. Little is known about the role of CHEK2 in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). In the present study, we investigated the prognostic impact of CHEK2 protein expression in stage pT1 UCB. This retrospective, single-center analysis was carried out in a cohort of patients initially diagnosed with a pT1 UCB between 2007 and 2015. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of CHEK2 was performed. CHEK2 expression was correlated with recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable Cox regression analysis. The analysis included 126 patients (86% male, median age 71 years). Loss of immunohistochemical protein expression of CHEK2 (<10%) was associated with significantly worse PFS (p = 0.041). Likewise, CHEK2 loss identified a subgroup of patients with worse PFS in the high-risk groups with concomitant CIS (p = 0.044), multifocal tumors (p < 0.001) and tumor grading G3 according to WHO1973 (p = 0.009). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed both loss of CHEK2 expression (HR: 4.18, 95%-CI: 1.35-12.93; p = 0.013) and multifocal tumors (HR: 4.53, 95%-CI:1.29-15.92; p = 0.018) as the only predictive factors for progression. Loss of IHC expression of CHEK2 in pT1 UCB is an independent predictor for progression to muscle-invasive disease and is also associated with worse PFS. This could help to identify high-risk patients who would benefit from early cystectomy.
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21
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Prexasertib, a checkpoint kinase inhibitor: from preclinical data to clinical development. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2019; 85:9-20. [PMID: 31512029 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-019-03950-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Checkpoint kinases 1 and 2 (CHK1 and CHK2) are important multifunctional proteins of the kinase family. Their main function is to regulate DNA replication and DNA damage response. If a cell is exposed to exogenous damage to its DNA, CHK1/CHK2 stops the cell cycle to give time to the cellular mechanisms to repair DNA breakage and apoptosis too, if the damage is not repairable to activate programmed cell death. CHK1/CHK2 plays a crucial role in the repair of recombination-mediated double-stranded DNA breaks. The other important functions performed by these proteins are the beginning of DNA replication, the stabilization of replication forks, the resolution of replication stress and the coordination of mitosis, even in the absence of exogenous DNA damage. Prexasertib (LY2606368) is a small ATP-competitive selective inhibitor of CHK1 and CHK2. In preclinical studies, prexasertib in monotherapy has shown to induce DNA damage and tumor cells apoptosis. The preclinical data and early clinical studies advocate the use of prexasertib in solid tumors both in monotherapy and in combination with other drugs (antimetabolites, PARP inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy). The safety and the efficacy of combination therapies with prexasertib need to be better evaluated in ongoing clinical trials.
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22
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Mani C, Jonnalagadda S, Lingareddy J, Awasthi S, Gmeiner WH, Palle K. Prexasertib treatment induces homologous recombination deficiency and synergizes with olaparib in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res 2019; 21:104. [PMID: 31492187 PMCID: PMC6729044 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-019-1192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Breast cancer remains as one of the most lethal types of cancer in women. Among various subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and hard to treat type of breast cancer. Mechanistically, increased DNA repair and cell cycle checkpoint activation remain as the foremost reasons behind TNBC tumor resistance to chemotherapy and disease recurrence. Methods We evaluated the mechanism of prexasertib-induced regulation of homologous recombination (HR) proteins using 20S proteasome inhibitors and RT-PCR. HR efficiency and DNA damages were evaluated using Dr-GFP and comet assays. DNA morphology and DNA repair focus studies were analyzed using immunofluorescence. UALCAN portal was used to evaluate the expression of RAD51 and survival probability based on tumor stage, subtype, and race in breast cancer patients. Results Our results show that prexasertib treatment promotes both post-translational and transcriptional mediated regulation of BRCA1 and RAD51 proteins. Additionally, prexasertib-treated TNBC cells revealed over 55% reduction in HR efficiency compared to control cells. Based on these results, we hypothesized that prexasertib treatment induced homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and thus should synergize with PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in TNBC cells. As predicted, combined treatment of prexasertib and PARPi olaparib increased DNA strand breaks, γH2AX foci, and nuclear disintegration relative to single-agent treatment. Further, the prexasertib and olaparib combination was synergistic in multiple TNBC cell lines, as indicated by combination index (CI) values. Analysis of TCGA data revealed elevated RAD51 expression in breast tumors compared to normal breast tissues, especially in TNBC subtype. Interestingly, there was a discrepancy in RAD51 expression in racial groups, with African-American and Asian breast cancer patients showing elevated RAD51 expression compared to Caucasian breast cancer patients. Consistent with these observations, African-American and Asian TNBC patients show decreased survival. Conclusions Based on these data, RAD51 could be a biomarker for aggressive TNBC and for racial disparity in breast cancer. As positive correlation exists between RAD51 and CHEK1 expression in breast cancer, the in vitro preclinical data presented here provides additional mechanistic insights for further evaluation of the rational combination of prexasertib and olaparib for improved outcomes and reduced racial disparity in TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinnadurai Mani
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Shirisha Jonnalagadda
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Jojireddy Lingareddy
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA.,Present Address: Loyola Academic Degree PG College, Old Alwal, Secunderabad, Telangana, 500010, India
| | - Sanjay Awasthi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - William H Gmeiner
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Komaraiah Palle
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
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23
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Winer ES, Stone RM. Novel therapy in Acute myeloid leukemia (AML): moving toward targeted approaches. Ther Adv Hematol 2019; 10:2040620719860645. [PMID: 31321011 PMCID: PMC6624910 DOI: 10.1177/2040620719860645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenous and complex disease characterized by rapid cellular proliferation, an aggressive clinical course, and generally high mortality. While progress has been made in the understanding of the genetic and molecular biology of the disease, the standard of care for patients had only changed minimally over the past 40 years. Recently, rapid movement of potentially useful agents from bench to bedside has translated into new therapies either recently approved or in clinical trials. These therapies include improved chemotherapies, mutationally targeted inhibitors, pro-apoptotic agents, microenvironment targeting molecules, cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors, and epigenetic regulators. Furthermore, advances in immunotherapy employ monoclonal and bispecific antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, checkpoint inhibitors, and vaccines provide an alternative pathway for AML treatment. In this review, we discuss the recent results of completed or ongoing clinical trials with these novel therapeutic agents in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. Winer
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Leukemia Division,
Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard M. Stone
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Leukemia Division,
Department of Medical Oncology, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02115,
USA
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24
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Brattås MK, Reikvam H, Tvedt THA, Bruserud Ø. Dasatinib as an investigational drug for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2019; 28:411-420. [PMID: 30916583 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2019.1597052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with BCR-ABL1 translocation is an aggressive malignancy that is usually treated with intensive chemotherapy with the possibility of allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The encoded fusion protein may be important for leukemogenesis; clinical studies show that dasatinib has an antileukemic effect in combination with steroids alone or intensive chemotherapy. Areas covered: Relevant publications were identified through literature searches (the used terms being acute lymphoblastic leukemia plus dasatinib) in the PubMed database. We searched for original articles and reviews describing the pharmacology and clinical use of dasatinib in ALL with BCR-ABL1. The mechanism of action, pharmacology and clinical study findings are examined. Expert opinion: Dasatinib is associated with a high complete remission rate in ALL when used alone and in combination with steroids or intensive chemotherapy. However, mutations at T315 and F317 are associated with dasatinib resistance. Overall toxicity has been acceptable in these studies and no unexpected toxicity was observed. It is not known whether the antileukemic effect of dasatinib differs between subsets of BCR-ABL1+ patients or is attributed to inhibition of the fusion protein alone, or a combined effect on several kinases, and whether dasatinib-containing combination treatment should be preferred in these patients instead of other emerging strategies, e.g. monoclonal antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marte Karen Brattås
- a Department of Medicine , Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital , Bergen , Norway
| | - Håkon Reikvam
- b Department of Medicine , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway
| | | | - Øystein Bruserud
- b Department of Medicine , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway.,c Section for Hematology, Department of Clinical Science , University of Bergen , Bergen , Norway
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25
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Reilly NM, Novara L, Di Nicolantonio F, Bardelli A. Exploiting DNA repair defects in colorectal cancer. Mol Oncol 2019; 13:681-700. [PMID: 30714316 PMCID: PMC6441925 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Therapies that take advantage of defects in DNA repair pathways have been explored in the context of breast, ovarian, and other tumor types, but not yet systematically in CRC. At present, only immune checkpoint blockade therapies have been FDA approved for use in mismatch repair-deficient colorectal tumors. Here, we discuss how systematic identification of alterations in DNA repair genes could provide new therapeutic opportunities for CRCs. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Colon Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-COAD) and Rectal Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-READ) PanCancer Atlas datasets identified 141 (out of 528) cases with putative driver mutations in 29 genes associated with DNA damage response and repair, including the mismatch repair and homologous recombination pathways. Genetic defects in these pathways might confer repair-deficient characteristics, such as genomic instability in the absence of homologous recombination, which can be exploited. For example, inhibitors of poly(ADP)-ribose polymerase are effectively used to treat cancers that carry mutations in BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 and have shown promising results in CRC preclinical studies. HR deficiency can also occur in cells with no detectable BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations but exhibiting BRCA-like phenotypes. DNA repair-targeting therapies, such as ATR and CHK1 inhibitors (which are most effective against cancers carrying ATM mutations), can be used in combination with current genotoxic chemotherapies in CRCs to further improve therapy response. Finally, therapies that target alternative DNA repair mechanisms, such as thiopurines, also have the potential to confer increased sensitivity to current chemotherapy regimens, thus expanding the spectrum of therapy options and potentially improving clinical outcomes for CRC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Reilly
- Fondazione Piemontese per la Ricerca sul Cancro ONLUSCandioloItaly
| | - Luca Novara
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSCandioloItaly
| | - Federica Di Nicolantonio
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSCandioloItaly
- Department of OncologyUniversity of TorinoCandioloItaly
| | - Alberto Bardelli
- Candiolo Cancer InstituteFPO‐IRCCSCandioloItaly
- Department of OncologyUniversity of TorinoCandioloItaly
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26
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Lowery CD, Dowless M, Renschler M, Blosser W, VanWye AB, Stephens JR, Iversen PW, Lin AB, Beckmann RP, Krytska K, Cole KA, Maris JM, Hawkins DS, Rubin BP, Kurmasheva RT, Houghton PJ, Gorlick R, Kolb EA, Kang MH, Reynolds CP, Erickson SW, Teicher BA, Smith MA, Stancato LF. Broad Spectrum Activity of the Checkpoint Kinase 1 Inhibitor Prexasertib as a Single Agent or Chemopotentiator Across a Range of Preclinical Pediatric Tumor Models. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:2278-2289. [PMID: 30563935 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-2728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) inhibitors potentiate the DNA-damaging effects of cytotoxic therapies and/or promote elevated levels of replication stress, leading to tumor cell death. Prexasertib (LY2606368) is a CHK1 small-molecule inhibitor under clinical evaluation in multiple adult and pediatric cancers. In this study, prexasertib was tested in a large panel of preclinical models of pediatric solid malignancies alone or in combination with chemotherapy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN DNA damage and changes in cell signaling following in vitro prexasertib treatment in pediatric sarcoma cell lines were analyzed by Western blot and high content imaging. Antitumor activity of prexasertib as a single agent or in combination with different chemotherapies was explored in cell line-derived (CDX) and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models representing nine different pediatric cancer histologies. RESULTS Pediatric sarcoma cell lines were highly sensitive to prexasertib treatment in vitro, resulting in activation of the DNA damage response. Two PDX models of desmoplastic small round cell tumor and one malignant rhabdoid tumor CDX model responded to prexasertib with complete regression. Prexasertib monotherapy also elicited robust responses in mouse models of rhabdomyosarcoma. Concurrent administration with chemotherapy was sufficient to overcome innate resistance or prevent acquired resistance to prexasertib in preclinical models of neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma, or alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Prexasertib has significant antitumor effects as a monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy in multiple preclinical models of pediatric cancer. These findings support further investigation of prexasertib in pediatric malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin D Lowery
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Michele Dowless
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Matthew Renschler
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Wayne Blosser
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Alle B VanWye
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Philip W Iversen
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Aimee Bence Lin
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - Kateryna Krytska
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kristina A Cole
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - John M Maris
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Douglas S Hawkins
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington
| | - Brian P Rubin
- Departments of Pathology and Cancer Biology, Robert J Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute and Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio
| | | | - Peter J Houghton
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
| | | | - E Anders Kolb
- Nemours Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Wilmington, Delaware
| | - Min H Kang
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas
| | | | | | | | | | - Louis F Stancato
- Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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27
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Chamoun K, Borthakur G. Investigational CHK1 inhibitors in early stage clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2018; 27:661-666. [PMID: 30084282 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2018.1508448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common myeloid malignancy in adults. Despite recent discoveries of targeted therapies, the frontline therapy consisting of chemotherapy remains unchanged for the past four decades. Like other cancers, AML is characterized by deranged DNA damage repair (DDR) pathway. Although impaired DDR may contribute to the pathogenesis of AML it also allows leukemia cells with damaged DNA to attempt repair resulting in resistance. CHK1 inhibitors reverse the cell cycle arrest, disallowing the cell to repair the chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, driving the cell to enter into mitotic catastrophe.Areas covered: This paper reviews the preclinical and clinical development of CHK1 inhibitors and we discussed their promising role as a potential addition to the therapeutic arsenal of AML.Expert opinion: Targeting the cell cycle checkpoints is an intriguing approach to treat cancer in general and AML in particular. CHK1 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy have the potential of improving outcome in high-risk AML characterized by DDR activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamal Chamoun
- Leukemia Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Gautam Borthakur
- Leukemia Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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28
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Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà A, Beeharry N, Imbrogno E, Ferrari A, Robustelli V, Righi S, Sabattini E, Verga Falzacappa MV, Ronchini C, Testoni N, Baldazzi C, Papayannidis C, Abbenante MC, Marconi G, Paolini S, Parisi S, Sartor C, Fontana MC, De Matteis S, Iacobucci I, Pelicci PG, Cavo M, Yen TJ, Martinelli G. Targeting WEE1 to enhance conventional therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Hematol Oncol 2018; 11:99. [PMID: 30068368 PMCID: PMC6090987 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-018-0641-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the recent progress that has been made in the understanding and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the outcome is still dismal in adult ALL cases. Several studies in solid tumors identified high expression of WEE1 kinase as a poor prognostic factor and reported its role as a cancer-conserving oncogene that protects cancer cells from DNA damage. Therefore, the targeted inhibition of WEE1 kinase has emerged as a rational strategy to sensitize cancer cells to antineoplastic compounds, which we evaluate in this study. METHODS The effectiveness of the selective WEE1 inhibitor AZD-1775 as a single agent and in combination with different antineoplastic agents in B and T cell precursor ALL (B/T-ALL) was evaluated in vitro and ex vivo studies. The efficacy of the compound in terms of cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and changes in gene and protein expression was assessed using different B/T-ALL cell lines and confirmed in primary ALL blasts. RESULTS We showed that WEE1 was highly expressed in adult primary ALL bone marrow and peripheral blood blasts (n = 58) compared to normal mononuclear cells isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy donors (p = 0.004). Thus, we hypothesized that WEE1 could be a rational target in ALL, and its inhibition could enhance the cytotoxicity of conventional therapies used for ALL. We evaluated the efficacy of AZD-1775 as a single agent and in combination with several antineoplastic agents, and we elucidated its mechanisms of action. AZD-1775 reduced cell viability in B/T-ALL cell lines by disrupting the G2/M checkpoint and inducing apoptosis. These findings were confirmed in human primary ALL bone marrow and peripheral blood blasts (n = 15). In both cell lines and primary leukemic cells, AZD-1775 significantly enhanced the efficacy of several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as bosutinib, imatinib, and ponatinib, and of chemotherapeutic agents (clofarabine and doxorubicin) in terms of the reduction of cell viability, apoptosis induction, and inhibition of proliferation. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that WEE1 plays a role in ALL blast's survival and is a bona fide target for therapeutic intervention. These data support the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of AZD-1775 as chemo-sensitizer agent for the treatment of B/T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna Di Rorà
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Neil Beeharry
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA USA
- LAM Therapeutics, Guilford, CT USA
| | - Enrica Imbrogno
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Ferrari
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Robustelli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Simona Righi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Sabattini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Ronchini
- Laboratory of Clinical Genomics, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Testoni
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Carmen Baldazzi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Papayannidis
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Abbenante
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marconi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Paolini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sarah Parisi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Sartor
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Fontana
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Serena De Matteis
- Biosciences Laboratory, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
| | - Ilaria Iacobucci
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN USA
| | | | - Michele Cavo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Hematology “L. e A. Seràgnoli”, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Timothy J. Yen
- Cancer Biology Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Meldola, Italy
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29
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Delia D, Mizutani S. The DNA damage response pathway in normal hematopoiesis and malignancies. Int J Hematol 2017; 106:328-334. [PMID: 28707218 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-017-2300-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In mammalian cells, the DNA damage response (DDR) prevents the replication and propagation of DNA errors to the next generation, thus maintaining genomic stability. At the heart of the DDR are the related signaling kinases ATM, ATR, and DNA-PK, which regulate DNA repair and associated events such as cell cycle checkpoints, chromatin remodeling, transcription, and ultimately apoptosis. Several findings highlight the occurrence of DDR in hemopoietic stem cells (HSCs), and persistence of DNA lesions in these cells promotes their functional decline and accumulation of leukemogenic mutations. Besides favoring tumor formation and progression, molecular defects that directly or indirectly inactivate certain DDR pathways can provide a therapeutic opportunity, since a reduced ability to repair DNA lesions renders hemopoietic malignancies vulnerable to genotoxic drugs acting also through synthetic lethal interactions. Here, we discuss the essential role of DDR in HSC maintenance and protection against leukemogenesis, and how acquired DDR dysfunctions or pharmacological agents that block this pathway can be effectively exploited for the treatment of various hematopoietic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Delia
- Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Shuki Mizutani
- Kawasaki North Center for Childhood Developmental Disorder/Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 5-26-1 Katahira, Aso-ku, Kawasaki, 215-0003, Japan
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30
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Ghelli Luserna di Rora’ A, Iacobucci I, Martinelli G. The cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of leukemias. J Hematol Oncol 2017; 10:77. [PMID: 28356161 PMCID: PMC5371185 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-017-0443-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway in the treatment of cancers has recently reached an exciting stage with several cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors that are now being tested in several clinical trials in cancer patients. Although the great amount of pre-clinical and clinical data are from the solid tumor experience, only few studies have been done on leukemias using specific cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors. This review aims to summarize the most recent data found on the biological mechanisms of the response to DNA damages highlighting the role of the different elements of the DDR pathway in normal and cancer cells and focusing on the main genetic alteration or aberrant gene expression that has been found on acute and chronic leukemias. This review, for the first time, outlines the most important pre-clinical and clinical data available on the efficacy of cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors in single agent and in combination with different agents normally used for the treatment of acute and chronic leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - I. Iacobucci
- Department of Hematology and Medical Sciences “L. and A. Seràgnoli”, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
- Present: Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN USA
| | - G. Martinelli
- Department of Hematology and Medical Sciences “L. and A. Seràgnoli”, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy
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31
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Lin AB, McNeely SC, Beckmann RP. Achieving Precision Death with Cell-Cycle Inhibitors that Target DNA Replication and Repair. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:3232-3240. [PMID: 28331049 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
All cancers are characterized by defects in the systems that ensure strict control of the cell cycle in normal tissues. The consequent excess tissue growth can be countered by drugs that halt cell division, and, indeed, the majority of chemotherapeutics developed during the last century work by disrupting processes essential for the cell cycle, particularly DNA synthesis, DNA replication, and chromatid segregation. In certain contexts, the efficacy of these classes of drugs can be impressive, but because they indiscriminately block the cell cycle of all actively dividing cells, their side effects severely constrain the dose and duration with which they can be administered, allowing both normal and malignant cells to escape complete growth arrest. Recent progress in understanding how cancers lose control of the cell cycle, coupled with comprehensive genomic profiling of human tumor biopsies, has shown that many cancers have mutations affecting various regulators and checkpoints that impinge on the core cell-cycle machinery. These defects introduce unique vulnerabilities that can be exploited by a next generation of drugs that promise improved therapeutic windows in patients whose tumors bear particular genomic aberrations, permitting increased dose intensity and efficacy. These developments, coupled with the success of new drugs targeting cell-cycle regulators, have led to a resurgence of interest in cell-cycle inhibitors. This review in particular focuses on the newer strategies that may facilitate better therapeutic targeting of drugs that inhibit the various components that safeguard the fidelity of the fundamental processes of DNA replication and repair. Clin Cancer Res; 23(13); 3232-40. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee Bence Lin
- Early Phase Medical-Oncology, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Samuel C McNeely
- Oncology Business Unit-Patient Tailoring, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Richard P Beckmann
- Oncology Translational Research, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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32
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Zeng L, Beggs RR, Cooper TS, Weaver AN, Yang ES. Combining Chk1/2 Inhibition with Cetuximab and Radiation Enhances In Vitro and In Vivo Cytotoxicity in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Mol Cancer Ther 2017; 16:591-600. [PMID: 28138028 PMCID: PMC5560482 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-16-0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
EGFR inhibition and radiotherapy are potent inducers of DNA damage. Checkpoint kinases 1 and 2 (Chk1/2) are critical regulators of the DNA-damage response, controlling cell-cycle checkpoints that may permit recovery from therapy-associated genomic stress. We hypothesized that Chk1/2 inhibition (CHKi) with prexasertib may enhance cytotoxicity from EGFR inhibition plus radiotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this study, we found that the addition of CHKi to the EGFR inhibitor cetuximab with and without radiotherapy significantly decreased cell proliferation and survival fraction in human papillomavirus virus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC cell lines. Reduced proliferation was accompanied by decreased checkpoint activation, induced S-phase accumulation, persistent DNA damage, and increased caspase cleavage and apoptosis. Importantly, a significant tumor growth delay was observed in vivo in both HPV-positive and HPV-negative cell line xenografts receiving triple combination therapy with CHKi, cetuximab, and radiotherapy without a concomitant increase in toxicity as assessed by mouse body weight. Taken together, the combination of CHKi with cetuximab plus irradiation displayed significant antitumor effects in HNSCCs both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that this combination therapy may increase clinical benefit. A clinical trial to test this treatment for patients with head and neck cancer is currently ongoing (NCT02555644).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Zeng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Reena R Beggs
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Tiffiny S Cooper
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Alice N Weaver
- 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.,Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama
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Pterostilbene Inhibits Human Multiple Myeloma Cells via ERK1/2 and JNK Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17111927. [PMID: 27869675 PMCID: PMC5133923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17111927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common malignancy in the hematologic system, which is characterized by accumulation of plasma cells in bone marrow. Pterostilbene (PTE) is a natural dimethylated analog of resveratrol, which has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. In the present study, we examined the anti-tumor effect of PTE on MM cell lines both in vitro and in vivo using the cell counting kit (CCK)-8, apoptosis assays, cell cycle analysis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay, Western blotting and tumor xenograft models. The results demonstrated that PTE induces apoptosis in the H929 cell line and causes cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase by enhancing ROS generation and reducing mitochondrial membrane potential. The anti-tumor effect of PTE may be caused by the activation of the extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. Additionally, mice treated with PTE by intraperitoneal injection demonstrated reduced tumor volume. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that the anti-tumor effect of PTE on MM cells may provide a new therapeutic option for MM patients.
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