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Jones RB, Farhi J, Adams M, Parwani KK, Cooper GW, Zecevic M, Lee RS, Hong AL, Spangle JM. Targeting MLL Methyltransferases Enhances the Antitumor Effects of PI3K Inhibition in Hormone Receptor-positive Breast Cancer. Cancer Res Commun 2022; 2:1569-1578. [PMID: 36970726 PMCID: PMC10036132 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The high frequency of aberrant PI3K pathway activation in hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer has led to the development, clinical testing, and approval of the p110α-selective PI3K inhibitor alpelisib. The limited clinical efficacy of alpelisib and other PI3K inhibitors is partially attributed to the functional antagonism between PI3K and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling, which is mitigated via combined PI3K inhibition and endocrine therapy. We and others have previously demonstrated chromatin-associated mechanisms by which PI3K supports cancer development and antagonizes ER signaling through the modulation of the H3K4 methylation axis, inhibition of KDM5A promoter H3K4 demethylation and KMT2D/MLL4-directed enhancer H3K4 methylation. Here we show that inhibition of the H3K4 histone methyltransferase MLL1 in combination with PI3K inhibition impairs HR+ breast cancer clonogenicity and cell proliferation. While combined PI3K/MLL1 inhibition reduces PI3K/AKT signaling and H3K4 methylation, MLL1 inhibition increases PI3K/AKT signaling through the dysregulation of gene expression associated with AKT activation. These data reveal a feedback loop between MLL1 and AKT whereby MLL1 inhibition reactivates AKT. We show that combined PI3K and MLL1 inhibition synergizes to cause cell death in in vitro and in vivo models of HR+ breast cancer, which is enhanced by the additional genetic ablation of the H3K4 methyltransferase and AKT target KMT2D/MLL4. Together, our data provide evidence of a feedback mechanism connecting histone methylation with AKT and may support the preclinical development and testing of pan-MLL inhibitors. Significance Here the authors leverage PI3K/AKT-driven chromatin modification to identify histone methyltransferases as a therapeutic target. Dual PI3K and MLL inhibition synergize to reduce clonogenicity and cell proliferation, and promote in vivo tumor regression. These findings suggest patients with PIK3CA-mutant, HR+ breast cancer may derive clinical benefit from combined PI3K/MLL inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B. Jones
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathan Farhi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Miranda Adams
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kiran K. Parwani
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Garrett W. Cooper
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Milica Zecevic
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Richard S. Lee
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Andrew L. Hong
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jennifer M. Spangle
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
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Chang A, Akhtar A, Lai L, Orellana-Noia VM, Linderman SL, McCook-Veal AA, Switchenko JM, Saini M, Valanparambil RM, Blum KA, Allen PB, Lechowicz MJ, Romancik JT, Ayers A, Leal A, O'Leary CB, Churnetski MC, Baird K, Kives M, Wrammert J, Nooka AK, Koff JL, Dhodapkar MV, Suthar MS, Cohen JB, Ahmed R. Antibody binding and neutralization of live SARS-CoV-2 variants including BA.4/5 following booster vaccination of patients with B-cell malignancies. Cancer Res Commun 2022; 2:1684-1692. [PMID: 36644323 PMCID: PMC9833496 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (NHL/CLL) patients elicit inadequate antibody responses after initial SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and remain at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease. We investigated IgG, IgA, and IgM responses after booster vaccination against recent SARS-CoV-2 variants including Omicron BA.5 in 67 patients. Patients had lower fold increase and total anti-spike binding titers after booster than healthy individuals. Antibody responses negatively correlated with recent anti-CD20 therapy and low B cell numbers. Antibodies generated after booster demonstrated similar binding properties against SARS-CoV-2 variants compared to those generated by healthy controls with lower binding against Omicron variants. Importantly, 43% of patients showed anti-Omicron BA.1 neutralizing antibodies after booster and all these patients also had anti-Omicron BA.5 neutralizing antibodies. NHL/CLL patients demonstrated inferior antibody responses after booster vaccination, particularly against Omicron variants. Prioritization of prophylactic and treatment agents and vaccination of patients and close contacts with updated vaccine formulations are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Chang
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Akil Akhtar
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Lilin Lai
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University Schools of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Victor M. Orellana-Noia
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Susanne L. Linderman
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ashley A. McCook-Veal
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jeffrey M. Switchenko
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Manpreet Saini
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Rajesh M. Valanparambil
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Kristie A. Blum
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Pamela B. Allen
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mary Jo Lechowicz
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jason T. Romancik
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Amy Ayers
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Alyssa Leal
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Colin B. O'Leary
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Michael C. Churnetski
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Katelin Baird
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Melissa Kives
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jens Wrammert
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University Schools of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ajay K. Nooka
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jean L. Koff
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Madhav V. Dhodapkar
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Mehul S. Suthar
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University Schools of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jonathon B. Cohen
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Corresponding Authors: Rafi Ahmed, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322. Phone: 404-727-4700; Fax: 404-727-3722; E-mail: ; and Jonathon B. Cohen,
| | - Rafi Ahmed
- Emory Vaccine Center, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Corresponding Authors: Rafi Ahmed, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322. Phone: 404-727-4700; Fax: 404-727-3722; E-mail: ; and Jonathon B. Cohen,
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