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Bertoli E, De Carlo E, Bortolot M, Stanzione B, Del Conte A, Spina M, Bearz A. Targeted Therapy in Mesotheliomas: Uphill All the Way. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1971. [PMID: 38893092 PMCID: PMC11171080 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive and lethal disease with few therapeutic opportunities. Platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy is the backbone of first-line treatment for MM. The introduction of immunotherapy (IO) has been the only novelty of the last decades, allowing an increase in survival compared to standard chemotherapy (CT). However, IO is not approved for epithelioid histology in many countries. Therefore, therapy for relapsed MM remains an unmet clinical need, and the prognosis of MM remains poor, with an average survival of only 18 months. Increasing evidence reveals MM complexity and heterogeneity, of which histological classification fails to explain. Thus, scientific focus on possibly new molecular markers or cellular targets is increasing, together with the search for target therapies directed towards them. The molecular landscape of MM is characterized by inactivating tumor suppressor alterations, the most common of which is found in CDKN2A, BAP1, MTAP, and NF2. In addition, cellular targets such as mesothelin or metabolic enzymes such as ASS1 could be potentially amenable to specific therapies. This review examines the major targets and relative attempts of therapeutic approaches to provide an overview of the potential prospects for treating this rare neoplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Bertoli
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Elisa De Carlo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Martina Bortolot
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
- Department of Medicine, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Brigida Stanzione
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Alessandro Del Conte
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Michele Spina
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Alessandra Bearz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO), IRCCS, 33081 Aviano, Italy; (E.B.); (E.D.C.); (M.B.); (B.S.); (A.D.C.); (M.S.)
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Fen FU, Yang ZHANG, Hong SHEN. [Advances in Targeted Therapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma]. ZHONGGUO FEI AI ZA ZHI = CHINESE JOURNAL OF LUNG CANCER 2024; 27:391-398. [PMID: 38880927 PMCID: PMC11183316 DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2024.102.18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare cancer with high malignancy and aggressiveness on the pleural, caused by the following risk factors including asbestos inhalation, genetic factors, and genetic mutation. The present chemotherapy, antiangiogenic therapy, and immunotherapy methods are ineffective and the survival time of patients is very short. There is an urgent need to find potential therapeutic targets for MPM. At present, it has been found the following types of targets: gene mutation targets such as BRCA associated protein 1 (BAP1) and cyclin-dependent kinase 2A (CDKN2A); epigenetic targets such as lysine (K)-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) and lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), and signal protein targets such as glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). So far, available clinical trials include phase II clinical trials of histone methyltransferase inhibitor Tazemetostat, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor Rucaparib and cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor Abemaciclib, as well as phase I clinical trials of mesothelin-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy (CAR-T) cell injection in the thoracic cavity and TEA domain family member (TEAD) inhibitor VT3989 and IK-930, and the results of these trials have showed certain clinical efficacy.
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Yun KM, Bazhenova L. Emerging New Targets in Systemic Therapy for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1252. [PMID: 38610930 PMCID: PMC11011044 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a heterogeneous cancer composed of distinct molecular and pathologic subtypes. Unfortunately, MPM is aggressive, and current therapies for advanced, unresectable disease remain limited to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Our understanding of the genomic landscape of MPM is steadily growing, while the discovery of effective targeted therapies in MPM has advanced more slowly than in other solid tumors. Given the prevalence of alterations in tumor suppressor genes in MPM, it has been challenging to identify actionable targets. However, efforts to characterize the genetic signatures in MPM over the last decade have led to a range of novel targeted therapeutics entering early-phase clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the advancements made thus far in targeted systemic therapies in MPM and the future direction of targeted strategies in patients with advanced MPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen M. Yun
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
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Dagogo-Jack I. Targeted Approaches to Treatment of Pleural Mesothelioma: A Review. JCO Precis Oncol 2023; 7:e2300344. [PMID: 37992257 PMCID: PMC10681489 DOI: 10.1200/po.23.00344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive disease that is enriched for inactivating alterations in tumor suppressor genes. Systemic therapeutic strategies for pleural mesothelioma generally involve chemotherapies and immunotherapies that are chosen without consideration of the tumor's molecular profile. As this generalized approach to treatment rarely yields durable responses, alternative therapeutic regimens are urgently indicated. Preclinical studies have identified synthetic lethal protein and metabolic interactions, recurrently overexpressed proteins, and frequent pathway perturbations that may be therapeutically exploited in mesothelioma. This review discusses the mechanism of action of emerging investigational therapies and summarizes findings from phase I-II clinical trials exploring selective, biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies for mesothelioma, with a focus on five common targets. Finally, using lessons learned from these clinical trials, imperatives for successful implementation of targeted therapy in mesothelioma are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibiayi Dagogo-Jack
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Zhang S, Xu Q, Sun W, Zhou J, Zhou J. Immunomodulatory effects of CDK4/6 inhibitors. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188912. [PMID: 37182667 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The dysregulation of the cell cycle is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and CDK6 play crucial roles in regulating cell cycle and other cellular functions. CDK4/6 inhibitors have achieved great success in treating breast cancers and are currently being tested extensively in other tumor types as well. Accumulating evidence suggests that CDK4/6 inhibitors exert antitumor effects through immunomodulation aside from cell cycle arrest. Here we outline the immunomodulatory activities of CDK4/6 inhibitors, discuss the immune mechanisms of drug resistance and explore avenues to harness their immunotherapeutic potential when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to improve the clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumeng Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiaomai Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenjia Sun
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianya Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Jianying Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Terenziani R, Galetti M, La Monica S, Fumarola C, Zoppi S, Alfieri R, Digiacomo G, Cavazzoni A, Cavallo D, Corradi M, Tiseo M, Petronini PG, Bonelli M. CDK4/6 Inhibition Enhances the Efficacy of Standard Chemotherapy Treatment in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235925. [PMID: 36497412 PMCID: PMC9739278 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235925] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The loss of the CDKN2A/ARF (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A/alternative reading frame) gene is the most common alteration in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), with an incidence of about 70%, thus representing a novel target for mesothelioma treatment. In the present study, we evaluated the antitumor potential of combining the standard chemotherapy regimen used for unresectable MPM with the CDK4/6 (cyclin-dependent kinase 4 or 6) inhibitor abemaciclib. METHODS Cell viability, cell death, senescence, and autophagy induction were evaluated in two MPM cell lines and in a primary MPM cell culture. RESULTS The simultaneous treatment of abemaciclib with cisplatin and pemetrexed showed a greater antiproliferative effect than chemotherapy alone, both in MPM cell lines and in primary cells. This combined treatment induced cellular senescence or autophagic cell death, depending on the cell type. More in detail, the induction of cellular senescence was related to the increased expression of p21, whereas autophagy induction was due to the impairment of the AKT/mTOR signaling. Notably, the effect of the combination was irreversible and no resumption in tumor cell proliferation was observed after drug withdrawal. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrated the therapeutic potential of CDK4/6 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of MPM and are consistent with the recent positive results in the MiST2 arm in abemaciclib-treated patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Terenziani
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Maricla Galetti
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL-Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (S.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0521-033764 (M.G.); +39-0521-033747 (S.L.M.)
| | - Silvia La Monica
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.G.); (S.L.M.); Tel.: +39-0521-033764 (M.G.); +39-0521-033747 (S.L.M.)
| | - Claudia Fumarola
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Silvia Zoppi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Roberta Alfieri
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Graziana Digiacomo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavazzoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Delia Cavallo
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL-Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Corradi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
- Center of Excellence for Toxicological Research (CERT), University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | - Marcello Tiseo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
| | | | - Mara Bonelli
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43126 Parma, Italy
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Sun CY, Talukder M, Cao D, Chen CW. Gilteritinib Enhances Anti-Tumor Efficacy of CDK4/6 Inhibitor, Abemaciclib in Lung Cancer Cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:829759. [PMID: 35814226 PMCID: PMC9262324 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.829759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abemaciclib is a cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Preclinical studies suggest that abemaciclib has the potential for lung cancer treatment. However, several clinical trials demonstrate that monotherapy with abemaciclib has no obvious superiority than erlotinib to treat lung cancer patients, limiting its therapeutic options for lung cancer treatment. Here, we show that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug, gilteritinib, enhances the cytotoxicity of abemaciclib through inducing apoptosis and senescence in lung cancer cells. Interestingly, abemaciclib in combination with gilteritinib leads to excessive accumulation of vacuoles in lung cancer cells. Mechanistically, combined abemaciclib and gilteritinib induces complete inactivation of AKT and retinoblastoma (Rb) pathways in lung cancer cells. In addition, RNA-sequencing data demonstrate that combination of abemaciclib and gilteritinib treatment induces G2 phase cell-cycle arrest, inhibits DNA replication, and leads to reduction in homologous recombination associated gene expressions. Of note, abemaciclib-resistant lung cancer cells are more sensitive to gilteritinib treatment. In a mouse xenograft model, combined abemaciclib and gilteritinib is more effective than either drug alone in suppressing tumor growth and appears to be well tolerated. Together, our findings support the combination of abemaciclib with gilteritinib as an effective strategy for the treatment of lung cancer, suggesting further evaluation of their efficacy is needed in a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Yue Sun
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Lu’an, China
| | - Milton Talukder
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Barishal, Bangladesh
| | - Di Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cun-Wu Chen
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Lu’an, China
- *Correspondence: Cun-Wu Chen,
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Abemaciclib in patients with p16ink4A-deficient mesothelioma (MiST2): a single-arm, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol 2022; 23:374-381. [DOI: 10.1016/s1470-2045(22)00062-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Pezzicoli G, Rizzo M, Perrone M, Minei S, Mutti L, Porta C. A Glimpse in the Future of Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:809337. [PMID: 34975505 PMCID: PMC8714955 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.809337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant mesothelioma (MMe) is a rare neoplasm with few therapeutic options available. The landscape of effective therapy for this disease remained unchanged in the last two decades. Recently, however, the introduction of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) led to small, but nevertheless, promising improvements. However, many efforts are still needed to radically improve the prognosis of MMe. In this review, we analyze all those therapeutic strategies for MMe that are still in a preclinical or early clinical phase of development. In particular, we focus on novel antiangiogenic drugs and their possible combination with immunotherapy. Furthermore, we describe also more complex strategies such as microRNA-loaded vectors, oncolytic viruses, and engineered lymphocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Pezzicoli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Mimma Rizzo
- A.O.U. Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Martina Perrone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Silvia Minei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Luciano Mutti
- Italian Group for Research and Therapy for Mesothelioma (GIMe), Voghera, Italy
| | - Camillo Porta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.,A.O.U. Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
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