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Jiang Y, Huang S, Zhang L, Zhou Y, Zhang W, Wan T, Gu H, Ouyang Y, Zheng X, Liu P, Pan B, Xiang H, Ju M, Luo R, Jia W, Huang S, Li J, Zheng M. Targeting the Cdc2-like kinase 2 for overcoming platinum resistance in ovarian cancer. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e537. [PMID: 38617434 PMCID: PMC11016135 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Platinum resistance represents a major barrier to the survival of patients with ovarian cancer (OC). Cdc2-like kinase 2 (CLK2) is a major protein kinase associated with oncogenic phenotype and development in some solid tumors. However, the exact role and underlying mechanism of CLK2 in the progression of OC is currently unknown. Using microarray gene expression profiling and immunostaining on OC tissues, we found that CLK2 was upregulated in OC tissues and was associated with a short platinum-free interval in patients. Functional assays showed that CLK2 protected OC cells from platinum-induced apoptosis and allowed tumor xenografts to be more resistant to platinum. Mechanistically, CLK2 phosphorylated breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) at serine 1423 (Ser1423) to enhance DNA damage repair, resulting in platinum resistance in OC cells. Meanwhile, in OC cells treated with platinum, p38 stabilized CLK2 protein through phosphorylating at threonine 343 of CLK2. Consequently, the combination of CLK2 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors achieved synergistic lethal effect to overcome platinum resistance in patient-derived xenografts, especially those with wild-type BRCA1. These findings provide evidence for a potential strategy to overcome platinum resistance in OC patients by targeting CLK2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Jiang
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Shuting Huang
- Department of Gynecology, Guangdong Provincial People's HospitalGuangdong Academy of Medical SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Lan Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan Cancer HospitalYunnan Cancer CenterKunmingChina
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, The Third Affiliated HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Ting Wan
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Haifeng Gu
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Yi Ouyang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Sun Yat‐Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Xiaojing Zheng
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Pingping Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Baoyue Pan
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Huiling Xiang
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Mingxiu Ju
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Rongzhen Luo
- Department of Pathology, Sun Yat‐Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Weihua Jia
- Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Shenjiao Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical CenterGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Jundong Li
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
| | - Min Zheng
- Department of Gynecology, Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineGuangzhouChina
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Athwal H, Kochiyanil A, Bhat V, Allan AL, Parsyan A. Centrosomes and associated proteins in pathogenesis and treatment of breast cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1370565. [PMID: 38606093 PMCID: PMC11007099 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1370565] [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: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women worldwide. Despite significant advances in treatment, it remains one of the leading causes of female mortality. The inability to effectively treat advanced and/or treatment-resistant breast cancer demonstrates the need to develop novel treatment strategies and targeted therapies. Centrosomes and their associated proteins have been shown to play key roles in the pathogenesis of breast cancer and thus represent promising targets for drug and biomarker development. Centrosomes are fundamental cellular structures in the mammalian cell that are responsible for error-free execution of cell division. Centrosome amplification and aberrant expression of its associated proteins such as Polo-like kinases (PLKs), Aurora kinases (AURKs) and Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been observed in various cancers, including breast cancer. These aberrations in breast cancer are thought to cause improper chromosomal segregation during mitosis, leading to chromosomal instability and uncontrolled cell division, allowing cancer cells to acquire new genetic changes that result in evasion of cell death and the promotion of tumor formation. Various chemical compounds developed against PLKs and AURKs have shown meaningful antitumorigenic effects in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of action of these inhibitors is likely related to exacerbation of numerical genomic instability, such as aneuploidy or polyploidy. Furthermore, growing evidence demonstrates enhanced antitumorigenic effects when inhibitors specific to centrosome-associated proteins are used in combination with either radiation or chemotherapy drugs in breast cancer. This review focuses on the current knowledge regarding the roles of centrosome and centrosome-associated proteins in breast cancer pathogenesis and their utility as novel targets for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harjot Athwal
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Arpitha Kochiyanil
- Faculty of Science, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Vasudeva Bhat
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alison L. Allan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Armen Parsyan
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Oncology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Surgery, St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada
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3
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Liu QW, Yang ZW, Tang QH, Wang WE, Chu DS, Ji JF, Fan QY, Jiang H, Yang QX, Zhang H, Liu XY, Xu XS, Wang XF, Liu JB, Fu D, Tao K, Yu H. The power and the promise of synthetic lethality for clinical application in cancer treatment. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 172:116288. [PMID: 38377739 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116288] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Synthetic lethality is a phenomenon wherein the simultaneous deficiency of two or more genes results in cell death, while the deficiency of any individual gene does not lead to cell death. In recent years, synthetic lethality has emerged as a significant topic in the field of targeted cancer therapy, with certain drugs based on this concept exhibiting promising outcomes in clinical trials. Nevertheless, the presence of tumor heterogeneity and the intricate DNA repair mechanisms pose challenges to the effective implementation of synthetic lethality. This review aims to explore the concepts, development, and ethical quandaries surrounding synthetic lethality. Additionally, it will provide an in-depth analysis of the clinical application and underlying mechanism of synthetic lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian-Wen Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province 225300, China; General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Zhi-Wen Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Changning Maternity and Infant Health Hospital, East China Normal University, Shanghai, Shanghai 200050, China
| | - Qing-Hai Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Biological Resources in the Nanyue Mountainous Region and College of Life Sciences, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang, Hunan Province 421008, China
| | - Wen-Er Wang
- General Surgery, the Fourth Hospital Of Changsha, Changsha Hospital Of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan Province 410006, China
| | - Da-Sheng Chu
- Second Cadre Rest Medical and Health Center of Changning District, Shanghai Garrison, Shanghai226631, China
| | - Jin-Feng Ji
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Internal Medicine, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226631, China
| | - Qi-Yu Fan
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226631, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, the 905th Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, Shanghai 200050, China
| | - Qin-Xin Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province 225300, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226631, China
| | - Xin-Yun Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province 225300, China
| | - Xiao-Sheng Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
| | - Xiao-Feng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Xiamen Hospital, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Xiamen, Fujian Province 361015, China.
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Institute of Oncology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226631, China.
| | - Da Fu
- General Surgery, Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
| | - Kun Tao
- Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200065, China.
| | - Hong Yu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Taizhou People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province 225300, China; Department of Pathology, Taizhou School of Clinical Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province 225300, China.
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4
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Chao Y, Chen Y, Zheng W, Demanelis K, Liu Y, Connelly JA, Wang H, Li S, Wang QJ. Synthetic lethal combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibition for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Oncogene 2024; 43:789-803. [PMID: 38273024 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-02939-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
WEE1 and CHEK1 (CHK1) kinases are critical regulators of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage response pathways. The WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 and the CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 are in clinical trials for various cancers, but have not been thoroughly examined in prostate cancer, particularly castration-resistant (CRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancers (NEPC). Our data demonstrated elevated WEE1 and CHK1 expressions in CRPC and NEPC cell lines and patient samples. AZD1775 resulted in rapid and potent cell killing with comparable IC50s across different prostate cancer cell lines, while SRA737 displayed time-dependent progressive cell killing with 10- to 20-fold differences in IC50s. Notably, their combination synergistically reduced the viability of all CRPC cell lines and tumor spheroids in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, in a transgenic mouse model of NEPC, both agents alone or in combination suppressed tumor growth, improved overall survival, and reduced the incidence of distant metastases, with SRA737 exhibiting remarkable single agent anticancer activity. Mechanistically, SRA737 synergized with AZD1775 by blocking AZD1775-induced feedback activation of CHK1 in prostate cancer cells, resulting in increased mitotic entry and accumulation of DNA damage. In summary, this preclinical study shows that CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 alone and its combination with AZD1775 offer potential effective treatments for CRPC and NEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapeng Chao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yuzhou Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wenxiao Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kathryn Demanelis
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jaclyn A Connelly
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Song Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Qiming Jane Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Fuentes‐Antrás J, Bedard PL, Cescon DW. Seize the engine: Emerging cell cycle targets in breast cancer. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1544. [PMID: 38264947 PMCID: PMC10807317 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer arises from a series of molecular alterations that disrupt cell cycle checkpoints, leading to aberrant cell proliferation and genomic instability. Targeted pharmacological inhibition of cell cycle regulators has long been considered a promising anti-cancer strategy. Initial attempts to drug critical cell cycle drivers were hampered by poor selectivity, modest efficacy and haematological toxicity. Advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of cell cycle disruption and the mechanisms of resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors have reignited interest in blocking specific components of the cell cycle machinery, such as CDK2, CDK4, CDK7, PLK4, WEE1, PKMYT1, AURKA and TTK. These targets play critical roles in regulating quiescence, DNA replication and chromosome segregation. Extensive preclinical data support their potential to overcome CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance, induce synthetic lethality or sensitise tumours to immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review provides a biological and drug development perspective on emerging cell cycle targets and novel inhibitors, many of which exhibit favourable safety profiles and promising activity in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Fuentes‐Antrás
- Division of Medical Oncology and HematologyDepartment of MedicinePrincess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- NEXT OncologyHospital Universitario QuironSalud MadridMadridSpain
| | - Philippe L. Bedard
- Division of Medical Oncology and HematologyDepartment of MedicinePrincess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - David W. Cescon
- Division of Medical Oncology and HematologyDepartment of MedicinePrincess Margaret Cancer CentreUniversity Health NetworkUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
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6
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Jennings L, Walters HA, McCraw TJ, Turner JL, Mason JM. FBH1 deficiency sensitizes cells to WEE1 inhibition by promoting mitotic catastrophe. DNA Repair (Amst) 2024; 133:103611. [PMID: 38103522 PMCID: PMC10872337 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 kinase phosphorylates CDK1 and CDK2 to regulate origin firing and mitotic entry. Inhibition of WEE1 has become an attractive target for cancer therapy due to the simultaneous induction of replication stress and inhibition of the G2/M checkpoint. WEE1 inhibition in cancer cells with high levels of replication stress results in induction of replication catastrophe and mitotic catastrophe. To increase potential as a single agent chemotherapeutic, a better understanding of genetic alterations that impact cellular responses to WEE1 inhibition is warranted. Here, we investigate the impact of loss of the helicase, FBH1, on the cellular response to WEE1 inhibition. FBH1-deficient cells have a reduction in ssDNA and double strand break signaling indicating FBH1 is required for induction of replication stress response in cells treated with WEE1 inhibitors. Despite the defect in the replication stress response, FBH1-deficiency sensitizes cells to WEE1 inhibition by increasing mitotic catastrophe. We propose loss of FBH1 is resulting in replication-associated damage that requires the WEE1-dependent G2 checkpoint for repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Jennings
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, United States
| | | | - Tyler J McCraw
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, United States
| | - Joshua L Turner
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, United States
| | - Jennifer M Mason
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, United States.
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Zhang C, Peng K, Liu Q, Huang Q, Liu T. Adavosertib and beyond: Biomarkers, drug combination and toxicity of WEE1 inhibitors. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 193:104233. [PMID: 38103761 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
WEE1 kinase is renowned as an S-G2 checkpoint inhibitor activated by ATR-CHK1 in response to replication stress. WEE1 inhibition enhances replication stress and effectively circumvents checkpoints into mitosis, which triggers significant genetic impairs and culminates in cell death. This approach has been validated clinically for its promising anti-tumor efficacy across various cancer types, notably in cases of ovarian cancers. Nonetheless, the initial stage of clinical trials has shown that the first-in-human WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib is limited by dose-limiting adverse events. As a result, recent efforts have been made to explore predictive biomarkers and smart combination schedules to alleviate adverse effects. In this review, we focused on the exploration of therapeutic biomarkers, as well as schedules of combination utilizing WEE1 inhibitors and canonical anticancer drugs, according to the latest preclinical and clinical studies, indicating that the optimal application of WEE1 inhibitors will likely be as part of dose-reducing combination and be tailored to specific patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Zhang
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Peng
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qihong Huang
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Institute of Clinical Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Tianshu Liu
- Cancer Center, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Department of Medical Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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8
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O'Brien S, Ubhi T, Wolf L, Gandhi K, Lin S, Chaudary N, Dhani NC, Milosevic M, Brown GW, Angers S. FBXW7-loss Sensitizes Cells to ATR Inhibition Through Induced Mitotic Catastrophe. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:2596-2607. [PMID: 38032106 PMCID: PMC10734389 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
FBXW7 is a commonly mutated tumor suppressor gene that functions to regulate numerous oncogenes involved in cell-cycle regulation. Genome-wide CRISPR fitness screens identified a signature of DNA repair and DNA damage response genes as required for the growth of FBXW7-knockout cells. Guided by these findings, we show that FBXW7-mutant cells have high levels of replication stress, which results in a genotype-specific vulnerability to inhibition of the ATR signaling pathway, as these mutant cells become heavily reliant on a robust S-G2 checkpoint. ATR inhibition induces an accelerated S-phase, leading to mitotic catastrophe and cell death caused by the high replication stress present in FBXW7-/- cells. In addition, we provide evidence in cell and organoid studies, and mining of publicly available high-throughput drug screening efforts, that this genotype-specific vulnerability extends to multiple types of cancer, providing a rational means of identifying responsive patients for targeted therapy. SIGNIFICANCE We have elucidated the synthetic lethal interactions between FBXW7 mutation and DNA damage response genes, and highlighted the potential of ATR inhibitors as targeted therapies for cancers harboring FBXW7 alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan O'Brien
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tajinder Ubhi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lucie Wolf
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Krishna Gandhi
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sichun Lin
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Naz Chaudary
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Michael Milosevic
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Grant W. Brown
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephane Angers
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Wang Q, Chao Y, Chen Y, Zheng W, Demanelis K, Liu Y, Connelly J, Wang H. Synthetic lethal combination of CHK1 and WEE1 inhibition for treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3564450. [PMID: 37987002 PMCID: PMC10659531 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3564450/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 and CHEK1 (CHK1) kinases are critical regulators of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage response pathways. The WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 and the CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 are in clinical trials for various cancers, but have not been examined in prostate cancer, particularly castration-resistant (CRPC) and neuroendocrine prostate cancers (NEPC). Our data demonstrated elevated WEE1 and CHK1 expressions in CRPC/NEPC cell lines and patient samples. AZD1775 resulted in rapid and potent cell killing with comparable IC50s across different prostate cancer cell lines, while SRA737 displayed time-dependent progressive cell killing with 10- to 20-fold differences in IC50s. Notably, their combination synergistically reduced the viability of all CRPC cell lines and tumor spheroids in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Importantly, in a transgenic mouse model of NEPC, both agents alone or in combination suppressed tumor growth, improved overall survival, and reduced the incidence of distant metastases, with SRA737 exhibiting remarkable single agent anticancer activity. Mechanistically, SRA737 synergized with AZD1775 by blocking AZD1775-induced feedback activation of CHK1 in prostate cancer cells, resulting in increased mitotic entry and accumulation of DNA damage. In summary, this preclinical study shows that CHK1 inhibitor SRA737 alone and its combination with AZD1775 offer potential effective treatments for CRPC and NEPC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Yu Liu
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
| | | | - Hong Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
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10
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Sokhi S, Lewis CW, Bukhari AB, Hadfield J, Xiao EJ, Fung J, Yoon YJ, Hsu WH, Gamper AM, Chan GK. Myt1 overexpression mediates resistance to cell cycle and DNA damage checkpoint kinase inhibitors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1270542. [PMID: 38020882 PMCID: PMC10652759 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1270542] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle checkpoint kinases serve as important therapeutic targets for various cancers. When they are inhibited by small molecules, checkpoint abrogation can induce cell death or further sensitize cancer cells to other genotoxic therapies. Particularly aberrant Cdk1 activation at the G2/M checkpoint by kinase inhibitors causing unscheduled mitotic entry and mitotic arrest was found to lead to DNA damage and cell death selectively in cancer cells. Promising drugs inhibiting kinases like Wee1 (Adavosertib), Wee1+Myt1 (PD166285), ATR (AZD6738) and Chk1 (UCN-01) have been developed, but clinical data has shown variable efficacy for them with poorly understood mechanisms of resistance. Our lab recently identified Myt1 as a predictive biomarker of acquired resistance to the Wee1 kinase inhibitor, Adavosertib. Here, we investigate the role of Myt1 overexpression in promoting resistance to inhibitors (PD166285, UCN-01 and AZD6738) of other kinases regulating cell cycle progression. We demonstrate that Myt1 confers resistance by compensating Cdk1 inhibition in the presence of these different kinase inhibitors. Myt1 overexpression leads to reduced premature mitotic entry and decreased length of mitosis eventually leading to increased survival rates in Adavosertib treated cells. Elevated Myt1 levels also conferred resistance to inhibitors of ATR or Chk1 inhibitor. Our data supports that Myt1 overexpression is a common mechanism by which cancer cells can acquire resistance to a variety of drugs entering the clinic that aim to induce mitotic catastrophe by abrogating the G2/M checkpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sargun Sokhi
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Cody W. Lewis
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Amirali B. Bukhari
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Joanne Hadfield
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Edric J. Xiao
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jeremy Fung
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yea Jin Yoon
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Wen-Hsin Hsu
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Armin M. Gamper
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gordon K. Chan
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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11
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Du Y, Luo L, Xu X, Yang X, Yang X, Xiong S, Yu J, Liang T, Guo L. Unleashing the Power of Synthetic Lethality: Augmenting Treatment Efficacy through Synergistic Integration with Chemotherapy Drugs. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2433. [PMID: 37896193 PMCID: PMC10610204 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world, and chemotherapy is one of the main methods of cancer treatment. However, the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs has always been the main reason affecting the therapeutic effect. Synthetic lethality has emerged as a promising approach to augment the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy agents. Synthetic lethality (SL) refers to the specific cell death resulting from the simultaneous mutation of two non-lethal genes, which individually allow cell survival. This comprehensive review explores the classification of SL, screening methods, and research advancements in SL inhibitors, including Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibitors, WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase (WEE1) inhibitors, and protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) inhibitors. Emphasizing their combined use with chemotherapy drugs, we aim to unveil more effective treatment strategies for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.D.); (L.L.); (X.X.); (X.Y.)
| | - Lulu Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.D.); (L.L.); (X.X.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xinru Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.D.); (L.L.); (X.X.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xinbing Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.D.); (L.L.); (X.X.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xueni Yang
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China; (X.Y.); (S.X.)
| | - Shizheng Xiong
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China; (X.Y.); (S.X.)
| | - Jiafeng Yu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023, China;
| | - Tingming Liang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, School of Life Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Y.D.); (L.L.); (X.X.); (X.Y.)
| | - Li Guo
- Department of Bioinformatics, Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Lab of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China; (X.Y.); (S.X.)
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12
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Choudhary D, Kaur A, Singh P, Chaudhary G, Kaur R, Bayan MF, Chandrasekaran B, Marji SM, Ayman R. Target protein degradation by protacs: A budding cancer treatment strategy. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 250:108525. [PMID: 37696366 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the most common causes of death. So, its lethal effect increases with time. Near about hundreds of cancers are known in humans. Cancer treatment is done to cure or prolonged remission, and shrinkage of the tumor. Cytotoxic agents, biological agents/targeted drugs, hormonal drugs, surgery, radiotherapy/proton therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and gene therapy are currently used in the treatment of cancer but their cost is high and cause various side effects. Seeing this, some new targeted strategies such as PROTACs are the need of the time. Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) has become one of the most discussed topics regarding cancer treatment. Few of the PROTAC molecules are in the trial phases. PROTACs have many advantages over other strategies such as modularity, compatibility, sub-stoichiometric activity, acting on undruggable targets, molecular design, and acts on intracellular targets, selectivity and specificity can be recruited for any cancer, versatility, and others. PROTACs are having some unclear questions on their pharmacokinetics, heavy-molecular weight, etc. PROTACs are anticipated to bring about a conversion in current healthcare and will emerge as booming treatments. In this review article we summarize PROTACs, their mechanism of action, uses, advantages, disadvantages, challenges, and future aspects for the successful development of potent PROTACs as a drug strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Choudhary
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India
| | - Amritpal Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India
| | - Pargat Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India
| | - Gaurav Chaudhary
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India
| | - Rajwinder Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab 140401, India.
| | - Mohammad F Bayan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University, P.O. Box 1, Amman 19392, Jordan
| | | | - Saeed M Marji
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University, P.O. Box 1, Amman 19392, Jordan
| | - Reema Ayman
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Philadelphia University, P.O. Box 1, Amman 19392, Jordan
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13
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Zhou J, Kong YS, Vincent KM, Dieters‐Castator D, Bukhari AB, Glubrecht D, Liu R, Quilty D, Findlay SD, Huang X, Xu Z, Yang RZ, Zhang L, Tang E, Lajoie G, Eisenstat DD, Gamper AM, Fahlman R, Godbout R, Postovit L, Fu Y. RNA cytosine methyltransferase NSUN5 promotes protein synthesis and tumorigenic phenotypes in glioblastoma. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:1763-1783. [PMID: 37057706 PMCID: PMC10483612 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant primary brain tumor in adults. The standard treatment achieves a median overall survival for GBM patients of only 15 months. Hence, novel therapies based on an increased understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of GBM are desperately needed. In this study, we show that elevated expression of 28S rRNA (cytosine-C(5))-methyltransferase NSUN5, which methylates cytosine 3782 of 28S rRNA in GBM cells, is strongly associated with the poor survival of GBM patients. Moreover, we demonstrate that overexpression of NSUN5 increases protein synthesis in GBM cells. NSUN5 knockdown decreased protein synthesis, cell proliferation, sphere formation, migration, and resistance to temozolomide in GBM cell lines. NSUN5 knockdown also decreased the number and size of GBM neurospheres in vitro. As a corollary, mice harboring U251 tumors wherein NSUN5 was knocked down survived longer than mice harboring control tumors. Taken together, our results suggest that NSUN5 plays a protumorigenic role in GBM by enabling the enhanced protein synthesis requisite for tumor progression. Accordingly, NSUN5 may be a hitherto unappreciated target for the treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiesi Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Yan Shu Kong
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Krista M. Vincent
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | | | - Amirali B. Bukhari
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Darryl Glubrecht
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Rong‐Zong Liu
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Douglas Quilty
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular SciencesQueen's UniversityKingstonONCanada
| | - Scott D. Findlay
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Xiaowei Huang
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Zhihua Xu
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Rui Zhe Yang
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Lanyue Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Emily Tang
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Gilles Lajoie
- Department of BiochemistryWestern UniversityLondonONCanada
| | - David D. Eisenstat
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVic.Australia
| | - Armin M. Gamper
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Richard Fahlman
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Roseline Godbout
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Lynne‐Marie Postovit
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular SciencesQueen's UniversityKingstonONCanada
| | - YangXin Fu
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and DentistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
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14
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Alli VJ, Yadav P, Suresh V, Jadav SS. Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry Approaches Toward WEE1 Kinase Inhibitors and Its Degraders. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:20196-20233. [PMID: 37323408 PMCID: PMC10268025 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 is a checkpoint kinase critical for mitotic events, especially in cell maturation and DNA repair. Most cancer cells' progression and survival are linked with elevated levels of WEE1 kinase. Thus, WEE1 kinase has become a new promising druggable target. A few classes of WEE1 inhibitors are designed by rationale or structure-based techniques and optimization approaches to identify selective acting anticancer agents. The discovery of the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 further emphasized WEE1 as a promising anticancer target. Therefore, the current review provides a comprehensive data on medicinal chemistry, synthetic approaches, optimization methods, and the interaction profile of WEE1 kinase inhibitors. In addition, WEE1 PROTAC degraders and their synthetic procedures, including a list of noncoding RNAs necessary for regulation of WEE1, are also highlighted. From the standpoint of medicinal chemistry, the contents of this compilation serve as an exemplar for the further design, synthesis, and optimization of promising WEE1-targeted anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Jyothi Alli
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Pawan Yadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Vavilapalli Suresh
- Department
of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Surender Singh Jadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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15
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Su YL, Xiao LY, Huang SY, Wu CC, Chang LC, Chen YH, Luo HL, Huang CC, Liu TT, Peng JM. Inhibiting WEE1 Augments the Antitumor Efficacy of Cisplatin in Urothelial Carcinoma by Enhancing the DNA Damage Process. Cells 2023; 12:1471. [PMID: 37296592 PMCID: PMC10252844 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is characterized by a high incidence of TP53 mutation, and overcoming resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in UC is a major concern. Wee1 is a G2/M phase regulator that controls the DNA damage response to chemotherapy in TP53-mutant cancers. The combination of Wee1 blockade with cisplatin has shown synergistic efficacy in several types of cancers, but little is known regarding UC. The antitumor efficacy of the Wee1 inhibitor (AZD-1775) alone or in combination with cisplatin was evaluated in UC cell lines and a xenograft mouse model. AZD-1775 enhanced the anticancer activity of cisplatin by increasing cellular apoptosis. AZD-1775 inhibited the G2/M checkpoint, improving the sensitivity of mutant TP53 UC cells to cisplatin by enhancing the DNA damage process. We confirmed that AZD-1775 combined with cisplatin reduced tumor volume and proliferation activity and increased the markers of cell apoptosis and DNA damage in the mouse xenograft model. In summary, the Wee1 inhibitor AZD-1775 combined with cisplatin elicited a promising anticancer efficacy in UC, and constitutes an innovative and promising therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Li Su
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
- Genomic & Proteomic Core Laboratory, Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yi Xiao
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yu Huang
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Che Wu
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Li-Chung Chang
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hua Chen
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Lun Luo
- Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chieh Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Ting Liu
- Department of Pathology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
| | - Jei-Ming Peng
- Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan
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16
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Jennings L, Walters HA, Mason JM. FBH1 deficiency sensitizes cells to WEE1 inhibition by promoting mitotic catastrophe. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.15.540841. [PMID: 37292855 PMCID: PMC10245586 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.15.540841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 kinase phosphorylates CDK1 and CDK2 to regulate origin firing and mitotic entry. Inhibition of WEE1 has become an attractive target for cancer therapy due to the simultaneous induction of replication stress and inhibition of the G2/M checkpoint. WEE1 inhibition in cancer cells with high levels of replication stress results in induction of replication catastrophe and mitotic catastrophe. To increase potential as a single agent chemotherapeutic, a better understanding of genetic alterations that impact cellular responses to WEE1 inhibition is warranted. Here, we investigate the impact of loss of the helicase, FBH1, on the cellular response to WEE1 inhibition. FBH1-deficient cells have a reduction in ssDNA and double strand break signaling indicating FBH1 is required for induction of replication stress response in cells treated with WEE1 inhibitors. Despite the defect in the replication stress response, FBH1-deficiency sensitizes cells to WEE1 inhibition by increasing mitotic catastrophe. We propose loss of FBH1 is resulting in replication-associated damage that requires the WEE1-dependent G2 checkpoint for repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Jennings
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson University
| | | | - Jennifer M. Mason
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson University
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17
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Zhu X, Su Q, Xie H, Song L, Yang F, Zhang D, Wang B, Lin S, Huang J, Wu M, Liu T. SIRT1 deacetylates WEE1 and sensitizes cancer cells to WEE1 inhibition. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:585-595. [PMID: 36635566 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01240-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The cell-cycle checkpoint kinase WEE1 is emerging as a therapeutic target for cancer treatment. However, how its catalytic activity is regulated remains poorly understood, and reliable biomarkers for predicting response to WEE1 inhibitor remain to be identified. Here we identify an evolutionarily conserved segment surrounding its Lys177 residue that inhibits WEE1 activity through an intermolecular interaction with the catalytic kinase domain. Upon DNA damage, CHK1-dependent phosphorylation of WEE1 at Ser642 primes GCN5-mediated acetylation at Lys177, resulting in dissociation of the inhibitory segment from the kinase domain and subsequent activation of WEE1 and cell-cycle checkpoints. Conversely, SIRT1 associates with and deacetylates WEE1, which maintains it in an inactive state. Consequently, SIRT1 deficiency induces WEE1 hyperacetylation and activation, rendering cancer cells resistant to WEE1 inhibition. These results suggest that SIRT1 expression level and abundance of WEE1 Lys177 acetylation in tumor cells can serve as useful biomarkers for predicting WEE1 inhibitor sensitivity or resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei Zhu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qunshu Su
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiyuan Xie
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lizhi Song
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Biophysics, and Kidney Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Dandan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Binghong Wang
- Department of Pathology, and Department of Medical Oncology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shixian Lin
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Huang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mengjie Wu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, and Department of General Surgery of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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18
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Fan K, Zhang BH, Han D, Sun YC. EZH2 as a prognostic-related biomarker in lung adenocarcinoma correlating with cell cycle and immune infiltrates. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:149. [PMID: 37069494 PMCID: PMC10111667 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05271-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDS It has been observed that high levels of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expression are associated with unsatisfactory prognoses and can be found in a wide range of malignancies. However, the effects of EZH2 on Lung Adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain elusive. Through the integration of bioinformatic analyses, the present paper sought to ascertain the effects of EZH2 in LUAD. METHODS The TIMER and UALCAN databases were applied to analyze mRNA and protein expression data for EZH2 in LUAD. The result of immunohistochemistry was obtained from the HPA database, and the survival curve was drawn according to the library provided by the HPA database. The LinkedOmics database was utilized to investigate the co-expressed genes and signal transduction pathways with EZH2. Up- and down-regulated genes from The Linked Omics database were introduced to the CMap database to predict potential drug targets for LUAD using the CMap database. The association between EZH2 and cancer-infiltrating immunocytes was studied through TIMER and TISIDB. In addition, this paper explores the relationship between EZH2 mRNA expression and NSCLC OS using the Kaplan-Meier plotter database to further validate and complement the research. Furthermore, the correlation between EZH2 expression and EGFR genes, KRAS genes, BRAF genes, and smoking from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database is analyzed. RESULTS In contrast to paracancer specimens, the mRNA and protein levels of EZH2 were higher in LUAD tissues. Significantly, high levels of EZH2 were associated with unsatisfactory prognoses in LUAD patients. Additionally, the coexpressed genes of EZH2 were predominantly associated with numerous cell growth-associated pathways, including the cell cycle, DNA replication, RNA transport, and the p53 signaling pathway, according to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The results of TCGA database revealed that the expression of EZH2 was lower in normal tissues than in lung cancer tissues (p < 0.05). Smoking was associated with elevated EZH2 expression (p < 0.001). EZH2 was highly expressed in lung cancers with positive KRAS expression, and the correlation was significant in lung adenocarcinoma (r = 0.3129, p < 0.001). CMap was applied to determine the top 15 positively correlated drugs/molecules and the top 15 negatively correlated drugs/molecules. MK-1775, MK-5108, fenbendazole, albendazole, BAY-K8644, evodiamine, purvalanol-a, mycophenolic-acid, PHA-793887, and cyclopamine are potential drugs for patients with lung adenocarcinoma and high EZH2 expression. CONCLUSIONS Highly expressed EZH2 is a predictor of a suboptimal prognosis in LUAD and may serve as a prognostic marker and target gene for LUAD. The underlying cause may be associated with the synergistic effect of KRAS, immune cell infiltration, and metabolic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kui Fan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, No. 31, Huanghe West Road, Yunhe District, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China
| | - Bo-Hui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China
| | - Deng Han
- Division of Gastroenterology, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100105, China
| | - Yun-Chuan Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cangzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine-Hebei Province, No. 31, Huanghe West Road, Yunhe District, Cangzhou, 061000, Hebei, China.
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19
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Gillespie MS, Ward CM, Davies CC. DNA Repair and Therapeutic Strategies in Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1897. [PMID: 36980782 PMCID: PMC10047301 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
First-line cancer treatments successfully eradicate the differentiated tumour mass but are comparatively ineffective against cancer stem cells (CSCs), a self-renewing subpopulation thought to be responsible for tumour initiation, metastasis, heterogeneity, and recurrence. CSCs are thus presented as the principal target for elimination during cancer treatment. However, CSCs are challenging to drug target because of numerous intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms of drug resistance. One such mechanism that remains relatively understudied is the DNA damage response (DDR). CSCs are presumed to possess properties that enable enhanced DNA repair efficiency relative to their highly proliferative bulk progeny, facilitating improved repair of double-strand breaks induced by radiotherapy and most chemotherapeutics. This can occur through multiple mechanisms, including increased expression and splicing fidelity of DNA repair genes, robust activation of cell cycle checkpoints, and elevated homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair. Herein, we summarise the current knowledge concerning improved genome integrity in non-transformed stem cells and CSCs, discuss therapeutic opportunities within the DDR for re-sensitising CSCs to genotoxic stressors, and consider the challenges posed regarding unbiased identification of novel DDR-directed strategies in CSCs. A better understanding of the DDR mediating chemo/radioresistance mechanisms in CSCs could lead to novel therapeutic approaches, thereby enhancing treatment efficacy in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S. Gillespie
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
- School of Cancer Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ciara M. Ward
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
| | - Clare C. Davies
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; (M.S.G.)
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20
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The Landscape and Therapeutic Targeting of BRCA1, BRCA2 and Other DNA Damage Response Genes in Pancreatic Cancer. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:2105-2120. [PMID: 36975505 PMCID: PMC10047276 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45030135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes participating in the cellular response to damaged DNA have an important function to protect genetic information from alterations due to extrinsic and intrinsic cellular insults. In cancer cells, alterations in these genes are a source of genetic instability, which is advantageous for cancer progression by providing background for adaptation to adverse environments and attack by the immune system. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have been known for decades to predispose to familial breast and ovarian cancers, and, more recently, prostate and pancreatic cancers have been added to the constellation of cancers that show increased prevalence in these families. Cancers associated with these genetic syndromes are currently treated with PARP inhibitors based on the exquisite sensitivity of cells lacking BRCA1 or BRCA2 function to inhibition of the PARP enzyme. In contrast, the sensitivity of pancreatic cancers with somatic BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and with mutations in other homologous recombination (HR) repair genes to PARP inhibitors is less established and the subject of ongoing investigations. This paper reviews the prevalence of pancreatic cancers with HR gene defects and treatment of pancreatic cancer patients with defects in HR with PARP inhibitors and other drugs in development that target these molecular defects.
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21
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Tozaki Y, Aoki H, Kato R, Toriuchi K, Arame S, Inoue Y, Hayashi H, Kubota E, Kataoka H, Aoyama M. The Combination of ATM and Chk1 Inhibitors Induces Synthetic Lethality in Colorectal Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030735. [PMID: 36765693 PMCID: PMC9913148 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030735] [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: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic abnormalities induce the DNA damage response (DDR), which enables DNA repair at cell cycle checkpoints. Although the DDR is thought to function in preventing the onset and progression of cancer, DDR-related proteins are also thought to contribute to tumorigenesis, tumor progression, and drug resistance by preventing irreparable genomic abnormalities from inducing cell death. In the present study, the combination of ataxia telangiectasia-mutated serine/threonine kinase (ATM) and checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) inhibition exhibited synergistic antitumor effects and induced synergistic lethality in colorectal cancer cells at a low dose. The ATM and Chk1 inhibitors synergistically promoted the activation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 by decreasing the phosphorylation levels of T14 and Y15. Furthermore, the combined treatment increased the number of sub-G1-stage cells, phospho-histone H2A.X-positive cells, and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells among colon cancer cells, suggesting that the therapy induces apoptosis. Finally, the combined treatment exhibited a robust antitumor activity in syngeneic tumor model mice. These findings should contribute to the development of new treatments for colorectal cancer that directly exploit the genomic instability of cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Tozaki
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Aoki
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Rina Kato
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Kohki Toriuchi
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Saki Arame
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yasumichi Inoue
- Department of Cell Signaling, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
- Department of Innovative Therapeutic Sciences, Cooperative Major in Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Hayashi
- Department of Cell Signaling, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
- Department of Innovative Therapeutic Sciences, Cooperative Major in Nanopharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Eiji Kubota
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Hiromi Kataoka
- Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Mineyoshi Aoyama
- Department of Pathobiology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3-1 Tanabe-dori, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-52-836-3451
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22
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Li J, Lu J, Xu M, Yang S, Yu T, Zheng C, Huang X, Pan Y, Chen Y, Long J, Zhang C, Huang H, Dai Q, Li B, Wang W, Yao S, Pan C. ODF2L acts as a synthetic lethal partner with WEE1 inhibition in epithelial ovarian cancer models. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:161544. [PMID: 36378528 PMCID: PMC9843051 DOI: 10.1172/jci161544] [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: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
WEE1 has emerged as an attractive target in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but how EOC cells may alter their sensitivity to WEE1 inhibition remains unclear. Here, through a cell cycle machinery-related gene RNAi screen, we found that targeting outer dense fiber of sperm tails 2-like (ODF2L) was a synthetic lethal partner with WEE1 kinase inhibition in EOC cells. Knockdown of ODF2L robustly sensitized cells to treatment with the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 in EOC cell lines in vitro as well as in xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, the increased sensitivity to WEE1 inhibition upon ODF2L loss was accompanied by accumulated DNA damage. ODF2L licensed the recruitment of PKMYT1, a functionally redundant kinase of WEE1, to the CDK1-cyclin B complex and thus restricted the activity of CDK1 when WEE1 was inhibited. Clinically, upregulation of ODF2L correlated with CDK1 activity, DNA damage levels, and sensitivity to WEE1 inhibition in patient-derived EOC cells. Moreover, ODF2L levels predicted the response to WEE1 inhibition in an EOC patient-derived xenograft model. Combination treatment with tumor-targeted lipid nanoparticles that packaged ODF2L siRNA and AZD1775 led to the synergistic attenuation of tumor growth in the ID8 ovarian cancer syngeneic mouse model. These data suggest that WEE1 inhibition is a promising precision therapeutic strategy for EOC cells expressing low levels of ODF2L.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Jingyi Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and
| | - Manman Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Shiyu Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and
| | - Tiantian Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and
| | - Cuimiao Zheng
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Huang
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuwen Pan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Yangyang Chen
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junming Long
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunyu Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Hua Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Qingyuan Dai
- Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and,Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Shuzhong Yao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital
| | - Chaoyun Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, and,Advanced Medical Technology Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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23
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Nishikawa S, Iwakuma T. Drugs Targeting p53 Mutations with FDA Approval and in Clinical Trials. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:429. [PMID: 36672377 PMCID: PMC9856662 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 (p53) promote cancer progression. This is mainly due to loss of function (LOS) as a tumor suppressor, dominant-negative (DN) activities of missense mutant p53 (mutp53) over wild-type p53 (wtp53), and wtp53-independent oncogenic activities of missense mutp53 by interacting with other tumor suppressors or oncogenes (gain of function: GOF). Since p53 mutations occur in ~50% of human cancers and rarely occur in normal tissues, p53 mutations are cancer-specific and ideal therapeutic targets. Approaches to target p53 mutations include (1) restoration or stabilization of wtp53 conformation from missense mutp53, (2) rescue of p53 nonsense mutations, (3) depletion or degradation of mutp53 proteins, and (4) induction of p53 synthetic lethality or targeting of vulnerabilities imposed by p53 mutations (enhanced YAP/TAZ activities) or deletions (hyperactivated retrotransposons). This review article focuses on clinically available FDA-approved drugs and drugs in clinical trials that target p53 mutations and summarizes their mechanisms of action and activities to suppress cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shigeto Nishikawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Children’s Mercy Research Institute, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
| | - Tomoo Iwakuma
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology & Oncology, Children’s Mercy Research Institute, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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24
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da Costa AABA, Chowdhury D, Shapiro GI, D'Andrea AD, Konstantinopoulos PA. Targeting replication stress in cancer therapy. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:38-58. [PMID: 36202931 PMCID: PMC11132912 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-022-00558-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 88.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Replication stress is a major cause of genomic instability and a crucial vulnerability of cancer cells. This vulnerability can be therapeutically targeted by inhibiting kinases that coordinate the DNA damage response with cell cycle control, including ATR, CHK1, WEE1 and MYT1 checkpoint kinases. In addition, inhibiting the DNA damage response releases DNA fragments into the cytoplasm, eliciting an innate immune response. Therefore, several ATR, CHK1, WEE1 and MYT1 inhibitors are undergoing clinical evaluation as monotherapies or in combination with chemotherapy, poly[ADP-ribose]polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, or immune checkpoint inhibitors to capitalize on high replication stress, overcome therapeutic resistance and promote effective antitumour immunity. Here, we review current and emerging approaches for targeting replication stress in cancer, from preclinical and biomarker development to clinical trial evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dipanjan Chowdhury
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Geoffrey I Shapiro
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alan D D'Andrea
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for DNA Damage and Repair, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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25
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Salguero C, Valladolid C, Robinson HMR, Smith GCM, Yap TA. Targeting ATR in Cancer Medicine. Cancer Treat Res 2023; 186:239-283. [PMID: 37978140 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-30065-3_14] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
As a key component of the DNA Damage Response, the Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) protein is a promising druggable target that is currently widely evaluated in phase I-II-III clinical trials as monotherapy and in combinations with other rational antitumor agents, including immunotherapy, DNA repair inhibitors, chemo- and radiotherapy. Ongoing clinical studies for this drug class must address the optimization of the therapeutic window to limit overlapping toxicities and refine the target population that will most likely benefit from ATR inhibition. With advances in the development of personalized treatment strategies for patients with advanced solid tumors, many ongoing ATR inhibitor trials have been recruiting patients based on their germline and somatic molecular alterations, rather than relying solely on specific tumor subtypes. Although a spectrum of molecular alterations have already been identified as potential predictive biomarkers of response that may sensitize to ATR inhibition, these biomarkers must be analytically validated and feasible to measure robustly to allow for successful integration into the clinic. While several ATR inhibitors in development are poised to address a clinically unmet need, no ATR inhibitor has yet received FDA-approval. This chapter details the underlying rationale for targeting ATR and summarizes the current preclinical and clinical landscape of ATR inhibitors currently in evaluation, as their regulatory approval potentially lies close in sight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Salguero
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christian Valladolid
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Helen M R Robinson
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Graeme C M Smith
- Artios Pharma, The Glenn Berge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy A Yap
- Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Program), Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- The Institute for Applied Cancer Science, and Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Holcombe Boulevard, TX, 77030, Houston, USA.
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26
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Nasioudis D, George EM, Xu H, Kim H, Simpkins F. Combination DNA Damage Response (DDR) Inhibitors to Overcome Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer. Cancer Treat Res 2023; 186:189-206. [PMID: 37978137 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-30065-3_11] [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] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The DNA damage response (DDR) results in activation of a series of key target kinases that respond to different DNA damage insults. DDR inhibitors such as PARP inhibitors lead to the accumulation of DNA damage in tumor cells and ultimately apoptosis. However, responses to DDRi monotherapy in the clinic are not durable and resistance ultimately develops. DDRi-DDRi combinations such as PARPi-ATRi, PAPRi-WEE1i and PARPi-AsiDNA can overcome multiple resistance mechanisms to PARP inhibition. In addition, DDRi-DDRi combinations can provide viable treatment options for patients with platinum-resistant disease. In the present chapter we discuss rationale of DDRi-DDRi strategies that capitalize on genomic alterations found in ovarian cancer and other solid tumors and may provide in the near future new treatment options for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Nasioudis
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Erin M George
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Haineng Xu
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Hyoung Kim
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Fiona Simpkins
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, Ovarian Cancer Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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27
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Temporal phosphoproteomics reveals WEE1-dependent control of 53BP1 pathway. iScience 2022; 26:105806. [PMID: 36632060 PMCID: PMC9827073 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105806] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Wee1-like protein kinase (WEE1) restrains activities of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) in S and G2 phase. Inhibition of WEE1 evokes drastic increase in CDK activity, which perturbs replication dynamics and compromises cell cycle checkpoints. Notably, WEE1 inhibitors such as adavosertib are tested in cancer treatment trials; however, WEE1-regulated phosphoproteomes and their dynamics have not been systematically investigated. In this study, we identified acute time-resolved alterations in the cellular phosphoproteome following WEE1 inhibition with adavosertib. These treatments acutely elevated CDK activities with distinct phosphorylation dynamics revealing more than 600 potential uncharacterized CDK sites. Moreover, we identified a major role for WEE1 in controlling CDK-dependent phosphorylation of multiple clustered sites in the key DNA repair factors MDC1, 53BP1, and RIF1. Functional analysis revealed that WEE1 fine-tunes CDK activities to permit recruitment of 53BP1 to chromatin. Thus, our findings uncover WEE1-controlled targets and pathways with translational potential for the clinical application of WEE1 inhibitors.
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28
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Schuhwerk H, Kleemann J, Gupta P, van Roey R, Armstark I, Kreileder M, Feldker N, Ramesh V, Hajjaj Y, Fuchs K, Mahapatro M, Hribersek M, Volante M, Groenewoud A, Engel FB, Ceppi P, Eckstein M, Hartmann A, Müller F, Kroll T, Stemmler MP, Brabletz S, Brabletz T. The EMT transcription factor ZEB1 governs a fitness-promoting but vulnerable DNA replication stress response. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111819. [PMID: 36516781 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111819] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA damage response (DDR) and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are two crucial cellular programs in cancer biology. While the DDR orchestrates cell-cycle progression, DNA repair, and cell death, EMT promotes invasiveness, cellular plasticity, and intratumor heterogeneity. Therapeutic targeting of EMT transcription factors, such as ZEB1, remains challenging, but tumor-promoting DDR alterations elicit specific vulnerabilities. Using multi-omics, inhibitors, and high-content microscopy, we discover a chemoresistant ZEB1-high-expressing sub-population (ZEB1hi) with co-rewired cell-cycle progression and proficient DDR across tumor entities. ZEB1 stimulates accelerated S-phase entry via CDK6, inflicting endogenous DNA replication stress. However, DDR buildups involving constitutive MRE11-dependent fork resection allow homeostatic cycling and enrichment of ZEB1hi cells during transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-induced EMT and chemotherapy. Thus, ZEB1 promotes G1/S transition to launch a progressive DDR benefitting stress tolerance, which concurrently manifests a targetable vulnerability in chemoresistant ZEB1hi cells. Our study thus highlights the translationally relevant intercept of the DDR and EMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Schuhwerk
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Julia Kleemann
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pooja Gupta
- Core Unit for Bioinformatics, Data Integration and Analysis, Center for Medical Information and Communication Technology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen Germany
| | - Ruthger van Roey
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Isabell Armstark
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martina Kreileder
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nora Feldker
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Vignesh Ramesh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Yussuf Hajjaj
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Fuchs
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mousumi Mahapatro
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mojca Hribersek
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marco Volante
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Orbassano, Turin, Italy
| | - Arwin Groenewoud
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Felix B Engel
- Experimental Renal and Cardiovascular Research, Department of Nephropathology, Institute of Pathology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Paolo Ceppi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Markus Eckstein
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen- Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arndt Hartmann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen- Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian Müller
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Haematology and Oncology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen Germany
| | - Torsten Kroll
- Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz-Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Marc P Stemmler
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Simone Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Brabletz
- Department of Experimental Medicine 1, Nikolaus-Fiebiger Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-EMN, Erlangen University Hospital, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
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29
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Tong H, Wang L, Shi J, Jin H, Zhang K, Bao Y, Wu Y, Cheng Y, Liu P, Wang C. Upregulated miR-322-5p regulates cell cycle and promotes cell proliferation and apoptosis by directly targeting Wee1 in mice liver injury. Cell Cycle 2022; 21:2635-2650. [PMID: 35957539 PMCID: PMC9704413 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2022.2108128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver injury from any number of causes (e.g. chemical material, drugs and diet, viral infection) is a global health problem, and its mechanism is not clearly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) expression profiling is gaining popularity because miRNAs, as key regulators in gene expression networks, can influence many biological processes and have also shown promise as biomarkers for disease. Previous studies reported the regulation effects of miRNAs in liver injury, whereas function and molecular mechanisms of miR-322-5p were still unclear. Therefore, our study focused on the biological role of miR-322-5p in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. A mouse model of CCl4-induced liver injury was established, and the transcriptomes and miRNAs transcriptomes of 2d and 5d liver tissues after injury were sequenced. The expression of miR-322-5p and the cell cycle genes were detected in liver tissues and Hepa1-6 cell line by miRNA RT-PCR, qRT-PCR. The effects of miR-322-5p on liver cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were evaluated using MTS assays and flow cytometry analysis. The relationship between miR-322-5p and Wee1 was predicted and confirmed by bioinformatics analysis and a dual luciferase reporter assay. Functional experiments, including an MTS assay and flow cytometric analysis, were performed to study the effects of Wee1. MiR-322-5p was upregulated in injury liver tissues, and downregulated miR-322-5p was proved to inhibit proliferation, apoptosis and arrest cell cycle at G2/M in vitro. The dual-luciferase reporter assay results indicated that miR-322-5p has a binding site at position 285 in the Wee1 3´UTR. The effects of miR-322-5p in proliferation and cell cycle regulation can be abolished by Wee1 through rescue experiments. By directly targeting Wee1 influenced the expression of several cell cycle factors, including Cyclin dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1), cyclin B1 (Ccnb1) and Cell division cyclin 25C (Cdc25C). MiR-322-5p may function as a suppressive factor by negatively controlling Wee1, thus, highlighting the potential role of miR-322-5p as a therapeutic target for liver injury.Abbreviations: ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; GSH: Glutathione, γ-glutamyl cysteinel + glycine; CCl4: Carbon tetrachloride; HE: Haematoxylin and eosin; KEGG: Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- He Tong
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Li Wang
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
- School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Jing Shi
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Haowei Jin
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Kefan Zhang
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Yulong Bao
- School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Yongshuai Wu
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Yipeng Cheng
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Pengxia Liu
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
| | - Changshan Wang
- School of Life Science, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner, China
- Affiliated Hospital, Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities, Tongliao, China
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DNA Damage Response in Cancer Therapy and Resistance: Challenges and Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314672. [PMID: 36499000 PMCID: PMC9735783 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy is a common event among cancer patients and a reason why new cancer therapies and therapeutic strategies need to be in continuous investigation and development. DNA damage response (DDR) comprises several pathways that eliminate DNA damage to maintain genomic stability and integrity, but different types of cancers are associated with DDR machinery defects. Many improvements have been made in recent years, providing several drugs and therapeutic strategies for cancer patients, including those targeting the DDR pathways. Currently, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARP inhibitors) are the DDR inhibitors (DDRi) approved for several cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. However, PARPi resistance is a growing issue in clinical settings that increases disease relapse and aggravate patients' prognosis. Additionally, resistance to other DDRi is also being found and investigated. The resistance mechanisms to DDRi include reversion mutations, epigenetic modification, stabilization of the replication fork, and increased drug efflux. This review highlights the DDR pathways in cancer therapy, its role in the resistance to conventional treatments, and its exploitation for anticancer treatment. Biomarkers of treatment response, combination strategies with other anticancer agents, resistance mechanisms, and liabilities of treatment with DDR inhibitors are also discussed.
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Golder A, Nelson L, Tighe A, Barnes B, Coulson-Gilmer C, Morgan R, McGrail J, Taylor S. Multiple-low-dose therapy: effective killing of high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells with ATR and CHK1 inhibitors. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac036. [PMID: 36381271 PMCID: PMC9653014 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is an aggressive disease that typically develops drug resistance, thus novel biomarker-driven strategies are required. Targeted therapy focuses on synthetic lethality—pioneered by PARP inhibition of BRCA1/2-mutant disease. Subsequently, targeting the DNA replication stress response (RSR) is of clinical interest. However, further mechanistic insight is required for biomarker discovery, requiring sensitive models that closely recapitulate HGSOC. We describe an optimized proliferation assay that we use to screen 16 patient-derived ovarian cancer models (OCMs) for response to RSR inhibitors (CHK1i, WEE1i, ATRi, PARGi). Despite genomic heterogeneity characteristic of HGSOC, measurement of OCM proliferation was reproducible and reflected intrinsic tumour-cell properties. Surprisingly, RSR targeting drugs were not interchangeable, as sensitivity to the four inhibitors was not correlated. Therefore, to overcome RSR redundancy, we screened the OCMs with all two-, three- and four-drug combinations in a multiple-low-dose strategy. We found that low-dose CHK1i-ATRi had a potent anti-proliferative effect on 15 of the 16 OCMs, and was synergistic with potential to minimise treatment resistance and toxicity. Low-dose ATRi-CHK1i induced replication catastrophe followed by mitotic exit and post-mitotic arrest or death. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential of the living biobank of OCMs as a drug discovery platform for HGSOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anya Golder
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Louisa Nelson
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Anthony Tighe
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Bethany Barnes
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Camilla Coulson-Gilmer
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Robert D Morgan
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
- Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust , Wilmslow Rd, Manchester M20 4BX, UK
| | - Joanne C McGrail
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
| | - Stephen S Taylor
- Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, and Manchester Cancer Research Centre , Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4GJ, UK
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Peng F, Liao M, Qin R, Zhu S, Peng C, Fu L, Chen Y, Han B. Regulated cell death (RCD) in cancer: key pathways and targeted therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:286. [PMID: 35963853 PMCID: PMC9376115 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01110-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 82.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulated cell death (RCD), also well-known as programmed cell death (PCD), refers to the form of cell death that can be regulated by a variety of biomacromolecules, which is distinctive from accidental cell death (ACD). Accumulating evidence has revealed that RCD subroutines are the key features of tumorigenesis, which may ultimately lead to the establishment of different potential therapeutic strategies. Hitherto, targeting the subroutines of RCD with pharmacological small-molecule compounds has been emerging as a promising therapeutic avenue, which has rapidly progressed in many types of human cancers. Thus, in this review, we focus on summarizing not only the key apoptotic and autophagy-dependent cell death signaling pathways, but the crucial pathways of other RCD subroutines, including necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, parthanatos, entosis, NETosis and lysosome-dependent cell death (LCD) in cancer. Moreover, we further discuss the current situation of several small-molecule compounds targeting the different RCD subroutines to improve cancer treatment, such as single-target, dual or multiple-target small-molecule compounds, drug combinations, and some new emerging therapeutic strategies that would together shed new light on future directions to attack cancer cell vulnerabilities with small-molecule drugs targeting RCD for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu Peng
- West China School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Minru Liao
- West China School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rui Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Shiou Zhu
- West China School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.,Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Leilei Fu
- Sichuan Engineering Research Center for Biomimetic Synthesis of Natural Drugs, School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
| | - Yi Chen
- West China School of Pharmacy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China.
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Tatekawa S, Tamari K, Chijimatsu R, Konno M, Motooka D, Mitsufuji S, Akita H, Kobayashi S, Murakumo Y, Doki Y, Eguchi H, Ishii H, Ogawa K. N(6)-methyladenosine methylation-regulated polo-like kinase 1 cell cycle homeostasis as a potential target of radiotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11074. [PMID: 35773310 PMCID: PMC9246847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15196-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In pancreatic cancer, methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), a N(6)-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase, has a favorable effect on tumors and is a risk factor for patients' prognosis. However, the details of what genes are regulated by METTL3 remain unknown. Several RNAs are methylated, and what genes are favored in pancreatic cancer remains unclear. By epitranscriptomic analysis, we report that polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is an important hub gene defining patient prognosis in pancreatic cancer and that RNA methylation is involved in regulating its cell cycle-specific expression. We found that insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) binds to m6A of PLK1 3' untranslated region and is involved in upregulating PLK1 expression and that demethylation of this site activates the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein pathway by replicating stress and increasing mitotic catastrophe, resulting in increased radiosensitivity. This suggests that PLK1 methylation is essential for cell cycle maintenance in pancreatic cancer and is a new therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shotaro Tatekawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tamari
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ryota Chijimatsu
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Konno
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Division of Tumor Biology, Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences (RIBS), Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba, Japan
| | - Daisuke Motooka
- Genome Information Research Center, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Suguru Mitsufuji
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Akita
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Shogo Kobayashi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Murakumo
- Department of Pathology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan
| | - Yuichiro Doki
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Eguchi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hideshi Ishii
- Department of Medical Data Science, Center of Medical Innovation and Translational Research, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiko Ogawa
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Yamadaoka 2-2, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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Targeting protein kinases in cancer stem cells. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:399-412. [PMID: 35607921 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are subpopulations of cancer cells within the tumor bulk that have emerged as an attractive therapeutic target for cancer therapy. Accumulating evidence has shown the critical involvement of protein kinase signaling pathways in driving tumor development, cancer relapse, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Given that protein kinases are druggable targets for cancer therapy, tremendous efforts are being made to target CSCs with kinase inhibitors. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and overview of the roles of protein kinases in various signaling pathways in CSC regulation and drug resistance. Furthermore, we provide an update on the preclinical and clinical studies for the use of kinase inhibitors alone or in combination with current therapies for effective cancer therapy. Despite great premises for the use of kinase inhibitors against CSCs, further investigations are needed to evaluate their efficiencies without any adverse effects on normal stem cells.
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circZNF91 Promotes the Malignant Phenotype of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells by Targeting the miR-1283/WEE1 Axis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:2855394. [PMID: 35572733 PMCID: PMC9098290 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2855394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are frequently dysregulated in cancers and are implicated in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In this study, we investigated the role of circZNF91 in regulating the malignant phenotype of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells and the underlying molecular mechanism. Material / Methods The expression of circZNF91 was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The binding sequences between circZNF91/miR-1283 and miR-1283/WEE1 were predicted by the bioinformatic database. The functional interactions were confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter, RT-qPCR, and Western blot assays. The functional roles of the circZNF91/miR-1283/WEE1 axis in CLL progression were examined by cell proliferation, apoptosis, and EdU incorporation assays. Results circZNF91 was upregulated in CLL samples. Silencing circZNF91 attenuated CLL cell proliferation and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. circZNF91 could sponge miR-1283 to suppress its activity, which in turn upregulated WEE1 expression. Silencing circ-TTBK2 reduced WEE1 expression, while the inhibitor of miR-1283 enhanced WEE1 expression. The miR-1283/WEE1 axis mediated the effects of circZNF91 on cell proliferation and apoptosis, as well as induced cell cycle regulation. Conclusions The circZNF91/miR-1283/WEE1 axis is engaged in the pathological phenotypes of CLL cells, which could serve as potential targets for future therapy development.
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Maresca L, Stecca B, Carrassa L. Novel Therapeutic Approaches with DNA Damage Response Inhibitors for Melanoma Treatment. Cells 2022; 11:1466. [PMID: 35563772 PMCID: PMC9099918 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies against components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and immunotherapies, which block immune checkpoints, have shown important clinical benefits in melanoma patients. However, most patients develop resistance, with consequent disease relapse. Therefore, there is a need to identify novel therapeutic approaches for patients who are resistant or do not respond to the current targeted and immune therapies. Melanoma is characterized by homologous recombination (HR) and DNA damage response (DDR) gene mutations and by high replicative stress, which increase the endogenous DNA damage, leading to the activation of DDR. In this review, we will discuss the current experimental evidence on how DDR can be exploited therapeutically in melanoma. Specifically, we will focus on PARP, ATM, CHK1, WEE1 and ATR inhibitors, for which preclinical data as single agents, taking advantage of synthetic lethal interactions, and in combination with chemo-targeted-immunotherapy, have been growing in melanoma, encouraging the ongoing clinical trials. The overviewed data are suggestive of considering DDR inhibitors as a valid therapeutic approach, which may positively impact the future of melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Maresca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit, Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit, Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Laura Carrassa
- Fondazione Cesalpino, Arezzo Hospital, USL Toscana Sud-Est, Via Pietro Nenni 20, 52100 Arezzo, Italy
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Perspective on the Use of DNA Repair Inhibitors as a Tool for Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy of Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14071821. [PMID: 35406593 PMCID: PMC8997380 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071821] [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: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The current routine treatment for glioblastoma (GB), the most lethal high-grade brain tumor in adults, aims to induce DNA damage in the tumor. However, the tumor cells might be able to repair that damage, which leads to therapy resistance. Fortunately, DNA repair defects are common in GB cells, and their survival is often based on a sole backup repair pathway. Hence, targeted drugs inhibiting essential proteins of the DNA damage response have gained momentum and are being introduced in the clinic. This review gives a perspective on the use of radiopharmaceuticals targeting DDR kinases for imaging in order to determine the DNA repair phenotype of GB, as well as for effective radionuclide therapy. Finally, four new promising radiopharmaceuticals are suggested with the potential to lead to a more personalized GB therapy. Abstract Despite numerous innovative treatment strategies, the treatment of glioblastoma (GB) remains challenging. With the current state-of-the-art therapy, most GB patients succumb after about a year. In the evolution of personalized medicine, targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) is gaining momentum, for example, to stratify patients based on specific biomarkers. One of these biomarkers is deficiencies in DNA damage repair (DDR), which give rise to genomic instability and cancer initiation. However, these deficiencies also provide targets to specifically kill cancer cells following the synthetic lethality principle. This led to the increased interest in targeted drugs that inhibit essential DDR kinases (DDRi), of which multiple are undergoing clinical validation. In this review, the current status of DDRi for the treatment of GB is given for selected targets: ATM/ATR, CHK1/2, DNA-PK, and PARP. Furthermore, this review provides a perspective on the use of radiopharmaceuticals targeting these DDR kinases to (1) evaluate the DNA repair phenotype of GB before treatment decisions are made and (2) induce DNA damage via TRT. Finally, by applying in-house selection criteria and analyzing the structural characteristics of the DDRi, four drugs with the potential to become new therapeutic GB radiopharmaceuticals are suggested.
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Cell cycle involvement in cancer therapy; WEE1 kinase, a potential target as therapeutic strategy. Mutat Res 2022; 824:111776. [PMID: 35247630 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2022.111776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mitosis is the process of cell division and is regulated by checkpoints in the cell cycle. G1-S, S, and G2-M are the three main checkpoints that prevent initiation of the next phase of the cell cycle phase until previous phase has completed. DNA damage leads to activation of the G2-M checkpoint, which can trigger a downstream DNA damage response (DDR) pathway to induce cell cycle arrest while the damage is repaired. If the DNA damage cannot be repaired, the replication stress response (RSR) pathway finally leads to cell death by apoptosis, in this case called mitotic catastrophe. Many cancer treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) cause DNA damages based on SSBs (single strand breaks) or DSBs (double strand breaks), which cause cell death through mitotic catastrophe. However, damaged cells can activate WEE1 kinase (as a part of the DDR and RSR pathways), which prevents apoptosis and cell death by inducing cell cycle arrest at G2 phase. Therefore, inhibition of WEE1 kinase could sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. This review focuses on the role of WEE1 kinase (as a biological macromolecule which has a molecular mass of 96 kDa) in the cell cycle, and its interactions with other regulatory pathways. In addition, we discuss the potential of WEE1 inhibition as a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of various cancers, such as melanoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, etc.
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Bukhari AB, Chan GK, Gamper AM. Targeting the DNA Damage Response for Cancer Therapy by Inhibiting the Kinase Wee1. Front Oncol 2022; 12:828684. [PMID: 35251998 PMCID: PMC8891215 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.828684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells typically heavily rely on the G2/M checkpoint to survive endogenous and exogenous DNA damage, such as genotoxic stress due to genome instability or radiation and chemotherapy. The key regulator of the G2/M checkpoint, the cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), is tightly controlled, including by its phosphorylation state. This posttranslational modification, which is determined by the opposing activities of the phosphatase cdc25 and the kinase Wee1, allows for a more rapid response to cellular stress than via the synthesis or degradation of modulatory interacting proteins, such as p21 or cyclin B. Reducing Wee1 activity results in ectopic activation of CDK1 activity and drives premature entry into mitosis with unrepaired or under-replicated DNA and causing mitotic catastrophe. Here, we review efforts to use small molecule inhibitors of Wee1 for therapeutic purposes, including strategies to combine Wee1 inhibition with genotoxic agents, such as radiation therapy or drugs inducing replication stress, or inhibitors of pathways that show synthetic lethality with Wee1. Furthermore, it become increasingly clear that Wee1 inhibition can also modulate therapeutic immune responses. We will discuss the mechanisms underlying combination treatments identifying both cell intrinsic and systemic anti-tumor activities.
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miR-138-5p Inhibits the Growth and Invasion of Glioma Cells by Regulating WEE1. Anal Cell Pathol (Amst) 2022; 2022:7809882. [PMID: 35127343 PMCID: PMC8816588 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7809882] [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: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the role of differentially expressed miRNAs in glioma progression. Our previous bioinformatics analyses revealed a role of miR-138-5p in glioma. miR-138-5p was decreased in various tumors, and He et al. found that miR-138-5p had an inhibitory effect on glioma cells in 2021. However, the role of miR-138-5p in the development of glioma and the underlying mechanism is unknown. In this study, we explored whether miR-138-5p affects the biology of glioma by regulating WEE1 expression. Methods. miR-138-5p and WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase (WEE1) RNA and protein expression levels in glioma tissues were detected with qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The effects of miR-138-5p and WEE1 on glioma cell migration and invasion were investigated using Transwell assays. CCK-8 assay was used to measure the effects of miR-138-5p and WEE1 on glioma cell proliferation. The mortality of glioma cells transfected with miR-138-5p and WEE1 was measured with flow cytometry. The relationship between miR-138-5p and WEE1 was explored using a luciferase reporter analysis. Results. Functional studies indicated that overexpression of miR-138-5p suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and promoted death in glioma cell lines. WEE1 was identified as a target of miR-138-5p, and overexpression of miR-138-5p significantly suppressed the levels of WEE1. Moreover, reintroduction of WEE1 partially abrogated miR-138-5p-induced suppression of motility and invasion in glioma cells. Conclusion. The low expression of miR-138-5p in glioma suggests a tumor suppressor role for this miRNA. miR-138-5p suppresses glioma progression by regulating WEE1. These data provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of glioma.
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Elbæk CR, Petrosius V, Benada J, Erichsen L, Damgaard RB, Sørensen CS. WEE1 kinase protects the stability of stalled DNA replication forks by limiting CDK2 activity. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110261. [PMID: 35045293 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular feedback systems ensure genome maintenance during DNA replication. When replication forks stall, newly replicated DNA is protected by pathways that limit excessive DNA nuclease attacks. Here we show that WEE1 activity guards against nascent DNA degradation at stalled forks. Furthermore, we identify WEE1-dependent suppression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) as a major activity counteracting fork degradation. We establish DNA2 as the nuclease responsible for excessive fork degradation in WEE1-inhibited cells. In addition, WEE1 appears to be unique among CDK activity suppressors in S phase because neither CHK1 nor p21 promote fork protection as WEE1 does. Our results identify a key role of WEE1 in protecting stalled forks, which is separate from its established role in safeguarding DNA replication initiation. Our findings highlight how WEE1 inhibition evokes massive genome challenges during DNA replication, and this knowledge may improve therapeutic strategies to specifically eradicate cancer cells that frequently harbor elevated DNA replication stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Reiter Elbæk
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark; Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Valdemaras Petrosius
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Jan Benada
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Louisa Erichsen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Rune Busk Damgaard
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Claus Storgaard Sørensen
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløesvej 5, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark.
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Lopez BGC, Kohale IN, Du Z, Korsunsky I, Abdelmoula WM, Dai Y, Stopka SA, Gaglia G, Randall EC, Regan MS, Basu SS, Clark AR, Marin BM, Mladek AC, Burgenske DM, Agar JN, Supko JG, Grossman SA, Nabors LB, Raychaudhuri S, Ligon KL, Wen PY, Alexander B, Lee EQ, Santagata S, Sarkaria J, White FM, Agar NYR. Multimodal platform for assessing drug distribution and response in clinical trials. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:64-77. [PMID: 34383057 PMCID: PMC8730776 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Response to targeted therapy varies between patients for largely unknown reasons. Here, we developed and applied an integrative platform using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), phosphoproteomics, and multiplexed tissue imaging for mapping drug distribution, target engagement, and adaptive response to gain insights into heterogeneous response to therapy. METHODS Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) lines of glioblastoma were treated with adavosertib, a Wee1 inhibitor, and tissue drug distribution was measured with MALDI-MSI. Phosphoproteomics was measured in the same tumors to identify biomarkers of drug target engagement and cellular adaptive response. Multiplexed tissue imaging was performed on sister sections to evaluate spatial co-localization of drug and cellular response. The integrated platform was then applied on clinical specimens from glioblastoma patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial. RESULTS PDX tumors exposed to different doses of adavosertib revealed intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of drug distribution and integration of the heterogeneous drug distribution with phosphoproteomics and multiplexed tissue imaging revealed new markers of molecular response to adavosertib. Analysis of paired clinical specimens from patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial informed the translational potential of the identified biomarkers in studying patient's response to adavosertib. CONCLUSIONS The multimodal platform identified a signature of drug efficacy and patient-specific adaptive responses applicable to preclinical and clinical drug development. The information generated by the approach may inform mechanisms of success and failure in future early phase clinical trials, providing information for optimizing clinical trial design and guiding future application into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña G C Lopez
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ishwar N Kohale
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ziming Du
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ilya Korsunsky
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Walid M Abdelmoula
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yang Dai
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylwia A Stopka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giorgio Gaglia
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Randall
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael S Regan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sankha S Basu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda R Clark
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca-Maria Marin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey N Agar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Supko
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stuart A Grossman
- Brain Cancer Program, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Louis B Nabors
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith L Ligon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick Y Wen
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian Alexander
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eudocia Q Lee
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandro Santagata
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jann Sarkaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Forest M White
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathalie Y R Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Abstract
ABSTRACT DNA damage response and repair (DDR) is responsible for ensuring genomic integrity. It is composed of intricate, complex pathways that detect various DNA insults and then activate pathways to restore DNA fidelity. Mutations in this network are implicated in many malignancies but can also be exploited for cancer therapies. The advent of inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase has led to the investigation of other DDR inhibitors and combinations to address high unmet needs in cancer therapeutics. Specifically, regimens, often in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, or other DDR inhibitors, are being investigated. This review will focus on 4 main DDR pathways-ATR/CHK1, ATM/CHK2, DNA-PKcs, and polymerase θ-and the current state of clinical research and use of the inhibitors of these pathways with other DDR inhibitors.
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Wang M, Chen S, Ao D. Targeting DNA repair pathway in cancer: Mechanisms and clinical application. MedComm (Beijing) 2021; 2:654-691. [PMID: 34977872 PMCID: PMC8706759 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, the growing understanding on DNA damage response (DDR) pathways has broadened the therapeutic landscape in oncology. It is becoming increasingly clear that the genomic instability of cells resulted from deficient DNA damage response contributes to the occurrence of cancer. One the other hand, these defects could also be exploited as a therapeutic opportunity, which is preferentially more deleterious in tumor cells than in normal cells. An expanding repertoire of DDR-targeting agents has rapidly expanded to inhibitors of multiple members involved in DDR pathways, including PARP, ATM, ATR, CHK1, WEE1, and DNA-PK. In this review, we sought to summarize the complex network of DNA repair machinery in cancer cells and discuss the underlying mechanism for the application of DDR inhibitors in cancer. With the past preclinical evidence and ongoing clinical trials, we also provide an overview of the history and current landscape of DDR inhibitors in cancer treatment, with special focus on the combination of DDR-targeted therapies with other cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manni Wang
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Danyi Ao
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
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45
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Cheng X, Zhao JX, Dong F, Cao XC. ARID1A Mutation in Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Potential Therapeutic Target. Front Oncol 2021; 11:759577. [PMID: 34804958 PMCID: PMC8599951 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.759577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Distant metastasis is the principal cause of mortality for breast cancer patients. Targeting specific mutations that have been acquired during the evolution process of advanced breast cancer is a potential means of enhancing the clinical efficacy of treatment strategies. In metastatic breast cancer, ARID1A is the most prevalent mutation of the SWI/SNF complex, which regulates DNA repair, recombination, and gene transcription. The low expression of ARID1A is associated with poor disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with luminal A or HER2-rich breast cancer. In addition, ARID1A plays a prominent role in maintaining luminal characteristics and has an advantage for identifying responses to treatment, including endocrine therapies, HDAC inhibitors and CDK4/6 inhibitors. The therapeutic vulnerabilities initiated by ARID1A alterations encourage us to explore new approaches to cope with ARID1A mutant-related drug resistance or metastasis. In this review, we describe the mutation profiles of ARID1A in metastatic breast cancer and the structure and function of ARID1A and the SWI/SNF complex as well as discuss the potential mechanisms of ARID1A-mediated endocrine resistance and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Cheng
- The First Department of Breast Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Jian-Xiong Zhao
- The First Department of Breast Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Dong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Laboratory of Neuro-Oncology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Tianjin, China.,State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cellular Homeostasis and Human Diseases, Department of Cell Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xu-Chen Cao
- The First Department of Breast Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, China.,Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University, Ministry of Education, Tianjin, China
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Yang Y, Zhang G, Li J, Gong R, Wang Y, Qin Y, Ping Q, Hu L. Long noncoding RNA NORAD acts as a ceRNA mediates gemcitabine resistance in bladder cancer by sponging miR-155-5p to regulate WEE1 expression. Pathol Res Pract 2021; 228:153676. [PMID: 34753061 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2021.153676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidences have proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate the occurrence of bladder cancer (BC) and participate in various pathophysiology processes. However, little is unknown about the role of lncRNAs in drug resistance of BC cells. In this study, we explored the role of non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) in the gemcitabine (GEM) resistant of BC cells and explored its potential mechanism. METHODS Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of NORAD and miR-155-5p of BC cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and Western blot were used to detect cell inhibition rate and the expression of WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase (WEE1), P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1). Flow cytometry detected cell cycle and apoptosis. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were used to confirm the targeting relationship between miR-155-5p, NORAD and WEE1. The xenograft model was used to observe the function of NORAD in vivo. immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was used to detect the expression of WEE1, caspase-3 and Ki67 in tumor tissues. RESULTS NORAD highly expressed in GEM-resistant BC cell lines. Knockdown of NORAD significantly inhibited the proliferation of T24/GEM cells, the expression of drug-resistant proteins P-gp and MRP1, inhibit the G0/G1 phase of cells, and induce cell apoptosis. Knockdown of NORAD reversed the promotion effect of miR-155-5p on WEE1 expression and promoted the sensitivity of T24/GEM cells to GEM. In vivo, knockdown of NORAD inhibited the tumor growth, and enhanced the GEM-sensitivity in mice. CONCLUSION These data highlight the potential of NORAD acts as a therapeutic target for BC GEM resistance. It revealed the vital roles of NORAD/miR-155-5p/WEE1 axis in GEM resistant BC cells, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Guoying Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 519 Kunzhou Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Rui Gong
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Yingbao Wang
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Yang Qin
- Department of Urology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 519 Kunzhou Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Qinrong Ping
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China
| | - Libing Hu
- Department of Urology, Yan'an Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University, 245 East Renming Rd, Kunming, Yunnan 650000, China.
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Zimmer K, Kocher F, Puccini A, Seeber A. Targeting BRCA and DNA Damage Repair Genes in GI Cancers: Pathophysiology and Clinical Perspectives. Front Oncol 2021; 11:662055. [PMID: 34707985 PMCID: PMC8542868 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.662055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutated germline alleles in the DNA damage repair (DDR) genes “breast cancer gene 1” (BRCA1) and BRCA2 have originally been identified as major susceptibility genes in breast and ovarian cancers. With the establishment and approval of more cost-effective gene sequencing methods, germline and somatic BRCA mutations have been detected in several cancers. Since the approval of poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) for BRCA-mutated cancers, BRCA mutations gained rising therapeutic implications. The impact and significance of BRCA mutations have been evaluated extensively in the last decades. Moreover, other genes involved in the DDR pathway, such as ATM, ATR, or CHK1, have emerged as potential new treatment targets, as inhibitors of these proteins are currently under clinical investigation. This review gives a concise overview on the emerging clinical implications of mutations in the DDR genes in gastrointestinal cancers with a focus on BRCA mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zimmer
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Florian Kocher
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alberto Puccini
- Medical Oncology Unit 1, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Istituto di ricovero e cura a carattere scientifico (IRCCS), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andreas Seeber
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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48
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Xu H, George E, Kinose Y, Kim H, Shah JB, Peake JD, Ferman B, Medvedev S, Murtha T, Barger CJ, Devins KM, D’Andrea K, Wubbenhorst B, Schwartz LE, Hwang WT, Mills GB, Nathanson KL, Karpf AR, Drapkin R, Brown EJ, Simpkins F. CCNE1 copy number is a biomarker for response to combination WEE1-ATR inhibition in ovarian and endometrial cancer models. Cell Rep Med 2021; 2:100394. [PMID: 34622231 PMCID: PMC8484689 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
CCNE1-amplified ovarian cancers (OVCAs) and endometrial cancers (EMCAs) are associated with platinum resistance and poor survival, representing a clinically unmet need. We hypothesized that dysregulated cell-cycle progression promoted by CCNE1 overexpression would lead to increased sensitivity to low-dose WEE1 inhibition and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibition (WEE1i-ATRi), thereby optimizing efficacy and tolerability. The addition of ATRi to WEE1i is required to block feedback activation of ATR signaling mediated by WEE1i. Low-dose WEE1i-ATRi synergistically decreases viability and colony formation and increases replication fork collapse and double-strand breaks (DSBs) in a CCNE1 copy number (CN)-dependent manner. Only upon CCNE1 induction does WEE1i perturb DNA synthesis at S-phase entry, and addition of ATRi increases DSBs during DNA synthesis. Inherent resistance to WEE1i is overcome with WEE1i-ATRi, with notable durable tumor regressions and improved survival in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in a CCNE1-level-dependent manner. These studies demonstrate that CCNE1 CN is a clinically tractable biomarker predicting responsiveness to low-dose WEE1i-ATRi for aggressive subsets of OVCAs/EMCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haineng Xu
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erin George
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yasuto Kinose
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hyoung Kim
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jennifer B. Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jasmine D. Peake
- Department of Cancer Biology and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Benjamin Ferman
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sergey Medvedev
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Thomas Murtha
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Carter J. Barger
- Eppley Institute and Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Kyle M. Devins
- Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kurt D’Andrea
- Department of Medicine, Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bradley Wubbenhorst
- Department of Medicine, Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lauren E. Schwartz
- Department of Pathology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Wei-Ting Hwang
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gordon B. Mills
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Katherine L. Nathanson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adam R. Karpf
- Eppley Institute and Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Ronny Drapkin
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Eric J. Brown
- Department of Cancer Biology and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Fiona Simpkins
- Ovarian Cancer Research Center, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Rødland GE, Hauge S, Hasvold G, Bay LTE, Raabe TTH, Joel M, Syljuåsen RG. Differential Effects of Combined ATR/WEE1 Inhibition in Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153790. [PMID: 34359691 PMCID: PMC8345075 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer cells often show elevated replication stress and loss of cell cycle checkpoints. The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) and WEE1 kinases play roles in protecting cancer cells from high replication stress and in regulating the remaining cell cycle checkpoints. Inhibitors of ATR or WEE1 therefore have the potential to selectively kill cancer cells and are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, more studies are needed to understand how these inhibitors work in various types of cancer and to find the most effective ways of using them. Here, we have explored whether simultaneous treatment with ATR and WEE1 inhibitors is a promising approach. Effects were investigated in cell lines from osteosarcoma and lung cancer. We expect our results to be of importance for future treatment strategies with these inhibitors. Abstract Inhibitors of WEE1 and ATR kinases are considered promising for cancer treatment, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemo- or radiotherapy. Here, we addressed whether simultaneous inhibition of WEE1 and ATR might be advantageous. Effects of the WEE1 inhibitor MK1775 and ATR inhibitor VE822 were investigated in U2OS osteosarcoma cells and in four lung cancer cell lines, H460, A549, H1975, and SW900, with different sensitivities to the WEE1 inhibitor. Despite the differences in cytotoxic effects, the WEE1 inhibitor reduced the inhibitory phosphorylation of CDK, leading to increased CDK activity accompanied by ATR activation in all cell lines. However, combining ATR inhibition with WEE1 inhibition could not fully compensate for cell resistance to the WEE1 inhibitor and reduced cell viability to a variable extent. The decreased cell viability upon the combined treatment correlated with a synergistic induction of DNA damage in S-phase in U2OS cells but not in the lung cancer cells. Moreover, less synergy was found between ATR and WEE1 inhibitors upon co-treatment with radiation, suggesting that single inhibitors may be preferable together with radiotherapy. Altogether, our results support that combining WEE1 and ATR inhibitors may be beneficial for cancer treatment in some cases, but also highlight that the effects vary between cancer cell lines.
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50
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Abstract
Purpose of Review WEE1 inhibitor has been shown to potential chemotherapy or radiotherapy sensitivity in preclinical models, particularly in p53-mutated or deficient cancer cells although not exclusively. Here, we review the clinical development of WEE1 inhibitor in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy as well as its combination with different novel agents. Recent Findings Although several clinical trials have shown that WEE1 inhibitor can be safely combined with different chemotherapy agents as well as radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy, its clinical development has been hampered by the higher rate of grade 3 toxicities when added to standard treatments. A few clinical trials had also been conducted to test WEE1 inhibitor using TP53 mutation as a predictive biomarker. However, TP53 mutation has not been shown to be the most reliable predictive biomarker and the benefit of adding WEE1 inhibitor to chemotherapy has been modest, even in TP53 biomarker-driven studies. Summary There are ongoing clinical trials testing WEE1 inhibitor with novel agents such as ATR and PAPR inhibitors as well as anti-PDL1 immunotherapy, which may better define the role of WEE1 inhibitor in the future if any of the novel treatment combination will show superior anti-tumor efficacy with a good safety profile compared to monotherapy and/or standard treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Kong
- Institute of Head and Neck Studies (InHANSE), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. .,Comprehensive Cancer Centre, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Hisham Mehanna
- Institute of Head and Neck Studies (InHANSE), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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