Discovery, Characterization, and Structure-Based Optimization of Small-Molecule In Vitro and In Vivo Probes for Human DNA Polymerase Theta

Human DNA polymerase theta (Polθ), which is essential for microhomology-mediated DNA double strand break repair, has been proposed as an attractive target for the treatment of BRCA deficient and other DNA repair pathway defective cancers. As previously reported, we recently identified the first selective small molecule Polθ in vitro probe, 22 (ART558), which recapitulates the phenotype of Polθ loss, and in vivo probe, 43 (ART812), which is efficacious in a model of PARP inhibitor resistant TNBC in vivo. Here we describe the discovery, biochemical and biophysical characterization of these probes including small molecule ligand co-crystal structures with Polθ. The crystallographic data provides a basis for understanding the unique mechanism of inhibition of these compounds which is dependent on stabilization of a "closed" enzyme conformation. Additionally, the structural biology platform provided a basis for rational optimization based primarily on reduced ligand conformational flexibility.

Abstract 5697: Targeting PARP inhibitor resistance with Polθ inhibitors

To target DNA repair vulnerabilities in cancer, we discovered nanomolar potent, selective, low molecular weight (MW), allosteric inhibitors of the polymerase function of DNA polymerase Polθ, including ART558. ART558 inhibits the major Polθ-mediated DNA repair process, Theta-Mediated End Joining (TMEJ), without targeting Non-Homologous End Joining. Moreover, we show that exposure to ART558 can elicit DNA damage and synthetic lethality in BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutant tumor cells and enhances the effects of a PARP inhibitor. Genetic perturbation screening revealed that defects in the 53BP1/Shieldin complex, which are a cause of PARP inhibitor resistance, result in in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to Polθ polymerase inhibitors. Mechanistically, ART558 increases biomarkers of single-stranded DNA and synthetic lethality in 53BP1-defective cells. The inhibition of DNA nucleases that promote end-resection, such as Exo1 or Blm-Dna2 reversed these effects, implicating these in the synthetic lethal mechanism-of-action. Taken together, these observations describe a drug class that elicits BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and PARP inhibitor synergy, as well as targeting a biomarker-defined mechanism of PARPi-resistance.

Citation Format: Diana Zatreanu, Helen Robinson, Omar Alkhatib, Marie Boursier, Harry Finch, Lerin Geo, Diego Grande, Vera Grinkevich, Robert Heald, Sophie Langdon, Jayesh Majithiya, Claire McWhirter, Niall Martin, Shaun Moore, Joana Neves, Eeson Rajendra, Marco Ranzani, Theresia Schaedler, Martin Stockley, Kimberley Wiggins, Rachel Brough, Sandhya Sridhar, Aditi Gulati, Nan Shao, Luted Badder, Daniela Novo, Eleanor Knight, Rebecca Marlow, Syed Haider, Elsa Callen, Graeme Hewitt, Joost Schimmel, Remko Prevo, Christina Alli, Amanda Ferdinand, Cameron Bell, Peter Blencowe, Chris Bot, Mathew Calder, Mark Charles, Jayne Curry, Tennyson Ekwuru, Andre Nussenzweig, Marcel Tijsterman, Andrew N. Tutt, Simon Boulton, Geoff Higgins, Stephen J. Pettitt, Graeme C. Smith, Christopher J. Lord. Targeting PARP inhibitor resistance with Polθ inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5697.

Abstract P056: Polθ inhibitors elicit BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and target PARP inhibitor resistance

To target DNA repair vulnerabilities in cancer, we discovered nanomolar potent, selective, low molecular weight, allosteric inhibitors of the polymerase function of DNA polymerase Theta (Polθ), including ART558. ART558 inhibits the major Polθ-mediated DNA repair process, Theta-Mediated End Joining (TMEJ), without targeting Non-Homologous End Joining. Moreover, we show that exposure to ART558 can elicit DNA damage and synthetic lethality in BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutant tumour cells and enhances the effects of a PARP inhibitor. Genetic perturbation screening revealed that defects in the 53BP1/Shieldin complex, which are a cause of PARP inhibitor resistance, result in in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to Polθ polymerase inhibitors. Mechanistically, ART558 increases biomarkers of single-stranded DNA and synthetic lethality in 53BP1-defective cells. The inhibition of DNA nucleases that promote end-resection reversed these effects, suggesting that resection via Exo1 or Blm-Dna2 being a cause, at least in part, of the ART558 sensitivity phenotype. Taken together, these observations describe a drug class that elicits BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and PARP inhibitor synergy, as well as targeting a biomarker-defined mechanism of PARPi-resistance.

Citation Format: Diana A. Zatreanu, Helen M. R. Robinson, Omar Alkhatib, Marie Boursier, Harry Finch, Lerin Geo, Diego Grande, Vera Grinkevich, Robert Heald, Sophie Langdon, Jayesh Majithiya, Claire McWhirter, Niall M. B. Martin, Shaun Moore, Joana Neves, Eeson Rajendra, Marco Ranzani, Theresia Schaedler, Martin Stockley, Kimberley Wiggins, Rachel Brough, Sandhya Sridhar, Aditi Gulati, Nan Shao, Luned M Badder, Daniela Novo, Eleanor G. Knight, Rebecca Marlow, Syed Haider, Elsa Callen, Graeme Hewitt, Joost Schimmel, Remko Prevo, Christina Alli, Amanda Ferdinand, Cameron Bell, Peter Blencowe, Mathew Calder, Mark Charles, Jayne Curry, Tennyson Ekwuru, Katherine Ewings, Andre Nussenzweig, Marcel Tijsterman, Andrew Tutt, Simon J. Boulton, Geoff S. Higgins, Steve Pettitt, Graeme C. M. Smith, Christopher J. Lord. Polθ inhibitors elicit BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and target PARP inhibitor resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2021 Oct 7-10. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2021;20(12 Suppl):Abstract nr P056.

Polθ inhibitors elicit BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and target PARP inhibitor resistance

To identify approaches to target DNA repair vulnerabilities in cancer, we discovered nanomolar potent, selective, low molecular weight (MW), allosteric inhibitors of the polymerase function of DNA polymerase Polθ, including ART558. ART558 inhibits the major Polθ-mediated DNA repair process, Theta-Mediated End Joining, without targeting Non-Homologous End Joining. In addition, ART558 elicits DNA damage and synthetic lethality in BRCA1- or BRCA2-mutant tumour cells and enhances the effects of a PARP inhibitor. Genetic perturbation screening revealed that defects in the 53BP1/Shieldin complex, which cause PARP inhibitor resistance, result in in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to small molecule Polθ polymerase inhibitors. Mechanistically, ART558 increases biomarkers of single-stranded DNA and synthetic lethality in 53BP1-defective cells whilst the inhibition of DNA nucleases that promote end-resection reversed these effects, implicating these in the synthetic lethal mechanism-of-action. Taken together, these observations describe a drug class that elicits BRCA-gene synthetic lethality and PARP inhibitor synergy, as well as targeting a biomarker-defined mechanism of PARPi-resistance.

Abstract LB-C20: Lead generation and optimisation of a series of novel glutaminase (GLS) inhibitors

Glutamine is an essential nutrient for cancer cells and is used to support cancer cell growth. Glutamine is converted to glutamate by the enzyme glutaminase, which is then converted into alpha-ketoglutarate, a metabolic intermediate within the TCA cycle which serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of ATP, NADPH, fatty acids, glutathione, nucleic acids and amino acids. As such, we regarded glutaminolysis as a key pathway for therapeutic intervention.

At the outset of the project there were several reported inhibitors of glutaminase known in the literature; however, they possess undesirable drug like properties. We describe here our efforts to discover novel inhibitors of glutaminase with a promising development profile. From a high throughput screen of approximately 900,000 compounds in the AstraZeneca collection, we were able to identify three series of glutaminase inhibitors. One of these series has been optimised to deliver cell potent, selective and orally bioavailable inhibitors of glutaminase 1.

Citation Format: Mark D. Charles, Ceri Cairnduff, Joanna Brookfield, Verity Sabin, Tennyson Ekwuru, Neil Jones, Attilla Ting, James Smith, Willem Nissink, Ray Finlay, Steve Powell, Susan Critchlow, Richard Ward, Matthew Wood, Linette Ruston, Jon Winter, Ian Hollingsworth. Lead generation and optimisation of a series of novel glutaminase (GLS) inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr LB-C20.

Abstract C210: LIM kinase small molecule inhibitors block tumor cell invasion

The invasive potential of carcinomas greatly contributes to their ability to metastasize, a process which is estimated to cause 90% of all human cancer deaths. The LIM kinase (LIMK) family of Ser/Thr kinases sit at a hub of signaling pathways downstream of the Rho family of GTPases. Functionally, LIMK is directly involved in regulating the activity of cofilin, a family of proteins which modulate cell movement through reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton network. LIMK is up-regulated in a number of invasive cancer cell lines and metastatic breast and prostate tumors, whilst an increase in LIMK activity has been shown to cause increased cellular invasion in multiple model systems.

We demonstrate that LIMK inhibition by siRNA reduces the invasive capacity of MDA-MB-231-Luc breast cancer cells in an in vitro matrigel invasion assay and reduces fibroblast lead collective invasion in a co-culture organotypic model. Potent, selective, small molecule LIMK inhibitors have been identified that inhibit LIMK in vitro with sub-nanomolar activity in biochemical assays and low micromolar activity in cells as measured by cofilin phosphorylation. Treatment of MDA-MB-231-Luc cells or tumor associated fibroblasts with these small molecule inhibitors decreased cell invasion in vitro with minimal cellular toxicity. Collectively, these data further validate LIMK as an anti-invasive therapeutic target in tumor cells and demonstrate the potential utility of LIMK inhibitors in metastatic disease.

Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):C210.