Ahrum Min

RAD51C-Deficient Cancer Cells Are Highly Sensitive to the PARP Inhibitor Olaparib

A PARP inhibitor is a rationally designed targeted therapy for cancers with impaired DNA repair abilities. RAD51C is a paralog of RAD51 that has an important role in the DNA damage response. We found that cell lines sensitive to a novel oral PARP inhibitor, olaparib, had low levels of RAD51C expression using microarray analysis, and we therefore hypothesized that low expression of RAD51C may hamper the DNA repair process, resulting in increased sensitivity to olaparib. Compared with the cells with normal RAD51C expression levels, RAD51C-deficient cancer cells were more sensitive to olaparib, and a higher proportion underwent cell death by inducing G2–M cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis. The restoration of RAD51C in a sensitive cell line caused attenuation of olaparib sensitivity. In contrast, silencing of RAD51C in a resistant cell line enhanced the sensitivity to olaparib, and the number of RAD51 foci decreased with ablated RAD51C expression. We also found the expression of RAD51C was downregulated in cancer cells due to epigenetic changes and RAD51C expression was low in some gastric cancer tissues. Furthermore, olaparib significantly suppressed RAD51C-deficient tumor growth in a xenograft model. In summary, RAD51C-deficient cancer cells are highly sensitive to olaparib and offer preclinical proof-of-principle that RAD51C deficiency may be considered a biomarker for predicting the antitumor effects of olaparib. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(6); 865–77. ©2013 AACR.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), enhances anti-tumor effects of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor olaparib in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

IntroductionOlaparib, a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, has been found to have therapeutic potential for treating cancers associated with impaired DNA repair capabilities, particularly those with deficiencies in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) pathway. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important for enabling functional HRR of DNA by regulating the expression of HRR-related genes and promoting the accurate assembly of HRR-directed sub-nuclear foci. Thus, HDAC inhibitors have recently emerged as a therapeutic agent for treating cancer by inhibiting DNA repair. Based on this, HDAC inhibition could be predicted to enhance the anti-tumor effect of PARP inhibitors in cancer cells by blocking the HRR pathway.MethodsWe determined whether suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), a HDAC inhibitor, could enhance the anti-tumor effects of olaparib on breast cancer cell lines using a cytotoxic assay, cell cycle analysis, and Western blotting. We evaluated how exposure to SAHA affects the expression of HRR-associated genes. The accumulation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) induced by combination treatment was assessed. Induction of autophagy was monitored by imaging green fluorescent protein-tagged microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) expression following co-treatment with olaparib and SAHA. These in vitro data were validated in vivo using a human breast cancer xenograft model.ResultsTriple-negative breast cancer cell (TNBC) lines showed heterogeneous responses to the PARP and HDAC inhibitors. Co-administration of olaparib and SAHA synergistically inhibited the growth of TNBC cells that expressed functional Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). This effect was associated with down-regulation of the proliferative signaling pathway, increased apoptotic and autophagic cell death, and accumulation of DNA damage. The combined anti-tumor effect of olaparib and SAHA was also observed in a xenograft model. These data suggest that PTEN expression in TNBC cells can sensitize the cell response to simultaneous inhibition of PARP and HDAC both in vitro and in vivo.ConclusionOur findings suggest that expression of functional PTEN may serve as a biomarker for selecting TNBC patients that would favorably respond to a combination of olaparib with SAHA. This provides a strong rationale for treating TNBC patients with PTEN expression with a combination therapy consisting of olaparib and SAHA.

Antitumor Activity of Saracatinib (AZD0530), a c-Src/Abl Kinase Inhibitor, Alone or in Combination with Chemotherapeutic Agents in Gastric Cancer

Src is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase involved in the cross-talk and mediation of many signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, adhesion, invasion, migration, and tumorigenesis. Increased Src activity has been reported in many types of human cancer, including gastric cancer. Therefore, this factor has been identified as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatments, and targeting Src in gastric cancer is predicted to have potent effects. We evaluated the antitumor effect of a c-Src/Abl kinase inhibitor, saracatinib (AZD0530), alone or combined with chemotherapeutic agents in gastric cancer cell lines and a NCI-N87 xenograft model. Among 10 gastric cancer cell lines, saracatinib specifically inhibited the growth and migration/invasion of SNU216 and NCI-N87 cells. Saracatinib blocked the Src/FAK, HER family, and oncogenic signaling pathways, and it induced G1 arrest and apoptosis in SNU216 and NCI-N87 cells. Apoptosis required induction of the proapoptotic BCL2 family member Bim. Knockdown of Bim using siRNA decreased apoptosis induced by treatment with saracatinib, suggesting that Bim has an important role in saracatinib-induced apoptosis. Saracatinib enhanced the effects of lapatinib, an EGFR/HER2 dual inhibitor, in SNU216 and NCI-N87 cells. Furthermore, combined treatment with saracatinib and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or cisplatin exerted synergistic effects in both saracatinib-sensitive and saracatinib-resistant cells. Consistent with our in vitro findings, cotreatment with saracatinib and 5-FU resulted in enhanced antitumor activity in the NCI-N87 xenografts. These data indicate that the inhibition of Src kinase activity by saracatinib alone or in combination with other agents can be a strategy to target gastric cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(1); 16–26. ©2013 AACR.

AZD6738, A Novel Oral Inhibitor of ATR, Induces Synthetic Lethality with ATM Deficiency in Gastric Cancer Cells

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) can be considered an attractive target for cancer treatment due to its deleterious effect on cancer cells harboring a homologous recombination defect. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential use of the ATR inhibitor, AZD6738, to treat gastric cancer. In SNU-601 cells with dysfunctional ATM, AZD6738 treatment led to an accumulation of DNA damage due to dysfunctional RAD51 foci formation, S phase arrest, and caspase 3–dependent apoptosis. In contrast, SNU-484 cells with functional ATM were not sensitive to AZD6738. Inhibition of ATM in SNU-484 cells enhanced AZD6738 sensitivity to a level comparable with that observed in SNU-601 cells, showing that activation of the ATM-Chk2 signaling pathway attenuates AZD6738 sensitivity. In addition, decreased HDAC1 expression was found to be associated with ATM inactivation in SNU-601 cells, demonstrating the interaction between HDAC1 and ATM can affect sensitivity to AZD6738. Furthermore, in an in vivo tumor xenograft mouse model, AZD6738 significantly suppressed tumor growth and increased apoptosis. These findings suggest synthetic lethality between ATR inhibition and ATM deficiency in gastric cancer cells. Further clinical studies on the interaction between AZD 6738 and ATM deficiency are warranted to develop novel treatment strategies for gastric cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(4); 566–77. ©2017 AACR.

Anti‐tumor activity of the ATR inhibitor AZD6738 in HER2 positive breast cancer cells

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related (ATR) proteins are sensors of DNA damage, which induces homologous recombination (HR)‐dependent repair. ATR is a master regulator of DNA damage repair (DDR), signaling to control DNA replication, DNA repair and apoptosis. Therefore, the ATR pathway might be an attractive target for developing new drugs. This study was designed to investigate the antitumor effects of the ATR inhibitor, AZD6738 and its underlying mechanism in human breast cancer cells. Growth inhibitory effects of AZD6738 against human breast cancer cell lines were studied using a 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)−2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium, MTT) assay. Cell cycle analysis, Western blotting, immunofluorescence and comet assays were also performed to elucidate underlying mechanisms of AZD6738 action. Anti‐proliferative and DDR inhibitory effects of AZD6738 were demonstrated in human breast cancer cell lines. Among 13 cell lines, the IC50 values of nine cell lines were less than 1 μmol/L using MTT assay. Two cell lines, SK‐BR‐3 and BT‐474, were chosen for further evaluation focused on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)‐positive breast cancer cells. Sensitive SK‐BR‐3 but not the less sensitive BT‐474 breast cancer cells showed increased level of apoptosis and S phase arrest and reduced expression levels of phosphorylated check‐point kinase 1 (CHK1) and other repair markers. Decreased functional CHK1 expression induced DNA damage accumulation due to HR inactivation. AZD6738 showed synergistic activity with cisplatin. Understanding the antitumor activity and mechanisms of AZD6738 in HER2‐positive breast cancer cells creates the possibility for future clinical trials targeting DDR in HER2‐positive breast cancer treatment.

Sunitinib synergizes the antitumor effect of cisplatin via modulation of ERCC1 expression in models of gastric cancer

We evaluated the effects of sunitinib monotherapy and in combination with cisplatin in human gastric cancer cell lines. Sunitinib showed antiproliferative effect in gastric cancer cells line with high PDGFRA expression. Knockdown of PDGFRA showed that sunitinib sensitivity was correlated with the basal expression of PDGFRA. Synergistic growth inhibitory activity in combination with cisplatin was identified. We further explored how sunitinib potentiated the activity of cisplatin. We found that sunitinib treatment resulted in the down-regulation of ERCC1 expression via the modulation of PDGFRA expression in gastric cancer cells. The effect was verified via SNU484 xenograft model. Our data support the rationale of clinical trial using sunitinib in combination of cisplatin in gastric cancer.

The irreversible pan-HER inhibitor PF00299804 alone or combined with gemcitabine has an antitumor effect in biliary tract cancer cell lines

SummaryBiliary tract cancer (BTC) is associated with poor survival and unresponsiveness to chemotherapy. Targeted therapies for BTC have been studied, and HER family members are promising therapeutic targets in BTC. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of PF00299804, an irreversible pan-HER inhibitor, in eight BTC cell lines alone or combined with gemcitabine. PF00299804 potently inhibited the growth of two cell lines (SNU308 and SNU478) out of the eight BTC cell lines as a single agent. PF00299804 blocked HER family and downstream signaling pathways, inducing G1 arrest or apoptosis. Moreover, PF00299804 exerted synergistic effects with gemcitabine in seven of the eight BTC cell lines, possibly through the regulation of the genes involved in the response to gemcitabine, such as TS (thymidylate synthase), RRM1 (ribonucleotide reductase), and MAGEH1, which is negatively correlated with gemcitabine sensitivity. Our results support the need for further study of PF00299804 alone or combined with gemcitabine for the treatment of BTC.

TGF-β Suppresses COX-2 Expression by Tristetraprolin-Mediated RNA Destabilization in A549 Human Lung Cancer Cells

Purpose Overexpression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is thought to promote survival of transformed cells. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) exerts anti-proliferative effects on a broad range of epithelial cells. In the current study, we investigated whether TGF-β can regulate COX-2 expression in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, which are TGF-β-responsive and overexpress COX-2. Materials and Methods Western blotting, Northern blotting, and mRNA stability assays were performed to demonstrate that COX-2 protein and mRNA expression were suppressed by TGF-β. We also evaluated the effects of tristetraprolin (TTP) on COX-2 mRNA using RNA interference. Results We demonstrated that COX-2 mRNA and protein expression were both significantly suppressed by TGF-β. An actinomycin D chase experiment demonstrated that COX-2 mRNA was more rapidly degraded in the presence of TGF-β, suggesting that TGF-β–induced inhibition of COX-2 expression is achieved via decreased mRNA stability. We also found that TGF-β rapidly and transiently induced the expression of TTP, a well-known mRNA destabilizing factor, before suppression of COX-2 mRNA expression was observed. Using RNA interference, we confirmed that increased TTP levels play a pivotal role in the destabilization of COX-2 mRNA by TGF-β. Furthermore, we showed that Smad3 is essential to TTP-dependent down-regulation of COX-2 expression in response to TGF-β. Conclusion The results of this study show that TGF-β down-regulated COX-2 expression via mRNA destabilization mediated by Smad3/TTP in A549 cells.

EGFR or HER2 inhibition modulates the tumor microenvironment by suppression of PD-L1 and cytokines release

BACKGROUND Characteristics of tumor microenvironment have been suggested as predictive markers of anti-EGFR or anti-HER2 treatment response. However, the effect of EGFR/HER2 signal blockade on the tumor immune microenvironment is unclear. METHODS EGFR/HER2 pathway signaling and PD-L1 expression in gastric cancer cell lines were screened by western blot analysis. PD-L1 and HER2 expressions in 251 resected gastric tumors were determined by immunohistochemistry, and changes in EFGR, HER2, and PD-L1 expression in paired specimens between pre- and post-chemotherapy were evaluated. PD-L1 expression in HER2-amplified cell lines was evaluated by western blotting, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, reverse transcription, and real-time quantitative PCR analyses before and after afatinib, lapatinib, pictilisib and trametinib treatment. Changes in cytokines were evaluated by reverse transcription, real-time quantitative PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after EGFR/HER2 inhibition. RESULTS Cell lines with pEGFR or pHER2 overexpression showed higher PD-L1 expression. In resected gastric tumors, HER2 expression was significantly associated with PD-L1 expression (p=0.030). PD-L1 overexpression accompanied by increased HER2 expression was identified in a post-chemotherapy specimen from a patient with an initial HER2/PD-L1-negative tumor. In HER2-overexpressing cell lines, PD-L1 expression was decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner after afatinib and lapatinib treatment. PI3K pathway inhibition by pictilisib, but not MEK pathway inhibition by trametinib, resulted in PD-L1 suppression. After lapatinib treatment, the release of CCL2, CCL21, VEGF and CXCL1 decreased in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS Inhibition of the EGFR/HER2 signaling pathway, particularly of downstream PI3K activity, suppressed PD-L1 and release of cytokines, suggesting that EGFR/HER2 inhibition may create a more favorable milieu for tumor immunotherapy.Background Characteristics of tumor microenvironment have been suggested as predictive markers of anti-EGFR or anti-HER2 treatment response. However, the effect of EGFR/HER2 signal blockade on the tumor immune microenvironment is unclear. Methods EGFR/HER2 pathway signaling and PD-L1 expression in gastric cancer cell lines were screened by western blot analysis. PD-L1 and HER2 expressions in 251 resected gastric tumors were determined by immunohistochemistry, and changes in EFGR, HER2, and PD-L1 expression in paired specimens between pre- and post-chemotherapy were evaluated. PD-L1 expression in HER2-amplified cell lines was evaluated by western blotting, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, reverse transcription, and real-time quantitative PCR analyses before and after afatinib, lapatinib, pictilisib and trametinib treatment. Changes in cytokines were evaluated by reverse transcription, real-time quantitative PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after EGFR/HER2 inhibition. Results Cell lines with pEGFR or pHER2 overexpression showed higher PD-L1 expression. In resected gastric tumors, HER2 expression was significantly associated with PD-L1 expression (p=0.030). PD-L1 overexpression accompanied by increased HER2 expression was identified in a post-chemotherapy specimen from a patient with an initial HER2/PD-L1-negative tumor. In HER2-overexpressing cell lines, PD-L1 expression was decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner after afatinib and lapatinib treatment. PI3K pathway inhibition by pictilisib, but not MEK pathway inhibition by trametinib, resulted in PD-L1 suppression. After lapatinib treatment, the release of CCL2, CCL21, VEGF and CXCL1 decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions Inhibition of the EGFR/HER2 signaling pathway, particularly of downstream PI3K activity, suppressed PD-L1 and release of cytokines, suggesting that EGFR/HER2 inhibition may create a more favorable milieu for tumor immunotherapy.

Anti-tumor Effect of KX-01 Through Inhibiting Src Family Kinases and Mitosis

Purpose KX-01 is a novel dual inhibitor of Src and tubulin. Unlike previous Src inhibitors that failed to show clinical benefit during treatment of breast cancer, KX-01 can potentially overcome the therapeutic limitations of current Src inhibitors through inhibition of both Src and tubulin. The present study further evaluates the activity and mechanism of KX-01 in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods The antitumor effect of KX-01 in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines was determined by MTT assay. Wound healing and immunofluorescence assays were performed to evaluate the action mechanisms of KX-01. Changes in the cell cycle and molecular changes induced by KX-01 were also evaluated. A MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model was used to demonstrate the in vivo effects. Results KX-01 effectively inhibited the growth of breast cancer cell lines. The expression of phospho-Src and proliferative-signaling molecules were down-regulated in KX-01-sensitive TNBC cell lines. In addition, migration inhibition was observed by wound healing assay. KX-01-induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and increased the aneuploid cell population in KX-01-sensitive cell lines. Multi-nucleated cells were significantly increased after KX-01 treatment. Furthermore, KX-01 effectively delayed tumor growth in a MDA-MB-231 mouse xenograft model. Conclusion KX-01 effectively inhibited cell growth and migration of TNBC cells. Moreover, this study demonstrated that KX-01 showed antitumor effects through the inhibition of Src signaling and the induction of mitotic catastrophe. The antitumor effects of KX-01 were also demonstrated in vivo using a mouse xenograft model.