Nicola G. Wallis

Aurora B kinase inhibition in mitosis: Strategies for optimizing the use of aurora kinase inhibitors such as AT9283

Aurora kinases play a key role in regulating mitotic division and are attractive oncology targets. AT9283, a multi-targeted kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and B kinases, inhibited growth and survival of multiple solid tumor cell lines and was efficacious in mouse xenograft models. AT9283-treatment resulted in endoreduplication and ablation of serine-10 histone H3 phosphorylation in both cells and tumor samples, confirming that in these models it acts as an Aurora B kinase inhibitor. In vitro studies demonstrated that exposure to AT9283 for one complete cell cycle committed an entire population of p53 checkpoint-compromised cells (HCT116) to multinucleation and death whereas treatment of p53 checkpoint-competent cells (HMEC, A549) for a similar length of time led to a reversible arrest of cells with 4N DNA. Further studies in synchronized cell populations suggested that exposure to AT9283 during mitosis was critical for optimal cytotoxicity. We therefore investigated ways in which these properties might be exploited to optimize the efficacy and therapeutic index of Aurora kinase inhibitors for p53 checkpoint compromised tumors in vivo. Combining Aurora B kinase inhibition with paclitaxel, which arrests cells in mitosis, in a xenograft model resulted in promising efficacy without additional toxicity. These findings have implications for optimizing the efficacy of Aurora kinase inhibitors in clinical practice.

Inhibition of HSP90 by AT13387 Delays the Emergence of Resistance to BRAF Inhibitors and Overcomes Resistance to dual BRAF and MEK Inhibition in Melanoma Models

Emergence of clinical resistance to BRAF inhibitors, alone or in combination with MEK inhibitors, limits clinical responses in melanoma. Inhibiting HSP90 offers an approach to simultaneously interfere with multiple resistance mechanisms. Using the HSP90 inhibitor AT13387, which is currently in clinical trials, we investigated the potential of HSP90 inhibition to overcome or delay the emergence of resistance to these kinase inhibitors in melanoma models. In vitro, treating vemurafenib-sensitive cells (A375 or SK-MEL-28) with a combination of AT13387 and vemurafenib prevented colony growth under conditions in which vemurafenib treatment alone generated resistant colonies. In vivo, when AT13387 was combined with vemurafenib in a SK-MEL-28, vemurafenib-sensitive model, no regrowth of tumors was observed over 5 months, although 2 of 7 tumors in the vemurafenib monotherapy group relapsed in this time. Together, these data suggest that the combination of these agents can delay the emergence of resistance. Cell lines with acquired vemurafenib resistance, derived from these models (A375R and SK-MEL-28R) were also sensitive to HSP90 inhibitor treatment; key clients were depleted, apoptosis was induced, and growth in 3D culture was inhibited. Similar effects were observed in cell lines with acquired resistance to both BRAF and MEK inhibitors (SK-MEL-28RR, WM164RR, and 1205LuRR). These data suggest that treatment with an HSP90 inhibitor, such as AT13387, is a potential approach for combating resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibition in melanoma. Moreover, frontline combination of these agents with an HSP90 inhibitor could delay the emergence of resistance, providing a strong rationale for clinical investigation of such combinations in BRAF-mutated melanoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(12); 2793–804. ©2014 AACR.

The heat shock protein 90 inhibitor, AT13387, displays a long duration of action in vitro and in vivo in non‐small cell lung cancer

A ubiquitously expressed chaperone, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is of considerable interest as an oncology target because tumor cells and oncogenic proteins are acutely dependent on its activity. AT13387 (2,4‐dihydroxy‐5‐isopropyl‐phenyl)‐[5‐(4‐methyl‐piperazin‐1‐ylmethyl)‐1,3‐dihydro‐isoindol‐2‐yl] methanone, l‐lactic acid salt) a novel, high‐affinity HSP90 inhibitor, which is currently being clinically tested, has shown activity against a wide array of tumor cell lines, including lung cancer cell lines. This inhibitor has induced the degradation of specific HSP90 client proteins for up to 7 days in tumor cell lines in vitro. The primary driver of cell growth (mutant epidermal growth factor receptors) was particularly sensitive to HSP90 inhibition. The long duration of client protein knockdown and suppression of phospho‐signaling seen in vitro after treatment with AT13387 was also apparent in vivo, with client proteins and phospho‐signaling suppressed for up to 72 h in xenograft tumors after treatment with a single dose of AT13387. Pharmacokinetic analyses indicated that while AT13387 was rapidly cleared from blood, its retention in tumor xenografts was markedly extended, and it was efficacious in a range of xenograft models. AT13387s long duration of action enabled, in particular, its efficacious once weekly administration in human lung carcinoma xenografts. The use of longer‐acting HSP90 inhibitors, such as AT13387, on less frequent dosing regimens has the potential to maintain antitumor efficacy as well as minimize systemic exposure and unwanted effects on normal tissues. (Cancer Sci, 2012; 103: 522–527)

Fragment-Based Discovery of Mexiletine Derivatives as Orally Bioavailable Inhibitors of Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Fragment-based lead discovery has been applied to urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). The (R)-enantiomer of the orally active drug mexiletine 5 (a fragment hit from X-ray crystallographic screening) was the chemical starting point. Structure-aided design led to elaborated inhibitors that retained the key interactions of (R)-5 while gaining extra potency by simultaneously occupying neighboring regions of the active site. Subsequent optimization led to 15, a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of uPA.

The HSP90 Inhibitor, AT13387, Is Effective against Imatinib-Sensitive and -Resistant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Models

The majority of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are characterized by activating mutations of KIT, an HSP90 client protein. Further secondary resistance mutations within KIT limit clinical responses to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib. The dependence of KIT and its mutated forms on HSP90 suggests that HSP90 inhibition might be a valuable treatment option for GIST, which would be equally effective on imatinib-sensitive and -resistant clones. We investigated the activity of AT13387, a potent HSP90 inhibitor currently being evaluated in clinical trials, in both in vitro and in vivo GIST models. AT13387 inhibited the proliferation of imatinib-sensitive (GIST882, GIST-T1) and -resistant (GIST430, GIST48) cell lines, including those resistant to the geldanamycin analogue HSP90 inhibitor, 17-AAG. Treatment with AT13387 resulted in depletion of HSP90 client proteins, KIT and AKT, along with their phospho-forms in imatinib-sensitive and -resistant cell lines, irrespective of KIT mutation. KIT signaling was ablated, whereas HSP70, a marker of HSP90 inhibition, was induced. In vivo, antitumor activity of AT13387 was showed in both the imatinib-sensitive, GIST-PSW, xenograft model and a newly characterized imatinib-resistant, GIST430, xenograft model. Induction of HSP70, depletion of phospho-KIT and inhibition of KIT signaling were seen in tumors from both models after treatment with AT13387. A combination of imatinib and AT13387 treatment in the imatinib-resistant GIST430 model significantly enhanced tumor growth inhibition over either of the monotherapies. Importantly, the combination of AT13387 and imatinib was well tolerated. These results suggest AT13387 is an excellent candidate for clinical testing in GIST in combination with imatinib. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(8); 1799–808. ©2012 AACR.

AT9283, a potent inhibitor of the Aurora kinases and Jak2, has therapeutic potential in myeloproliferative disorders.

Constitutive activation of Janus kinase (Jak) 2 is the most prevalent pathogenic event observed in the myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), suggesting that inhibitors of Jak2 may prove valuable in their management. Inhibition of the Aurora kinases has also proven to be an effective therapeutic strategy in a number of haematological malignancies. AT9283 is a multi‐targeted kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Jak2 and Aurora kinases A and B, and is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. To investigate the therapeutic potential of AT9283 in the MPD we studied its activity in a number of Jak2‐dependent systems. AT9283 potently inhibited proliferation and Jak2‐related signalling in Jak2‐dependent cell lines as well as inhibiting the formation of erythroid colonies from haematopoietic progenitors isolated from MPD patients with Jak2 mutations. The compound also demonstrated significant therapeutic potential in vivo in an ETV6‐JAK2 (TEL‐JAK2) murine leukaemia model. Inhibition of both Jak2 and Aurora B was observed in the model systems used, indicating a dual mechanism of action. Our results suggest that AT9283 may be a valuable therapy in patients with MPD and that the dual inhibition of Jak2 and the Aurora kinases may potentially offer combinatorial efficacy in the treatment of these diseases.

Second-Generation HSP90 Inhibitor Onalespib Blocks mRNA Splicing of Androgen Receptor Variant 7 in Prostate Cancer Cells

Resistance to available hormone therapies in prostate cancer has been associated with alternative splicing of androgen receptor (AR) and specifically, the expression of truncated and constitutively active AR variant 7 (AR-V7). The transcriptional activity of steroid receptors, including AR, is dependent on interactions with the HSP90 chaperone machinery, but it is unclear whether HSP90 modulates the activity or expression of AR variants. Here, we investigated the effects of HSP90 inhibition on AR-V7 in prostate cancer cell lines endogenously expressing this variant. We demonstrate that AR-V7 and full-length AR (AR-FL) were depleted upon inhibition of HSP90. However, the mechanisms underlying AR-V7 depletion differed from those for AR-FL. Whereas HSP90 inhibition destabilized AR-FL and induced its proteasomal degradation, AR-V7 protein exhibited higher stability than AR-FL and did not require HSP90 chaperone activity. Instead, HSP90 inhibition resulted in the reduction of AR-V7 mRNA levels but did not affect total AR transcript levels, indicating that HSP90 inhibition disrupted AR-V7 splicing. Bioinformatic analyses of transcriptome-wide RNA sequencing data confirmed that the second-generation HSP90 inhibitor onalespib altered the splicing of at least 557 genes in prostate cancer cells, including AR. These findings indicate that the effects of HSP90 inhibition on mRNA splicing may prove beneficial in prostate cancers expressing AR-V7, supporting further clinical investigation of HSP90 inhibitors in malignancies no longer responsive to androgen deprivation. Cancer Res; 76(9); 2731-42. ©2016 AACR.

Interaction of avidin with the lipoyl domains in the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex : three-dimensional location and similarity to biotinyl domains in carboxylases

Avidin can form intermolecular cross-links between particles of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex from various sources. Avidin does this by binding to lipoic acid-containing regions of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase polypeptide chains that comprise the structural core of the complex. It is inferred that the lipoyl domains of the acetyltransferase chain extend outwards from the interior of the enzyme particle, interdigitating between the subunits of the other two enzymes bound peripherally in the assembled structure, with the lipoyl-lysine residues capable of reaching to within at least 1–2 nm of the outer surface of the enzyme complex (diameter ca. 37 nm). The distribution of enzymic activities between different domains of the dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase chain implies that considerable movement of the lipoyl domains is a feature of the catalytic activity of the enzyme complex. There is evidence that the lipoyl domain of the 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes is similar in structure to a domain that binds the cofactor biotin, also in amide linkage with a specific lysine residue, in the biotindependent class of carboxylases.

Emergence of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in non-small-cell lung cancer can be delayed by an upfront combination with the HSP90 inhibitor onalespib

Background:Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as crizotinib and erlotinib, are widely used to treat non-small-cell lung cancer, but after initial response, relapse is common because of the emergence of resistance through multiple mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether a frontline combination with an HSP90 inhibitor could delay the emergence of resistance to these inhibitors in preclinical lung cancer models.Methods:The HSP90 inhibitor, onalespib, was combined with either crizotinib or erlotinib in ALK- or EGFR-activated xenograft models respectively (H2228, HCC827).Results:In both models, after initial response to the monotherapy kinase inhibitors, tumour relapse was observed. In contrast, tumour growth remained inhibited when treated with an onalespib/kinase inhibitor combination. Analysis of H2228 tumours, which had relapsed on crizotinib monotherapy, identified a number of clinically relevant crizotinib resistance mechanisms, suggesting that HSP90 inhibitor treatment was capable of suppressing multiple mechanisms of resistance. Resistant cell lines, derived from these tumours, retained sensitivity to onalespib (proliferation and signalling pathways were inhibited), indicating that, despite their resistance to crizotinib, they were still sensitive to HSP90 inhibition.Conclusions:Together, these preclinical data suggest that frontline combination with an HSP90 inhibitor may be a method for delaying the emergence of resistance to targeted therapies.

The Contribution of Genomics to the Discovery of New Antibiotics

The emergence of common bacterial pathogens that are resistant to multiple antibiotics, coupled with the failure of traditional methods to yield new anti-infective agents, threatens current paradigms of therapeutic intervention (Omura, 1992; Shlaes et al., 1991; Tenover and Hughes, 1996). The current focus has been on improving existing antibiotic classes while little progress has been made in discovering chemically novel anti-infective agents. This unmet medical need may now be addressed if we can successfully exploit the new wealth of genomic sequence data to devise novel strategies for drug discovery (Moir et al., 1999). Whole genome comparative sequence analysis now allows the identification of genes/gene products that are common to many or all pathogenic bacteria of clinical importance. bioinformatics-based gene homology and motif analyses allow rapid phylogenetic comparisons to be made and, in addition, predict functional information critical to target selection. Putative targets can then be assessed rapidly using gene essentiality testing methods which allow analyses both in vitro and in models of the infection state. Sensitive and direct in vivo expression analyses confirm that the expression of the target gene is relevant to the establishment and maintenance of infection. Ultimately, the gene products must be screened against novel chemical libraries and natural product banks derived from a wide bio-diversity in order to identify lead compounds with potential antibiotic activities that will be developed to provide the next generation of therapeutic agents. Those companies which can adapt and implement these genomic-based technologies, derive significant competitive advantage in creating product portfolios that will address the unmet clinical need.