Targeting cell cycle regulation via the G2-M checkpoint for synthetic lethality in melanoma

Cell Cycle ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Nicholas Barnaba ◽  
Jeannine R. LaRocque
Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Hae Ryung Chang ◽  
Eunyoung Jung ◽  
Soobin Cho ◽  
Young-Jun Jeon ◽  
Yonghwan Kim

While Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and technological advances have been useful in identifying genetic profiles of tumorigenesis, novel target proteins and various clinical biomarkers, cancer continues to be a major global health threat. DNA replication, DNA damage response (DDR) and repair, and cell cycle regulation continue to be essential systems in targeted cancer therapies. Although many genes involved in DDR are known to be tumor suppressor genes, cancer cells are often dependent and addicted to these genes, making them excellent therapeutic targets. In this review, genes implicated in DNA replication, DDR, DNA repair, cell cycle regulation are discussed with reference to peptide or small molecule inhibitors which may prove therapeutic in cancer patients. Additionally, the potential of utilizing novel synthetic lethal genes in these pathways is examined, providing possible new targets for future therapeutics. Specifically, we evaluate the potential of TONSL as a novel gene for targeted therapy. Although it is a scaffold protein with no known enzymatic activity, the strategy used for developing PCNA inhibitors can also be utilized to target TONSL. This review summarizes current knowledge on non-oncogene addiction, and the utilization of synthetic lethality for developing novel inhibitors targeting non-oncogenic addiction for cancer therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii302-iii303
Author(s):  
Hannah Chatwin ◽  
Rakeb Lemma ◽  
John DeSisto ◽  
Aaron Knox ◽  
Shelby Mestnik ◽  
...  

Abstract Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a fatal pediatric brain tumor with no curative treatments. Approximately 80% of DIPGs contain an H3K27M mutation. The implications of the mutation and how they may be targeted are not fully understood. We established an H3K27M effect-isolating model by transducing H3K27-wildtype lines (HSJD-GBM-001, normal human astrocytes) with lentiviral-packaged H3K27M. We characterized H3K27M-related changes through western blot, phenotypic assays, and RNA-seq. Drug screening of H3K27-wildtype and matched H3K27M-transduced lines was used to identify targets more effective with H3K27M present. Patient-derived pediatric glioblastoma and DIPG lines (BT-245, SU-DIPG-IV, HSJD-DIPG-007, SU-DIPG-XIII*, SF7761) were used for validation. We observed increased H3K27ac and decreased H3K27me3, as well as increased proliferative and migratory abilities, with the addition of H3K27M to H3K27-wildtype lines. RNA-seq showed downregulation of cell cycle regulation and upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. GSK1070916, an Aurora kinase B/C inhibitor, was isolated from a synthetic lethality screen with H3K27M. GSK1070916 showed strong efficacy in native H3K27M lines (IC50s=60nM-1250nM), superior to the Aurora kinase A inhibitor alisertib, to which all cell lines showed substantial resistance. Combination of both drugs was not synergistic. GSK1070916 treatment caused increased H3K27me3 and decreased H3S10ph and H3S28ph. GSK1070916 induced apoptosis and S-phase stall. The H3K27M mutation induces epigenetic, phenotypic, and cell cycle regulation changes resulting in relaxation of transcriptional controls and more aggressive growth. Aurora kinase B/C inhibition is a novel therapeutic modality for DIPG that appears capable of reversing some H3K27M-related epigenetic changes, inducing apoptosis, and repressing uncontrolled cellular division.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Matmati ◽  
Bachar H. Hassan ◽  
Jihui Ren ◽  
Ashraf A. Shamssedine ◽  
Eunmi Jeong ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Defects in the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. Sphingolipids have important roles in many cellular functions, including cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. However, the specific mechanisms and functions of sphingolipids in cell cycle regulation have not been elucidated. Using analysis of concordance for synthetic lethality for the yeast sphingolipid phospholipase ISC1, we identified two groups of genes. The first comprises genes involved in chromosome segregation and stability (CSM3, CTF4, YKE2, DCC1, and GIM4) as synthetically lethal with ISC1. The second group, to which ISC1 belongs, comprises genes involved in the spindle checkpoint (BUB1, MAD1, BIM1, and KAR3), and they all share the same synthetic lethality with the first group. We demonstrate that spindle checkpoint genes act upstream of Isc1, and their deletion phenocopies that of ISC1. Reciprocally, ISC1 deletion mutants were sensitive to benomyl, indicating a SAC defect. Similar to BUB1 deletion, ISC1 deletion prevents spindle elongation in hydroxyurea-treated cells. Mechanistically, PP2A-Cdc55 ceramide-activated phosphatase was found to act downstream of Isc1, thus coupling the spindle checkpoint genes and Isc1 to CDC55-mediated nuclear functions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 1297-1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise D Correa ◽  
Jaya Satagopan ◽  
Axel Martin ◽  
Erica Braun ◽  
Maria Kryza-Lacombe ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundPatients with brain tumors treated with radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT) often experience cognitive dysfunction. We reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the APOE, COMT, and BDNF genes may influence cognition in brain tumor patients. In this study, we assessed whether genes associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), inflammation, cholesterol transport, dopamine and myelin regulation, and DNA repair may influence cognitive outcome in this population.MethodsOne hundred and fifty brain tumor patients treated with RT ± CT or CT alone completed a neurocognitive assessment and provided a blood sample for genotyping. We genotyped genes/SNPs in these pathways: (i) LOAD risk/inflammation/cholesterol transport, (ii) dopamine regulation, (iii) myelin regulation, (iv) DNA repair, (v) blood–brain barrier disruption, (vi) cell cycle regulation, and (vii) response to oxidative stress. White matter (WM) abnormalities were rated on brain MRIs.ResultsMultivariable linear regression analysis with Bayesian shrinkage estimation of SNP effects, adjusting for relevant demographic, disease, and treatment variables, indicated strong associations (posterior association summary [PAS] ≥ 0.95) among tests of attention, executive functions, and memory and 33 SNPs in genes involved in: LOAD/inflammation/cholesterol transport (eg, PDE7A, IL-6), dopamine regulation (eg, DRD1, COMT), myelin repair (eg, TCF4), DNA repair (eg, RAD51), cell cycle regulation (eg, SESN1), and response to oxidative stress (eg, GSTP1). The SNPs were not significantly associated with WM abnormalities.ConclusionThis novel study suggests that polymorphisms in genes involved in aging and inflammation, dopamine, myelin and cell cycle regulation, and DNA repair and response to oxidative stress may be associated with cognitive outcome in patients with brain tumors.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document