Plk1 Inhibitors and Abiraterone Synergistically Disrupt Mitosis and Kill Cancer Cells of Disparate Origin Independently of Androgen Receptor Signaling.

Abiraterone is a standard treatment for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that slows disease progression by abrogating androgen synthesis and antagonizing the androgen receptor (AR). Here we report that inhibitors of the mitotic regulator polo-like kinase-1 (Plk1), including the clinically active third-generation Plk1 inhibitor onvansertib, synergizes with abiraterone in vitro and in vivo to kill a subset of cancer cells from a wide variety of tumor types in an androgen-independent manner. Gene-expression analysis identified an AR-independent synergy-specific gene set signature upregulated upon abiraterone treatment that is dominated by pathways related to mitosis and the mitotic spindle. Abiraterone treatment alone caused defects in mitotic spindle orientation, failure of complete chromosome condensation, and improper cell division independently of its effects on AR signaling. These effects, although mild following abiraterone monotherapy, resulted in profound sensitization to the antimitotic effects of Plk1 inhibition, leading to spindle assembly checkpoint-dependent mitotic cancer cell death and entosis. In a murine patient-derived xenograft model of abiraterone-resistant metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), combined onvansertib and abiraterone resulted in enhanced mitotic arrest and dramatic inhibition of tumor cell growth compared with either agent alone. Overall, this work establishes a mechanistic basis for the phase II clinical trial (NCT03414034) testing combined onvansertib and abiraterone in mCRPC patients and indicates this combination may have broad utility for cancer treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: Abiraterone treatment induces mitotic defects that sensitize cancer cells to Plk1 inhibition, revealing an AR-independent mechanism for this synergistic combination that is applicable to a variety of cancer types.

Immune biomarkers of response to immunotherapy in patients with high-risk smoldering myeloma.

Patients with smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) are observed until progression, but early treatment may improve outcomes. We conducted a phase II trial of elotuzumab, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (EloLenDex) in patients with high-risk SMM and performed single-cell RNA and T cell receptor (TCR) sequencing on 149 bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) samples from patients and healthy donors (HDs). We find that early treatment with EloLenDex is safe and effective and provide a comprehensive characterization of alterations in immune cell composition and TCR repertoire diversity in patients. We show that the similarity of a patient's immune cell composition to that of HDs may have prognostic relevance at diagnosis and after treatment and that the abundance of granzyme K (GZMK)+ CD8+ effector memory T (TEM) cells may be associated with treatment response. Last, we uncover similarities between immune alterations observed in the BM and PB, suggesting that PB-based immune profiling may have diagnostic and prognostic utility.

Cell-free human papillomavirus DNA kinetics after surgery for human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer.

BACKGROUND: New ultrasensitive methods for detecting residual disease after surgery are needed in human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+OPSCC). METHODS: To determine whether the clearance kinetics of circulating tumor human papillomavirus DNA (ctHPVDNA) is associated with postoperative disease status, a prospective observational study was conducted in 33 patients with HPV+OPSCC undergoing surgery. Blood was collected before surgery, postoperative days 1 (POD 1), 7, and 30 and with follow-up. A subcohort of 12 patients underwent frequent blood collections in the first 24 hours after surgery to define early clearance kinetics. Plasma was run on custom droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assays for HPV genotypes 16, 18, 33, 35, and 45. RESULTS: In patients without pathologic risk factors for recurrence who were observed after surgery, ctHPVDNA rapidly decreased to <1 copy/mL by POD 1 (n = 8/8). In patients with risk factors for macroscopic residual disease, ctHPVDNA was markedly elevated on POD 1 (>350 copies/mL) and remained elevated until adjuvant treatment (n = 3/3). Patients with intermediate POD 1 ctHPVDNA levels (1.2-58.4 copies/mL) all possessed pathologic risk factors for microscopic residual disease (n = 9/9). POD 1 ctHPVDNA levels were higher in patients with known adverse pathologic risk factors such as extranodal extension >1 mm (P = .0481) and with increasing lymph nodes involved (P = .0453) and were further associated with adjuvant treatment received (P = .0076). One of 33 patients had a recurrence that was detected by ctHPVDNA 2 months earlier than clinical detection. CONCLUSIONS: POD 1 ctHPVDNA levels are associated with the risk of residual disease in patients with HPV+OPSCC undergoing curative intent surgery and thus could be used as a personalized biomarker for selecting adjuvant treatment in the future. LAY SUMMARY: Human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+OPSCC) is increasing at epidemic proportions and is commonly treated with surgery. This report describes results from a study examining the clearance kinetics of circulating tumor HPV DNA (circulating tumor human papillomavirus DNA [ctHPVDNA]) following surgical treatment of HPV+OPSCC. We found that ctHPVDNA levels 1 day after surgery are associated with the risk of residual disease in patients with HPV+OPSCC and thus could be used as a personalized biomarker for selecting adjuvant treatment in the future. These findings are the first to demonstrate the potential utility of ctHPVDNA in patients with HPV+OPSCC undergoing surgery.

Cell-Free HPV DNA Provides an Accurate and Rapid Diagnosis of HPV-Associated Head and Neck Cancer.

PURPOSE: HPV-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV+HNSCC) is the most common HPV-associated malignancy in the United States and continues to increase in incidence. Current diagnostic approaches for HPV+HNSCC rely on tissue biopsy followed by histomorphologic assessment and detection of HPV indirectly by p16 IHC. Such approaches are invasive and have variable sensitivity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We conducted a prospective observational study in 140 subjects (70 cases and 70 controls) to test the hypothesis that a noninvasive diagnostic approach for HPV+HNSCC would have improved diagnostic accuracy, lower cost, and shorter diagnostic interval compared with standard approaches. Blood was collected, processed for circulating tumor HPV DNA (ctHPVDNA), and analyzed with custom ddPCR assays for HPV genotypes 16, 18, 33, 35, and 45. Diagnostic performance, cost, and diagnostic interval were calculated for standard clinical workup and compared with a noninvasive approach using ctHPVDNA combined with cross-sectional imaging and physical examination findings. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of ctHPVDNA for detecting HPV+HNSCC were 98.4% and 98.6%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of a composite noninvasive diagnostic using ctHPVDNA and imaging/physical examination were 95.1% and 98.6%, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of this noninvasive approach was significantly higher than standard of care (Youden index 0.937 vs. 0.707, P = 0.0006). Costs of noninvasive diagnostic were 36% to 38% less than standard clinical workup and the median diagnostic interval was 26 days less. CONCLUSIONS: A noninvasive diagnostic approach for HPV+HNSCC demonstrated improved accuracy, reduced cost, and a shorter time to diagnosis compared with standard clinical workup and could be a viable alternative in the future.

Transite: A Computational Motif-Based Analysis Platform That Identifies RNA-Binding Proteins Modulating Changes in Gene Expression.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play critical roles in regulating gene expression by modulating splicing, RNA stability, and protein translation. Stimulus-induced alterations in RBP function contribute to global changes in gene expression, but identifying which RBPs are responsible for the observed changes remains an unmet need. Here, we present Transite, a computational approach that systematically infers RBPs influencing gene expression through changes in RNA stability and degradation. As a proof of principle, we apply Transite to RNA expression data from human patients with non-small-cell lung cancer whose tumors were sampled at diagnosis or after recurrence following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. Transite implicates known RBP regulators of the DNA damage response and identifies hnRNPC as a new modulator of chemotherapeutic resistance, which we subsequently validated experimentally. Transite serves as a framework for the identification of RBPs that drive cell-state transitions and adds additional value to the vast collection of publicly available gene expression datasets.

Author Correction: Aberrant ERG expression cooperates with loss of PTEN to promote cancer progression in the prostate.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Enhancing chemotherapy response through augmented synthetic lethality by co-targeting nucleotide excision repair and cell-cycle checkpoints.

In response to DNA damage, a synthetic lethal relationship exists between the cell cycle checkpoint kinase MK2 and the tumor suppressor p53. Here, we describe the concept of augmented synthetic lethality (ASL): depletion of a third gene product enhances a pre-existing synthetic lethal combination. We show that loss of the DNA repair protein XPA markedly augments the synthetic lethality between MK2 and p53, enhancing anti-tumor responses alone and in combination with cisplatin chemotherapy. Delivery of siRNA-peptide nanoplexes co-targeting MK2 and XPA to pre-existing p53-deficient tumors in a highly aggressive, immunocompetent mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma improves long-term survival and cisplatin response beyond those of the synthetic lethal p53 mutant/MK2 combination alone. These findings establish a mechanism for co-targeting DNA damage-induced cell cycle checkpoints in combination with repair of cisplatin-DNA lesions in vivo using RNAi nanocarriers, and motivate further exploration of ASL as a generalized strategy to improve cancer treatment.

VISAGE Reveals a Targetable Mitotic Spindle Vulnerability in Cancer Cells.

There is an unmet need for new antimitotic drug combinations that target cancer-specific vulnerabilities. Based on our finding of elevated biomolecule oxidation in mitotically arrested cancer cells, we combined Plk1 inhibitors with TH588, an MTH1 inhibitor that prevents detoxification of oxidized nucleotide triphosphates. This combination showed robust synergistic killing of cancer, but not normal, cells that, surprisingly, was MTH1-independent. To dissect the underlying synergistic mechanism, we developed VISAGE, a strategy integrating experimental synergy quantification with computational-pathway-based gene expression analysis. VISAGE predicted, and we experimentally confirmed, that this synergistic combination treatment targeted the mitotic spindle. Specifically, TH588 binding to ß-tubulin impaired microtubule assembly, which when combined with Plk1 blockade, synergistically disrupted mitotic chromosome positioning to the spindle midzone. These findings identify a cancer-specific mitotic vulnerability that is targetable using Plk1 inhibitors with microtubule-destabilizing agents and highlight the general utility of the VISAGE approach to elucidate molecular mechanisms of drug synergy.

Genome-wide analysis of differentially expressed miRNA in PLX4720-resistant and parental human thyroid cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Investigating BRAF((V600E)) inhibitors (BRAFi) as a strategy to treat patients with aggressive thyroid tumors harboring the BRAF((V600E)) mutant currently is in progress, and drug resistance is expected to pose a challenge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in development of resistance to a variety of drugs in different malignancies. METHODS: miRNA expression profiles in the human anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line (8505c) were compared with its PLX4720-resistant counterpart (8505c-R) by the use of Illumina deep sequencing. We conducted a functional annotation and pathway analysis of the putative and experimentally validated target genes of the significantly altered miRNAs. RESULTS: We identified 61 known and 2 novel miRNAs whose expression was altered greatly in 8505c-R. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction validated altered expression of 7 selected miRNAs in 8505c-R and BCPAP-R (PLX4720-resistant papillary thyroid cancer cell line). We found 14 and 25 miRNAs whose expression levels changed substantially in 8505c and 8505c-R, respectively, after treatment with BRAFi. The mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT pathways were among the prominent targets of many of the deregulated miRNAs. CONCLUSION: We have identified a number of miRNAs that could be used as biomarkers of resistance to BRAFi in patients with thyroid cancer. In addition, these miRNAs can be explored as potential therapeutic targets in combination with BRAFi to overcome resistance.

Suppression of CHK1 by ETS Family Members Promotes DNA Damage Response Bypass and Tumorigenesis.

UNLABELLED: The ETS family of transcription factors has been repeatedly implicated in tumorigenesis. In prostate cancer, ETS family members, such as ERG, ETV1, ETV4, and ETV5, are frequently overexpressed due to chromosomal translocations, but the molecular mechanisms by which they promote prostate tumorigenesis remain largely undefined. Here, we show that ETS family members, such as ERG and ETV1, directly repress the expression of the checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1), a key DNA damage response cell-cycle regulator essential for the maintenance of genome integrity. Critically, we find that ERG expression correlates with CHK1 downregulation in human patients and demonstrate that Chk1 heterozygosity promotes the progression of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia into prostatic invasive carcinoma in Pten(+) (/-) mice. Importantly, CHK1 downregulation sensitizes prostate tumor cells to etoposide but not to docetaxel treatment. Thus, we identify CHK1 as a key functional target of the ETS proto-oncogenic family with important therapeutic implications. SIGNIFICANCE: Genetic translocation and aberrant expression of ETS family members is a common event in different types of human tumors. Here, we show that through the transcriptional repression of CHK1, ETS factors may favor DNA damage accumulation and consequent genetic instability in proliferating cells. Importantly, our findings provide a rationale for testing DNA replication inhibitor agents in ETS-positive TP53-proficient tumors.

Combined BRAF(V600E)- and SRC-inhibition induces apoptosis, evokes an immune response and reduces tumor growth in an immunocompetent orthotopic mouse model of anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Anaplastic (ATC) and refractory papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) lack effective treatments. Inhibition of either oncogenic BRAF or SRC has marked anti-tumor effects in mouse models of thyroid cancer, however, neither drug induces notable apoptosis. Here we report that the SRC-inhibitor dasatinib further sensitizes BRAFV600E-positive thyroid cancer cells to the BRAFV600E-inhibitor PLX4720. Combined treatment with PLX4720 and dasatinib synergistically inhibited proliferation and reduced migration in PTC and ATC cells. Whereas PLX4720 did not induce robust apoptosis in thyroid cancer cells, combined treatment with dasatinib induced apoptosis in 4 of 6 lines. In an immunocompetent orthotopic mouse model of ATC, combined PLX4720 and dasatinib treatment significantly reduced tumor volume relative to PLX4720 treatment alone. Immune cell infiltration was increased by PLX4720 treatment and this effect was maintained in mice treated with both PLX4720 and dasatinib. Further, combined treatment significantly increased caspase 3 cleavage in vivo relative to control or either treatment alone. In conclusion, combined PLX4720 and dasatinib treatment induces apoptosis, increases immune cell infiltration and reduces tumor volume in a preclinical model of ATC, suggesting that the combination of these FDA-approved drugs may have potential for the treatment of patients with ATC or refractory PTC.

The next generation of orthotopic thyroid cancer models: immunocompetent orthotopic mouse models of BRAF V600E-positive papillary and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: While the development of new treatments for aggressive thyroid cancer has advanced in the last 10 years, progress has trailed headways made with other malignancies. A lack of reliable authenticated human cell lines and reproducible animal models is one major roadblock to preclinical testing of novel therapeutics. Existing xenograft and orthotopic mouse models of aggressive thyroid cancer rely on the implantation of highly passaged human thyroid carcinoma lines in immunodeficient mice. Genetically engineered models of papillary and undifferentiated (anaplastic) thyroid carcinoma (PTC and ATC) are immunocompetent; however, slow and stochastic tumor development hinders high-throughput testing. Novel models of PTC and ATC in which tumors arise rapidly and synchronously in immunocompetent mice would facilitate the investigation of novel therapeutics and approaches. METHODS: We characterized and utilized mouse cell lines derived from PTC and ATC tumors arising in genetically engineered mice with thyroid-specific expression of endogenous Braf(V600E/WT) and deletion of either Trp53 (p53) or Pten. These murine thyroid cancer cells were transduced with luciferase- and GFP-expressing lentivirus and implanted into the thyroid glands of immunocompetent syngeneic B6129SF1/J mice in which the growth characteristics were assessed. RESULTS: Large locally aggressive thyroid tumors form within one week of implantation. Tumors recapitulate their histologic subtype, including well-differentiated PTC and ATC, and exhibit CD3+, CD8+, B220+, and CD163+ immune cell infiltration. Tumor progression can be followed in vivo using luciferase and ex vivo using GFP. Metastatic spread is not detected at early time points. CONCLUSIONS: We describe the development of the next generation of murine orthotopic thyroid cancer models. The implantation of genetically defined murine BRAF-mutated PTC and ATC cell lines into syngeneic mice results in rapid and synchronous tumor formation. This model allows for preclinical investigation of novel therapeutics and/or therapeutic combinations in the context of a functional immune system.

Cellular senescence as a possible mechanism for halting progression of keloid lesions.

Keloid scarring is a consequence of aberrant wound healing that leads to expansion of the scar beyond the confines of the skin injury. Keloid scars are characterized by excessive extracellular matrix disposition, prolonged proliferation of fibroblasts, increased angiogenesis, and inflammatory cell infiltration. There is no single satisfactory treatment for keloid, and it can lead to severe disfigurements and bodily dysfunction. Thus, clarification of the mechanisms underlying keloid formation, as well as those that prevent it from behaving as a malignant tumor, has significant consequences not only for treatment of keloid but also for the prevention of malignant tumor formation. Senescence is an irreversible form of growth arrest that has been shown to play a role, both in vitro and in vivo, in preventing malignant tumorigenesis upon oncogenic stress. In this study it is shown that fibroblasts embedded inside keloid scars proliferate at a slower rate compared with either those residing at the proliferative edges of the scar or normal fibroblasts. Likewise it is demonstrated that keloid fibroblasts exhibit a cell-cycle arrest with a G2/M DNA content and a higher rate of senescence. The results also indicate that levels of the tumor suppressor protein PML are higher in the active regions of keloid. The study therefore suggests that senescence is one possible mechanism by which keloid is maintained in a benign state. On this basis, "pro-senescence therapy" should be taken into consideration when designing treatment strategies for keloid.

A novel type of cellular senescence that can be enhanced in mouse models and human tumor xenografts to suppress prostate tumorigenesis.

Irreversible cell growth arrest, a process termed cellular senescence, is emerging as an intrinsic tumor suppressive mechanism. Oncogene-induced senescence is thought to be invariably preceded by hyperproliferation, aberrant replication, and activation of a DNA damage checkpoint response (DDR), rendering therapeutic enhancement of this process unsuitable for cancer treatment. We previously demonstrated in a mouse model of prostate cancer that inactivation of the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (Pten) elicits a senescence response that opposes tumorigenesis. Here, we show that Pten-loss-induced cellular senescence (PICS) represents a senescence response that is distinct from oncogene-induced senescence and can be targeted for cancer therapy. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts, we determined that PICS occurs rapidly after Pten inactivation, in the absence of cellular proliferation and DDR. Further, we found that PICS is associated with enhanced p53 translation. Consistent with these data, we showed that in mice p53-stabilizing drugs potentiated PICS and its tumor suppressive potential. Importantly, we demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of PTEN drives senescence and inhibits tumorigenesis in vivo in a human xenograft model of prostate cancer. Taken together, our data identify a type of cellular senescence that can be triggered in nonproliferating cells in the absence of DNA damage, which we believe will be useful for developing a "pro-senescence" approach for cancer prevention and therapy.

Aberrant ERG expression cooperates with loss of PTEN to promote cancer progression in the prostate.

Chromosomal translocations involving the ERG locus are frequent events in human prostate cancer pathogenesis; however, the biological role of aberrant ERG expression is controversial. Here we show that aberrant expression of ERG is a progression event in prostate tumorigenesis. We find that prostate cancer specimens containing the TMPRSS2-ERG rearrangement are significantly enriched for loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN. In concordance with these findings, transgenic overexpression of ERG in mouse prostate tissue promotes marked acceleration and progression of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) to prostatic adenocarcinoma in a Pten heterozygous background. In vitro overexpression of ERG promotes cell migration, a property necessary for tumorigenesis, without affecting proliferation. ADAMTS1 and CXCR4, two candidate genes strongly associated with cell migration, were upregulated in the presence of ERG overexpression. Thus, ERG has a distinct role in prostate cancer progression and cooperates with PTEN haploinsufficiency to promote progression of HGPIN to invasive adenocarcinoma.

Inappropriate activation of cyclin-dependent kinases by the phosphatase Cdc25b results in premature mitotic entry and triggers a p53-dependent checkpoint.

The dual specificity phosphatase Cdc25B is capable of inhibiting cellular proliferation, and this occurs in a manner dependent upon its catalytic activity. Here it is shown that this is accompanied by inappropriate cyclin-dependent kinase activation and premature mitotic entry, leading to both p53-dependent and independent checkpoints. Forced expression of Cdc25B inappropriately up-regulated the activity of Cdk1 and Cdk2, by reducing levels of inhibitory phosphorylation. In cells lacking p14ARF, p53 is induced, and components of the ATM and ATR pathways are activated. Cdc25B triggers cell cycle arrest in the G(1) and G(2) phases that is p53- and p21-dependent and is inhibited by caffeine. Cdc25B also causes cells with an S phase DNA content to enter mitosis prematurely in a p53-independent manner. Synchronization of cells with aphidicolin results in these cells undergoing apoptosis. Thus, inappropriate cell cycle progression and premature mitotic entry via dysregulation of cyclin-dependent kinases results in activation of both p53-dependent and independent responses. Because Cdc25B is known to have oncogenic activity, this provides insight into the multistep nature of cancer development and why there is p53 loss during tumorigenesis.

Overexpression of the dual specificity phosphatase, Cdc25C, confers sensitivity on tumor cells to doxorubicin-induced cell death.

Cdc25C is a dual-specificity phosphatase that is involved in induction of mitosis by removal of the inhibitory phosphates from cyclin-dependent kinase 1/cyclin B. In this study, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Cdc25C sensitizes U2OS tumor cells to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. U2OS cells that stably overexpress Cdc25C are also sensitized to doxorubicin-induced cell death. These cells show reduced phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 on Tyr15 and impaired up-regulation of p21 in response to treatment with doxorubicin. In contrast to doxorubicin, overexpression of Cdc25C does not confer sensitivity to apoptosis on treatment with 5-fluorouracil or hydroxyurea. This sensitization of tumor cells to doxorubicin-induced cell death by overexpression of Cdc25C is not p53 dependent. Intriguingly, nontransformed MCF10A cells are not sensitized to doxorubicin treatment by overexpression of Cdc25C nor does the lack of Cdc25C affect cell cycle progression or the G2 arrest caused by doxorubicin. These results support the idea that a combination of overexpressing Cdc25C with treatment with conventional genotoxic agents should be given serious considerations as a novel therapeutic strategy.