Feasibility of administering human pancreatic cancer chemotherapy in a spontaneous pancreatic cancer mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Both modified FOLFIRINOX (mFFX) and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel chemotherapy regimens have been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer, and are often used interchangeably as the standard of care. Preclinical studies often do not use these regimens, since administering these multiagent approaches can be difficult. In this study, we assessed the feasibility of administering these two chemotherapy regimens in spontaneous pancreatic tumors using KPC mice with the ultimate goal of advancing preclinical studies. METHODS: KPC mice were created by breeding KrasLSL-G12D/+ to Trp53fl/fl;Ptf1αCre/+, resulting in KrasLSL-G12D/+;p53fl/+;Ptf1αCre/+ mice. At 14 weeks of age, mice were palpated for spontaneous tumor growth that was verified using ultrasounds. Mice with tumors under 15 mm in diameter were used. The mice were assigned to one of seven treatment regimens: 1 cycle of mFFX (FFX X1), 2 cycles of mFFX (FFX X2), 1 cycle of mFFXwith 40 Gy SBRT (FFX SBRT), 1 cycle of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GEM/AB X1), 2 cycles of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GEM/AB X2), 2 cycles of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel with 40 Gy SBRT (GEM/AB SBRT), or saline only (control). RESULTS: In total, 92 mice were included. The median OS in the FFX X2 group was slightly longer that the median OS in the FFX X1 group (15 days vs 11 days, P = 0.003). Mice in the GEM/AB X2 group had longer OS when compared to mice in the GEM/AB X1 group (33.5 vs 13 days, P = 0.001). Mice treated with chemotherapy survived longer than untreated control animals (median OS: 6.5 days, P < 0.001). Moreover, in mice treated with chemotherapy, mice that received 2 cycles of GEM/AB X2 had the longest survival, while the FFX X1 group had the poorest OS (P < 0.001). The addition of chemotherapy was associated with reduced number of myeloid and lymphoid cell types, except for CD4 + cells whose levels were largely unaltered only in tumors treated with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel. Lastly, chemotherapy followed by consolidative SBRT trended towards increased local control and survival. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate the utility and feasibility of clinically relevant mFOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer.

Design, synthesis, and in vivo activity of novel inhibitors of delta-5 desaturase for the treatment of metabolic syndrome.

The synthesis, SAR, and in vivo activity of inhibitors of delta-5 desaturase are described. Ring-constraint of the initial series provided access to a variety of in vitro active chemotypes, from which the indazole was selected. Examples from the indazole series displayed in vivo activity in reducing the enzymatic activity of liver delta-5 desaturase.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces atherosclerosis via activation of adipose angiopoietin-like 4.

RATIONALE: Obstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis, which have been attributed to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). Intermittent hypoxia inhibits a key enzyme of lipoprotein clearance, lipoprotein lipase, and up-regulates a lipoprotein lipase inhibitor, angiopoietin-like 4 (Angptl4), in adipose tissue. The effects and mechanisms of Angptl4 up-regulation in sleep apnea are unknown. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether CIH induces dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis by increasing adipose Angptl4 via hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). METHODS: ApoE(-/-) mice were exposed to intermittent hypoxia or air for 4 weeks while being treated with Angptl4-neutralizing antibody or vehicle. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In vehicle-treated mice, hypoxia increased adipose Angptl4 levels, inhibited adipose lipoprotein lipase, increased fasting levels of plasma triglycerides and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and increased the size of atherosclerotic plaques. The effects of CIH were abolished by the antibody. Hypoxia-induced increases in plasma fasting triglycerides and adipose Angptl4 were not observed in mice with germline heterozygosity for a HIF-1α knockout allele. Transgenic overexpression of HIF-1α in adipose tissue led to dyslipidemia and increased levels of adipose Angptl4. In cultured adipocytes, constitutive expression of HIF-1α increased Angptl4 levels, which was abolished by siRNA. Finally, in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery, the severity of nocturnal hypoxemia predicted Angptl4 levels in subcutaneous adipose tissue. CONCLUSIONS: HIF-1-mediated increase in adipose Angptl4 and the ensuing lipoprotein lipase inactivation may contribute to atherosclerosis in patients with sleep apnea.

Silver negative pressure dressing with vacuum-assisted closure of massive pelvic and extremity wounds.

BACKGROUND: Massive soft tissue loss involving the pelvis and extremities from trauma, infections, and tumors remains a challenging and debilitating problem. Although vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technology is effective in the management of soft tissue loss, the adjunct of a silver dressing in the setting of massive wounds has not been as well tested. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Does a silver negative pressure dressing used in conjunction with a wound VAC decrease (1) the length of acute hospital stay and overall length of treatment; (2) the number of surgical débridements the patients underwent as part of their care; and (3) the likelihood of wound closure without soft tissue transposition? METHODS: We evaluated 42 patients with massive (> 200 cm(2)) pelvic and extremity wounds from trauma, infection, or tumor who were treated with the wound VAC with or without a silver negative pressure dressing between January 2003 and January 2010; the first 26 patients were treated with the wound VAC alone, and in the final 16 consecutively treated patients, the silver dressing was added to the regimen. We reviewed medical records to determine length of treatment as well as the number and type of surgical interventions these patients underwent. We compared the group treated with the wound VAC alone with those patients treated with the wound VAC and silver negative pressure dressing. RESULTS: Hospital stay averaged 19 days in the VAC only group and 7.5 days in the VAC with silver dressing group (p < 0.041), length of overall treatment averaged 33 days in the VAC only group and 14.3 days in the VAC with silver dressing group (p < 0.022), number of operative débridements averaged 7.9 in the VAC alone group and 4.1 in the VAC with silver dressing group (p < 0.001), and success of wound closure without soft tissue transposition was 16 of 26 patients in the VAC alone group and three of 16 patients in the VAC with silver dressing group (p < 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the reduced length of care and the number of surgical procedures these patients with massive wounds of the pelvis and extremities underwent, we now use the silver negative pressure dressing in combination with the wound VAC as part of routine care of such patients. These results may be used as hypothesis-generating data for future randomized studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia on triglyceride uptake in different tissues.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) inhibits plasma lipoprotein clearance and adipose lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in association with upregulation of an LPL inhibitor angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4). We hypothesize that CIH inhibits triglyceride (TG) uptake via Angptl4 and that an anti-Angptl4-neutralizing antibody would abolish the effects of CIH. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to four weeks of CIH or intermittent air (IA) while treated with Ab (30 mg/kg ip once a week). TG clearance was assessed by [H(3)]triolein administration retroorbitally. CIH delayed TG clearance and suppressed TG uptake and LPL activity in all white adipose tissue depots, brown adipose tissue, and lungs, whereas heart, liver, and spleen were not affected. CD146+ CD11b- pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells were responsible for TG uptake in the lungs and its inhibition by CIH. Antibody to Angptl4 decreased plasma TG levels and increased TG clearance and uptake into adipose tissue and lungs in both control and CIH mice to a similar extent, but did not reverse the effects of CIH. The antibody reversed the effects of CIH on LPL in adipose tissue and lungs. In conclusion, CIH inactivates LPL by upregulating Angptl4, but inhibition of TG uptake occurs predominantly via an Angptl4/LPL-independent mechanism.

Improved glycemic control in mice lacking Sglt1 and Sglt2.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) is the major, and SGLT1 the minor, transporter responsible for renal glucose reabsorption. Increasing urinary glucose excretion (UGE) by selectively inhibiting SGLT2 improves glycemic control in diabetic patients. We generated Sglt1 and Sglt2 knockout (KO) mice, Sglt1/Sglt2 double-KO (DKO) mice, and wild-type (WT) littermates to study their relative glycemic control and to determine contributions of SGLT1 and SGLT2 to UGE. Relative to WTs, Sglt2 KOs had improved oral glucose tolerance and were resistant to streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Sglt1 KOs fed glucose-free high-fat diet (G-free HFD) had improved oral glucose tolerance accompanied by delayed intestinal glucose absorption and increased circulating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), but had normal intraperitoneal glucose tolerance. On G-free HFD, Sglt2 KOs had 30%, Sglt1 KOs 2%, and WTs <1% of the UGE of DKOs. Consistent with their increased UGE, DKOs had lower fasting blood glucose and improved intraperitoneal glucose tolerance than Sglt2 KOs. In conclusion, 1) Sglt2 is the major renal glucose transporter, but Sglt1 reabsorbs 70% of filtered glucose if Sglt2 is absent; 2) mice lacking Sglt2 display improved glucose tolerance despite UGE that is 30% of maximum; 3) Sglt1 KO mice respond to oral glucose with increased circulating GLP-1; and 4) DKO mice have improved glycemic control over mice lacking Sglt2 alone. These data suggest that, in patients with type 2 diabetes, combining pharmacological SGLT2 inhibition with complete renal and/or partial intestinal SGLT1 inhibition may improve glycemic control over that achieved by SGLT2 inhibition alone.

Ether phospholipids are required for mitochondrial reactive oxygen species homeostasis.

Mitochondria are hubs where bioenergetics, redox homeostasis, and anabolic metabolism pathways integrate through a tightly coordinated flux of metabolites. The contributions of mitochondrial metabolism to tumor growth and therapy resistance are evident, but drugs targeting mitochondrial metabolism have repeatedly failed in the clinic. Our study in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) finds that cellular and mitochondrial lipid composition influence cancer cell sensitivity to pharmacological inhibition of electron transport chain complex I. Profiling of patient-derived PDAC models revealed that monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and MUFA-linked ether phospholipids play a critical role in maintaining ROS homeostasis. We show that ether phospholipids support mitochondrial supercomplex assembly and ROS production; accordingly, blocking de novo ether phospholipid biosynthesis sensitized PDAC cells to complex I inhibition by inducing mitochondrial ROS and lipid peroxidation. These data identify ether phospholipids as a regulator of mitochondrial redox control that contributes to the sensitivity of PDAC cells to complex I inhibition.

Complex I inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation in advanced solid tumors and acute myeloid leukemia: phase I trials.

Although targeting oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is a rational anticancer strategy, clinical benefit with OXPHOS inhibitors has yet to be achieved. Here we advanced IACS-010759, a highly potent and selective small-molecule complex I inhibitor, into two dose-escalation phase I trials in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (NCT02882321, n = 17) and advanced solid tumors (NCT03291938, n = 23). The primary endpoints were safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of IACS-010759. The PK, PD, and preliminary antitumor activities of IACS-010759 in patients were also evaluated as secondary endpoints in both clinical trials. IACS-010759 had a narrow therapeutic index with emergent dose-limiting toxicities, including elevated blood lactate and neurotoxicity, which obstructed efforts to maintain target exposure. Consequently no RP2D was established, only modest target inhibition and limited antitumor activity were observed at tolerated doses, and both trials were discontinued. Reverse translational studies in mice demonstrated that IACS-010759 induced behavioral and physiological changes indicative of peripheral neuropathy, which were minimized with the coadministration of a histone deacetylase 6 inhibitor. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the association between OXPHOS inhibition and neurotoxicity, and caution is warranted in the continued development of complex I inhibitors as antitumor agents.

Inhibition of mitochondrial complex I reverses NOTCH1-driven metabolic reprogramming in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is commonly driven by activating mutations in NOTCH1 that facilitate glutamine oxidation. Here we identify oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) as a critical pathway for leukemia cell survival and demonstrate a direct relationship between NOTCH1, elevated OxPhos gene expression, and acquired chemoresistance in pre-leukemic and leukemic models. Disrupting OxPhos with IACS-010759, an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I, causes potent growth inhibition through induction of metabolic shut-down and redox imbalance in NOTCH1-mutated and less so in NOTCH1-wt T-ALL cells. Mechanistically, inhibition of OxPhos induces a metabolic reprogramming into glutaminolysis. We show that pharmacological blockade of OxPhos combined with inducible knock-down of glutaminase, the key glutamine enzyme, confers synthetic lethality in mice harboring NOTCH1-mutated T-ALL. We leverage on this synthetic lethal interaction to demonstrate that IACS-010759 in combination with chemotherapy containing L-asparaginase, an enzyme that uncovers the glutamine dependency of leukemic cells, causes reduced glutaminolysis and profound tumor reduction in pre-clinical models of human T-ALL. In summary, this metabolic dependency of T-ALL on OxPhos provides a rational therapeutic target.

PRMT1-dependent regulation of RNA metabolism and DNA damage response sustains pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer that has remained clinically challenging to manage. Here we employ an RNAi-based in vivo functional genomics platform to determine epigenetic vulnerabilities across a panel of patient-derived PDAC models. Through this, we identify protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) as a critical dependency required for PDAC maintenance. Genetic and pharmacological studies validate the role of PRMT1 in maintaining PDAC growth. Mechanistically, using proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, we demonstrate that global inhibition of asymmetric arginine methylation impairs RNA metabolism, which includes RNA splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and transcription termination. This triggers a robust downregulation of multiple pathways involved in the DNA damage response, thereby promoting genomic instability and inhibiting tumor growth. Taken together, our data support PRMT1 as a compelling target in PDAC and informs a mechanism-based translational strategy for future therapeutic development.Statement of significancePDAC is a highly lethal cancer with limited therapeutic options. This study identified and characterized PRMT1-dependent regulation of RNA metabolism and coordination of key cellular processes required for PDAC tumor growth, defining a mechanism-based translational hypothesis for PRMT1 inhibitors.

Discovery of IPN60090, a Clinical Stage Selective Glutaminase-1 (GLS-1) Inhibitor with Excellent Pharmacokinetic and Physicochemical Properties.

Inhibition of glutaminase-1 (GLS-1) hampers the proliferation of tumor cells reliant on glutamine. Known glutaminase inhibitors have potential limitations, and in vivo exposures are potentially limited due to poor physicochemical properties. We initiated a GLS-1 inhibitor discovery program focused on optimizing physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties, and have developed a new selective inhibitor, compound 27 (IPN60090), which is currently in phase 1 clinical trials. Compound 27 attains high oral exposures in preclinical species, with strong in vivo target engagement, and should robustly inhibit glutaminase in humans.

GPIHBP1 stabilizes lipoprotein lipase and prevents its inhibition by angiopoietin-like 3 and angiopoietin-like 4.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored HDL-binding protein (GPIHBP1) binds both LPL and chylomicrons, suggesting that GPIHBP1 is a platform for LPL-dependent processing of triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins. Here, we investigated whether GPIHBP1 affects LPL activity in the absence and presence of LPL inhibitors angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL)3 and ANGPTL4. Like heparin, GPIHBP1 stabilized but did not activate LPL. ANGPTL4 potently inhibited nonstabilized LPL as well as heparin-stabilized LPL but not GPIHBP1-stabilized LPL. Like ANGPTL4, ANGPTL3 inhibited nonstabilized LPL but not GPIHBP1-stabilized LPL. ANGPTL3 also inhibited heparin-stabilized LPL but with less potency than nonstabilized LPL. Consistent with these in vitro findings, fasting serum TGs of Angptl4(-/-)/Gpihbp1(-/-) mice were lower than those of Gpihbp1(-/-) mice and approached those of wild-type littermates. In contrast, serum TGs of Angptl3(-/-)/Gpihbp1(-/-) mice were only slightly lower than those of Gpihbp1(-/-) mice. Treating Gpihbp1(-/-) mice with ANGPTL4- or ANGPTL3-neutralizing antibodies recapitulated the double knockout phenotypes. These data suggest that GPIHBP1 functions as an LPL stabilizer. Moreover, therapeutic agents that prevent LPL inhibition by ANGPTL4 or, to a lesser extent, ANGPTL3, may benefit individuals with hyperlipidemia caused by gene mutations associated with decreased LPL stability.

Author Correction: Mutations in the SWI/SNF complex induce a targetable dependence on oxidative phosphorylation in lung cancer.

In the version of this article originally published, information regarding several funding sources was omitted from the Acknowledgements section. The following sentences should have been included: "This work was supported by the generous philanthropic contributions to The University of Texas MD Anderson Lung Cancer Moon Shots Program, the UT Lung SPORE 5 P50 CA07090, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center Support Grant P30CA01667. V.P is supported by R01CA155196-01A1 from the National Cancer Institute." Also, reference 18 was incorrect. The original reference was: Kim, E. S. et al. The BATTLE trial: personalizing therapy for lung cancer. Cancer Discov. 1, 44-53 (2011). It should have been: Papadimitrakopoulou, V. et al. The BATTLE-2 study: a biomarker-integrated targeted therapy study in previously treated patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin. Oncol. 34, 3638-3647 (2016). The errors have been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of this article.

Mutations in the SWI/SNF complex induce a targetable dependence on oxidative phosphorylation in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is a devastating disease that remains a top cause of cancer mortality. Despite improvements with targeted and immunotherapies, the majority of patients with lung cancer lack effective therapies, underscoring the need for additional treatment approaches. Genomic studies have identified frequent alterations in components of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex including SMARCA4 and ARID1A. To understand the mechanisms of tumorigenesis driven by mutations in this complex, we developed a genetically engineered mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma by ablating Smarca4 in the lung epithelium. We demonstrate that Smarca4 acts as a bona fide tumor suppressor and cooperates with p53 loss and Kras activation. Gene expression analyses revealed the signature of enhanced oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in SMARCA4 mutant tumors. We further show that SMARCA4 mutant cells have enhanced oxygen consumption and increased respiratory capacity. Importantly, SMARCA4 mutant lung cancer cell lines and xenograft tumors have marked sensitivity to inhibition of OXPHOS by a novel small molecule, IACS-010759, that is under clinical development. Mechanistically, we show that SMARCA4-deficient cells have a blunted transcriptional response to energy stress creating a therapeutically exploitable synthetic lethal interaction. These findings provide the mechanistic basis for further development of OXPHOS inhibitors as therapeutics against SWI/SNF mutant tumors.

An inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation exploits cancer vulnerability.

Metabolic reprograming is an emerging hallmark of tumor biology and an actively pursued opportunity in discovery of oncology drugs. Extensive efforts have focused on therapeutic targeting of glycolysis, whereas drugging mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) has remained largely unexplored, partly owing to an incomplete understanding of tumor contexts in which OXPHOS is essential. Here, we report the discovery of IACS-010759, a clinical-grade small-molecule inhibitor of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Treatment with IACS-010759 robustly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in models of brain cancer and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) reliant on OXPHOS, likely owing to a combination of energy depletion and reduced aspartate production that leads to impaired nucleotide biosynthesis. In models of brain cancer and AML, tumor growth was potently inhibited in vivo following IACS-010759 treatment at well-tolerated doses. IACS-010759 is currently being evaluated in phase 1 clinical trials in relapsed/refractory AML and solid tumors.

Centrosome amplification and overexpression of aurora A are early events in rat mammary carcinogenesis.

The cells of many solid tumors have been found to contain supernumerary centrosomes, a condition known as centrosome amplification. Centrosome amplification, accompanied by the overexpression of an associated kinase, Aurora A (AurA), has been implicated in mechanisms leading to mitotic spindle aberrations, aneuploidy, and genomic instability. Using a well-established rat mammary model favorable for experimental carcinogenesis, we analyzed centrosome amplification as a cellular marker for early stages of transformation and its regulation by the kinase ratAurA. Parity or treatment with estrogen and progesterone conferred resistance to tumorigenesis, as well as to overexpression of ratAurA and to centrosome amplification. ratAurA, cloned from a rat mammary gland cDNA library, is a bona fide Ser/Thr kinase, and sequence comparison demonstrated high homology to members of the entire AurA kinase family. Using immunocytochemical localization with confocal microscopy, we found ratAurA to be localized at the centrosome in normal and neoplastic tissues of the rat mammary gland. Normal ductal epithelium and stromal cells displayed an expected complement of one to two centrosomes/cell, whereas comparable cells in methylnitrosourea-treated animals displayed significantly elevated centrosome numbers. In tumors, 46% of cells showed more than two centrosomes/cell, and ratAurA expression levels coincided with higher centrosome numbers. Both centrosome numbers and ratAurA expression were permanently elevated. Centrosome amplification was found to occur at a very early, premalignant stage prior to detectable lesions after treatment with methylnitrosourea, a condition that was not detected in mammary glands of rats made refractory to the carcinogen via pregnancy or estrogen and progesterone treatment. Our results indicate that hormones influence kinase expression, and progesterone had the major effect on ratAurA expression levels. Cumulatively, these results suggest that ratAurA overexpression and centrosome amplification were linked to tumor development and progression and may serve as early markers in tumorigenesis.

Fatty acid desaturase 1 knockout mice are lean with improved glycemic control and decreased development of atheromatous plaque.

Delta-5 desaturase (D5D) and delta-6 desaturase (D6D), encoded by fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) and FADS2 genes, respectively, are enzymes in the synthetic pathways for ω3, ω6, and ω9 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Although PUFAs appear to be involved in mammalian metabolic pathways, the physiologic effect of isolated D5D deficiency on these pathways is unclear. After generating >4,650 knockouts (KOs) of independent mouse genes and analyzing them in our high-throughput phenotypic screen, we found that Fads1 KO mice were among the leanest of 3,651 chow-fed KO lines analyzed for body composition and were among the most glucose tolerant of 2,489 high-fat-diet-fed KO lines analyzed by oral glucose tolerance test. In confirmatory studies, chow- or high-fat-diet-fed Fads1 KO mice were leaner than wild-type (WT) littermates; when data from multiple cohorts of adult mice were combined, body fat was 38% and 31% lower in Fads1 male and female KO mice, respectively. Fads1 KO mice also had lower glucose and insulin excursions during oral glucose tolerance tests along with lower fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels. In additional studies using a vascular injury model, Fads1 KO mice had significantly decreased femoral artery intima/media ratios consistent with a decreased inflammatory response in their arterial wall. Based on this result, we bred Fads1 KO and WT mice onto an ApoE KO background and fed them a Western diet for 14 weeks; in this atherogenic environment, aortic trees of Fads1 KO mice had 40% less atheromatous plaque compared to WT littermates. Importantly, PUFA levels measured in brain and liver phospholipid fractions of Fads1 KO mice were consistent with decreased D5D activity and normal D6D activity. The beneficial metabolic phenotype demonstrated in Fads1 KO mice suggests that selective D5D inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of human obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Efficacy of the combination of MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors in vitro and in vivo in KRAS mutant colorectal cancer models.

PURPOSE: Though the efficacy of MEK inhibitors is being investigated in KRAS-mutant colorectal cancers (CRC), early clinical trials of MEK inhibitor monotherapy did not reveal significant antitumor activity. Resistance to MEK inhibitor monotherapy developed through a variety of mechanisms converging in ERK reactivation. Since ERK increases cyclin D expression and increases entry into the cell cycle, we hypothesized that the combination of MEK inhibitors and CDK4/6 inhibitors would have synergistic antitumor activity and cause tumor regression in vivo. RESULTS: The combination of MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors synergistically inhibited cancer cell growth in vitro and caused tumor regression in vivo in cell line and patient-derived xenograft models. Combination therapy markedly decreased levels of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 both in vitro and in vivo and decreased Ki67 staining in vivo. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed in vitro proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis, and senescence assays, and Western blots, on a panel of 11 KRAS mutant CRC cell lines treated with the MEK inhibitor MEK162, the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, or the combination. We also treated 4 KRAS mutant CRC cell line and patient-derived xenografts with the MEK inhibitor trametinib, the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, or the combination, and performed immunohistochemical and reverse phase protein array analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Combined inhibition of both MEK and CDK4/6 is effective in preclinical models of KRAS mutant CRC and justifies a planned phase II clinical trial in patients with refractory KRAS-mutant CRC.Efficacy of the combination of MEK and CDK4/6 inhibitors in vitro and in vivo in KRAS mutant colorectal cancer models.

Diacylglycerol Lipase α Knockout Mice Demonstrate Metabolic and Behavioral Phenotypes Similar to Those of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Knockout Mice.

After creating >4,650 knockouts (KOs) of independent mouse genes, we screened them by high-throughput phenotyping and found that cannabinoid receptor 1 (Cnr1) KO mice had the same lean phenotype published by others. We asked if our KOs of DAG lipase α or ß (Dagla or Daglb), which catalyze biosynthesis of the endocannabinoid (EC) 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), or Napepld, which catalyzes biosynthesis of the EC anandamide, shared the lean phenotype of Cnr1 KO mice. We found that Dagla KO mice, but not Daglb or Napepld KO mice, were among the leanest of 3651 chow-fed KO lines screened. In confirmatory studies, chow- or high fat diet-fed Dagla and Cnr1 KO mice were leaner than wild-type (WT) littermates; when data from multiple cohorts of adult mice were combined, body fat was 47 and 45% lower in Dagla and Cnr1 KO mice, respectively, relative to WT values. By contrast, neither Daglb nor Napepld KO mice were lean. Weanling Dagla KO mice ate less than WT mice and had body weight (BW) similar to pair-fed WT mice, and adult Dagla KO mice had normal activity and VO2 levels, similar to Cnr1 KO mice. Our Dagla and Cnr1 KO mice also had low fasting insulin, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels, and after glucose challenge had normal glucose but very low insulin levels. Dagla and Cnr1 KO mice also showed similar responses to a battery of behavioral tests. These data suggest: (1) the lean phenotype of young Dagla and Cnr1 KO mice is mainly due to hypophagia; (2) in pathways where ECs signal through Cnr1 to regulate food intake and other metabolic and behavioral phenotypes observed in Cnr1 KO mice, Dagla alone provides the 2-AG that serves as the EC signal; and (3) small molecule Dagla inhibitors with a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that of Cnr1 inverse agonists are likely to mirror the ability of these Cnr1 inverse agonists to lower BW and improve glycemic control in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, but may also induce undesirable neuropsychiatric side-effects.

Identification of a new functional domain in angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) and angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) involved in binding and inhibition of lipoprotein lipase (LPL).

Angiopoietin-like 3 (ANGPTL3) and angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) are secreted proteins that regulate triglyceride (TG) metabolism in part by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase (LPL). Recently, we showed that treatment of wild-type mice with monoclonal antibody (mAb) 14D12, specific for ANGPTL4, recapitulated the Angptl4 knock-out (-/-) mouse phenotype of reduced serum TG levels. In the present study, we mapped the region of mouse ANGPTL4 recognized by mAb 14D12 to amino acids Gln(29)-His(53), which we designate as specific epitope 1 (SE1). The 14D12 mAb prevented binding of ANGPTL4 with LPL, consistent with its ability to neutralize the LPL-inhibitory activity of ANGPTL4. Alignment of all angiopoietin family members revealed that a sequence similar to ANGPTL4 SE1 was present only in ANGPTL3, corresponding to amino acids Glu(32)-His(55). We produced a mouse mAb against this SE1-like region in ANGPTL3. This mAb, designated 5.50.3, inhibited the binding of ANGPTL3 to LPL and neutralized ANGPTL3-mediated inhibition of LPL activity in vitro. Treatment of wild-type as well as hyperlipidemic mice with mAb 5.50.3 resulted in reduced serum TG levels, recapitulating the lipid phenotype found in Angptl3(-/-) mice. These results show that the SE1 region of ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL4 functions as a domain important for binding LPL and inhibiting its activity in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, these results demonstrate that therapeutic antibodies that neutralize ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL3 may be useful for treatment of some forms of hyperlipidemia.