In vitro effects of FBXW7 mutation in serous endometrial cancer: Increased levels of potentially druggable proteins and sensitivity to SI-2 and dinaciclib.

ABSTRACT

Serous endometrial cancers (ECs) are clinically aggressive tumors that frequently harbor somatic mutations in FBXW7 (F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7). The FBXW7 tumor suppressor is part of a SCF (complex of SKP1, Cullin 1, F-box protein) ubiquitin ligase complex which controls the degradation of numerous substrates that, if not properly regulated, can contribute to the initiation or progression of tumorigenesis. Despite reports that up to 30% of serous ECs include somatic mutations in FBXW7, the molecular effects of mutated FBXW7 in ECs have not been determined. Here, we used transient transfection and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) editing in serous EC cell lines to interrogate the molecular effects of six recurrent FBXW7 mutations. We show that FBXW7 mutations lead to increased Cyclin E1, steroid receptor coactivator 3 (SRC-3), c-MYC, Rictor, glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), P70S6 kinase, and protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylated protein levels in serous EC cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CRISPR-edited FBXW7-mutant ARK1 serous EC cells exhibit increased sensitivity to SI-2 (a SRC inhibitor) and dinaciclib (a cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor) compared to parental ARK1 cells. Collectively, our findings reveal biochemical effects of FBXW7 mutations in the context of EC and provide in vitro evidence of sensitivity to targeted inhibitors.