G9a Promotes Breast Cancer Recurrence through Repression of a Pro-inflammatory Program
CELL REPORTS
Authors: Mabe, Nathaniel W.; Garcia, Nina Marie G.; Wolery, Shayna E.; Newcomb, Rachel; Meingasner, Ryan C.; Vilona, Brittany A.; Lupo, Ryan; Lin, Chao-Chieh; Chi, Jen-Tsan; Alvarez, James, V
Abstract
Dysregulated gene expression is a common feature of cancer and may underlie some aspects of tumor progression, including tumor relapse. Here, we show that recurrent mammary tumors exhibit global changes in gene expression and histone modifications and acquire dependence on the G9a histone methyltransferase. Genetic ablation of G9a delays tumor recurrence, and pharmacologic inhibition of G9a slows the growth of recurrent tumors. Mechanistically, G9a activity is required to silence pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF), through H3K9 methylation at gene promoters. G9a inhibition induces re-expression of these cytokines, leading to p53 activation and necroptosis. Recurrent tumors upregulate receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) expression and are dependent upon RIPK3 activity. High RIPK3 expression renders recurrent tumors sensitive to necroptosis following G9a inhibition. These findings demonstrate that G9a- mediated silencing of pro-necroptotic proteins is a critical step in tumor recurrence and suggest that G9a is a targetable dependency in recurrent breast cancer.
Dinaciclib, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, suppresses cholangiocarcinoma growth by targeting CDK2/5/9
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Authors: Saqub, Hera; Proetsch-Gugerbauer, Hannah; Bezrookove, Vladimir; Nosrati, Mehdi; Vaquero, Edith M.; de Semir, David; Ice, Ryan J.; McAllister, Sean; Soroceanu, Liliana; Kashani-Sabet, Mohammed; Osorio, Robert; Dar, Altaf A.
Abstract
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly invasive cancer, diagnosed at an advanced stage, and refractory to surgical intervention and chemotherapy. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate cell cycle progression and transcriptional processes, and are considered potential therapeutic targets for cancer. Dinaciclib is a small molecule multi-CDK inhibitor targeting CDK 2/5/9. In this study, the therapeutic efficacy of dinaciclib was assessed using patient-derived xenograft cells (PDXC) and CCA cell lines. Treatment with dinaciclib significantly suppressed cell proliferation, induced caspase 3/7 levels and apoptotic activity in PDXC and CCA cell lines. Dinaciclib suppressed expression of its molecular targets CDK2/5/9, and anti-apoptotic BCL-XL and BCL2 proteins. Despite the presence of cyclin D1 amplification in the PDXC line, palbociclib treatment had no effect on cell proliferation, cell cycle or apoptosis in the PDXC as well as other CCA cell lines. Importantly, dinaciclib, in combination with gemcitabine, produced a robust and sustained inhibition of tumor progression in vivo in a PDX mouse model, greater than either of the treatments alone. Expression levels of two proliferative markers, phospho-histone H3 and Ki-67, were substantially suppressed in samples treated with the combination regimen. Our results identify dinaciclib as a novel and potent therapeutic agent alone or in combination with gemcitabine for the treatment of CCA.