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Cytokinetic effects of Wee1 disruption in pancreatic cancer.

ABSTRACT: The Wee1 kinase, which is activated in response to DNA damage, regulates exit from G2 through inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1/Cdc2, and is an attractive drug target. However, recent work has highlighted effects of Cdk2 phosphorylation by Wee1 on movement through S-phase, suggesting the potential to sensitize to S-phase specific agents by Wee1 inhibitors. In this paper we applied multiparametric flow cytometry to patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenograft tumor cells to study the cell cycle perturbations of Wee1 disruption via the small molecule inhibitor MK-1775, and genetic knockdown. We find that in vitro treatment with MK-1775, and to a lesser degree, Wee1 RNA transcript knockdown, results in the striking appearance of S-phase cells prematurely entering into mitosis. This effect was not seen in vivo in any of the models tested. Here, although we noted an increase of S-phase cells expressing the damage response marker ?H2AX, treatment with MK-1775 did not significantly sensitize cells to the cytidine analog gemcitabine. Treatment with MK-1775 did result in a transient but large increase in cells expressing the mitotic marker phosphorylated H3S10 that reached a peak 4 hours after treatment. This suggests a role for Wee1 regulating the progression of genomically unstable cancer cells through G2 in the absence of extrinsically-applied DNA damage. A single dose of 8Gy ionizing radiation resulted in the time-dependent accumulation of Cyclin A2 positive/phosphorylated H3S10 negative cells at the 4N position, which was abrogated by treatment with MK-1775. Consistent with these findings, a genome-scale pooled RNA interference screen revealed that toxic doses of MK-1775 are suppressed by CDK2 or Cyclin A2 knockdown. These findings support G2 exit as the more significant effect of Wee1 inhibition in pancreatic cancers.

SUBMITTER: Chang Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5056606 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cytokinetic effects of Wee1 disruption in pancreatic cancer.

Chang Qing Q Chandrashekhar Megha M Ketela Troy T Fedyshyn Yaroslav Y Moffat Jason J Hedley David D

Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.) 20160101 4

The Wee1 kinase, which is activated in response to DNA damage, regulates exit from G2 through inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1/Cdc2, and is an attractive drug target. However, recent work has highlighted effects of Cdk2 phosphorylation by Wee1 on movement through S-phase, suggesting the potential to sensitize to S-phase specific agents by Wee1 inhibitors. In this paper we applied multiparametric flow cytometry to patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenograft tumor cells to study the cell cycle p ...[more]

PMID: 26890070

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Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype defined by lack of hormone receptor expression and non-amplified HER2. Adavosertib (AZD1775) is a potent, small-molecule, ATP-competitive inhibitor of the Wee1 kinase that potentiates the activity of many DNA-damaging chemotherapeutics and is currently in clinical development for multiple indications. The purpose of this study was to investigate the combination of AZD1775 and capecitabine/5FU in preclinical TNBC models. TNBC cell lines were treated with AZD1775 and 5FU and cellular proliferation was assessed in real-time using IncuCyte® Live Cell Analysis. Apoptosis was assessed via the Caspase-Glo 3/7 assay system. Western blotting was used to assess changes in expression of downstream effectors. TNBC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were treated with AZD1775, capecitabine, or the combination and assessed for tumor growth inhibition. From the initial PDX screen, two of the four TNBC PDX models demonstrated a better response in the combination treatment than either of the single agents. As confirmation, two PDX models were expanded for statistical comparison. Both PDX models demonstrated a significant growth inhibition in the combination versus either of the single agents. (TNBC012, p < 0.05 combo vs. adavosertib or capecitabine, TNBC013, p < 0.01 combo vs. adavosertib or capecitabine.) An enhanced anti-proliferative effect was observed in the adavosertib/5FU combination treatment as measured by live cell analysis. An increase in apoptosis was observed in two of the four cell lines in the combination when compared to single-agent treatment. Treatment with adavosertib as a single agent resulted in a decrease in p-CDC2 in a dose-dependent manner that was also observed in the combination treatment. An increase in γH2AX in two of the four cell lines tested was also observed. No significant changes were observed in Bcl-xL following treatment in any of the cell lines. The combination of adavosertib and capecitabine/5FU demonstrated enhanced combination effects both in vitro and in vivo in preclinical models of TNBC. These results support the clinical investigation of this combination in patients with TNBC, including those with brain metastasis given the CNS penetration of both agents.

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Cytokinetic effects of Wee1 disruption in pancreatic cancer.

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Cytokinetic effects of Wee1 disruption in pancreatic cancer.

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