Cerivastatin synergizes with trametinib and enhances its efficacy in the therapy of Uveal Melanoma

ABSTRACT: Background and Aims: Uveal melanoma (UM), the most common primary intraocular tumor in adults, is characterized by marked variability in its ability to metastasize. In fact, up to half the patients with UM develop distant metastases, most commonly to the liver. Mutations in alpha G-protein subunits, GNAQ and GNA11, are found in most primary UM, in a mutually exclusive pattern. Also, mutations in SF3B1, EIF1AX, and BAP1, are associated with markedly distinct prognoses Targeted therapy with MAP kinase inhibitors has been unsuccessful in the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM). The constitutive activation of GNAq and GNA11, typical of MU, determines the activation not only of the MAP kinases but also of the transcription factors YAP / TAZ. It is known that when statins are used to inhibit the HMGCR activity in the mevalonate pathway, the nuclear localization and transcriptional activity of YAP-TAZ are also inhibited mediating a potential anti-cancer activity Methods: We investigated the sensitivity to drugs of a panel of 6 lines of MU, two metastatic and 4 derived from primary tumors, of the latter two were monosomic. We established the IC50s of the individual drugs and the effects of the combinations. The synergistic effects of drugs were studied using MTT proliferation tests, cell cycle and apoptosis. The most synergistic combination was tested in vivo in NSG mice. Results: The synergistic concentrations of trametinib and cerivastatin (T+C) induced a massive arrest of proliferation and cell cycle and an increase of apoptosis 72 hours after the start of treatment particularly in the monosomic, BAP1 mutated UPMM3 cell line. The synergistic effect of T+C was reached after 7 instead of 3 days. In the metastatic OMM2.5 cell line. T+C treatments reduced ERK and AKT phosphorylation and increased the cytoplasmatic, inactive form of YAP. T+C treatment of NSG mice transplanted with the monosomic UM cell line reduced significantly tumor growth. Conclusion: This study suggests that statins potentiate the efficacy of MEK inhibitors in the therapy of UM

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE212219 | GEO | 2022/08/31

REPOSITORIES: GEO