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Transcriptomics-based drug repurposing approach identifies novel drugs against sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma

ABSTRACT: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is frequently diagnosed in patients with late-stage disease who are ineligible for curative surgical therapies. Furthermore, the majority of patients become resistant to sorafenib. Recently, computational methods for drug repurposing have shown great promise to accelerate the discovery of new uses for existing drugs. In order to identify novel drugs for use against sorafenib resistant (SR)-HCC, we employed a transcriptomics-based drug repurposing method termed connectivity mapping. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of available in vitro and in vivo gene signatures of (SR)-HCC, and generated our own in vitro model using the Huh7 HCC cell line. We compared coverage of SR-HCC gene signatures across seven patient-derived HCC gene expression datasets, and observed that patients harboring the Huh7 SR-HCC gene signature had significantly reduced survival. Utilizing the Huh7 SR-HCC gene signature, we applied connectivity mapping to drug-induced gene expression profiles (n= 3,740 drugs) in the HepG2 HCC cell line from the LINCS database in order to find drugs that could oppose sorafenib resistance. We validated the use of two non-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, dasatinib and fostamatinib, to reduce viability of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and confirmed up-regulated activity of Src family kinases, the targets of dasatinib, in our SR-HCC models. We prospectively validated predicted gene expression changes in fostamatinib treated Huh7-SR via RNA-seq analysis.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE113005 | GEO | 2019/09/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:OBJECTIVE: Sorafenib is effective in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but patients ultimately present disease progression. Molecular mechanisms underlying acquired resistance are still unknown. Herein, we characterize the role of tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs) and signaling pathways involved in sorafenib resistance. DESIGN: HCC xenograft mice treated with sorafenib (n=22) were explored for responsiveness (n=5) and acquired resistance (n=17). Mechanism of acquired resistance were assessed by: 1) Role of T-ICs by in vitro sphere formation and in vivo tumorigenesis assays using NOD/SCID mice, 2) Activation of alternative signaling pathways and 3) Efficacy of anti-FGF and anti-IGF drugs in experimental models. Gene expression (microarray, qRT-PCR) and protein analyses (immunohistochemistry, western blot) were conducted. A novel gene signature of sorafenib resistance was generated and tested in 2 independent cohorts. RESULTS: Sorafenib-acquired resistance tumors showed significant enrichment of T-ICs (164 cells needed to create a tumor) vs. sorafenib-sensitive tumors (13400 cells) and non-treated tumors (1292 cells), p<0.001. Tumors with sorafenib-acquired resistance were enriched with IGF and FGF signaling cascades (FDR<0.05). In vitro, cells derived from sorafenib-acquired resistant tumors and two sorafenib-resistant HCC cell lines were responsive to IGF or FGF inhibition. In vivo, FGF blockade delayed tumor growth and improved survival in sorafenib-resistant tumors. A sorafenib-resistance 175-gene signature was characterized by enrichment of progenitor-cell features, aggressive tumoral traits and predicted poor survival in 2 cohorts (n=442 HCC patients). CONCLUSION: Acquired resistance to sorafenib is driven by tumor initiating cells with enrichment of progenitor markers and activation of IGF and FGF signaling. Inhibition of these pathways would benefit a subset of patients after sorafenib progression. Transcriptomic profile of subcutaneous Huh7 cells-derived tumors treated with sorafenib that developed acquired resistance to the drug (n=4), remain responsive to sorafenib (n=3) or were treated with brivanib after development of resistance (n=3). Gene profiling of hepatospheres generated from tumors with acquired resistance to sorafenib (n=3) and non-treated tumors (n=3) was also analyzed.

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Transcriptomics-based drug repurposing approach identifies novel drugs against sorafenib-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma

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