Dataset Information

Tumor immunological phenotype signature-based high-throughput screening for the discovery of combination immunotherapy compounds

ABSTRACT: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy intends to only benefit a fraction of cancer patients, and combination immunotherapy with a compound is a promising treatment to overcome this limitation. Here, a tumor immunological phenotype (TIP) gene signature and high throughput sequencing-based high throughput screening (HTS2) were combined to identify combination immunotherapy compounds. We firstly defined a TIP gene signature, which expression pattern distinguishes “cold” tumors from “hot” tumors, and predicts ICB response in cancer patients. Then, after screening thousands of compounds, we identified that aurora kinase inhibitors, including ENMD-2076 and TAK-901, could reprogram the expression pattern of TIP genes from “cold” tumor to “hot” tumor in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. The treatment of aurora kinase inhibitors on TNBC cells dramatically up-regulates expression of Th1 type chemokine genes CXCL10 and CXCL11, which promotes effective T cells infiltrating into tumor microenvironment and significantly improves anti-PD-1 efficacy in inhibiting the tumor growth of TNBC in preclinical models. Mechanistically, these aurora kinase inhibitors are mainly through inhibiting AURKA-STAT3 signaling pathway to stimulate the expression of CXCL10 and CXCL11. Our study established a high throughput strategy to discover candidate compounds for combination immunotherapy, and suggested the therapeutic potential of combining aurora kinase inhibitors with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy for the treatment of TNBC.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE160071 | GEO | 2020/12/31

REPOSITORIES: GEO

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:In this study the investigators looked at adaptive reprogramming impact on the kinome when a MEK inhibitor called GSK1120212 (trametinib) was administered in a "window of opportunity" trial. GSK1120212 is not yet approved by the FDA for use in breast cancer patients. The investigators gave GSK1120212 for a short period of time (one week) to examine MEK and the other kinase expression in cancer cells both before and after the study drug is given. The investigators gave this drug for research purposes only. The length of time it was given is not intended to treat cancer. Recently researchers at UNC developed a process that can comprehensively profile the majority of the individual kinases in the kinome and examine the impact on kinase expression of kinase inhibitors (Duncan et al, Cell 2012, PMID: 22500798). This can tell us which kinases need to be concurrently blocked to augment responsiveness and prevent acquired resistance so that the investigators can design the best combinations of kinase blocking drugs for triple negative breast cancer. This is especially important for individuals with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) because there are no targeted drugs available that can block molecules that affect tumor growth. The investigators believe that kinase-blocking drugs have the potential to be a more effective treatment for people with TNBC. In this recently published study (Zawistowski et al, Cancer Discovery 2017, PMID: 28108460), TNBC patients treated with trametinib for 7 days resulted in a transcriptional response characterized by significant reprogramming of the tyrosine kinome, and this adaptive bypass response in human tumors was found to be similar to that seen in preclinical models including TNBC cell lines and mouse xenografts. In this study we also examined whether reprogramming differed between TNBC molecular subtypes, finding that basal-like and claudin-low human TNBC cells and mouse tumor subtypes had different adaptive transcriptional responses to MEK-ERK inhibition. Mechanistically we found that genome-wide enhancer remodeling drove the adaptive transcriptional response, suggesting that epigenetic approaches to reprogramming may be more durable than kinase inhibitor polypharmacology.

Project description:Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is defined as pathologically negative for estrogen receptor α (ER-), progesterone receptor (PR-), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) amplification. TNBCs are a heterogeneous group of clinically aggressive tumors with high risk of recurrence and metastasis. Current pharmacological treatment options remain largely limited to chemotherapy, recently supplemented by immunotherapy [37296893]. There is strong evidence supporting the involvement of Notch signaling in TNBC progression. Expression of Notch1 and its ligand Jagged1 correlate with poor prognosis. Notch inhibitors, including gamma secretase inhibitors (GSIs), are quite effective in preclinical models of TNBC. However, the success of GSIs in clinical trials has been limited by their intestinal toxicity and potential for adverse immunological effects, since Notch plays key roles in T-cell activation, including CD8 T-cells in tumors. Our overarching goal is to replace GSIs with agents that lack their systemic toxicity and ideally, do not affect tumor immunity. We identified sulindac sulfide (SS), the active metabolite of FDA-approved NSAID sulindac, as a potential candidate to replace GSIs. We confirmed that SS, a known gamma secretase modulator (GSM), inhibits Notch1 cleavage in TNBC cells. SS significantly inhibited mammosphere growth in all human and murine TNBC models tested. In a transplantable mouse TNBC tumor model (C0321), SS had remarkable single-agent anti-tumor activity and eliminated Notch1 protein expression in tumors. Importantly, the anti-tumor effects of SS were significantly enhanced when combined with α-PD1 immunotherapy in our TNBC organoids and in vivo. Our data support further investigation of SS for the treatment of TNBC, in conjunction with standard of care chemo- or -chemo-immunotherapy. Repurposing an FDA-approved, safe agent for the treatment of TNBC may be a cost-effective, rapidly deployable therapeutic option solution for a patient population in need of effective therapies.

Project description:Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer. SCLC progression and treatment resistance involve epigenetic processes. However, links between SCLC DNA methylation and drug response remain unclear. We performed an epigenome-wide study of 66 human SCLC cell lines using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. Correlations of SCLC DNA methylation and gene expression with in-vitro response to 526 antitumor agents were examined. Results:We found multiple significant correlations between DNA methylation and chemosensitivity. A potentially important association was observed for TREX1, which encodes the 3’ exonuclease I that serves as a STING antagonist in the regulation of a cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway. Increased methylation and low expression of TREX1 were associated with the sensitivity to Aurora kinase inhibitors AZD-1152, SCH-1473759, SNS-314, and TAK-901, the CDK inhibitor R-547, the Vertex ATR inhibitor Cpd 45 and the mitotic spindle disruptor vinorelbine. Compared with cell lines of other cancer types, TREX1 had low mRNA expression and increased upstream region methylation in SCLC, suggesting a possible relationship with SCLC sensitivity to Aurora kinase inhibitors. We also identified multiple additional correlations indicative of potential mechanisms of chemosensitivity. Methylation of the 3’UTR of CEP350 and MLPH , involved in centrosome machinery and microtubule tracking, respectively, was associated with response to Aurora kinase inhibitors and other agents. EPAS1 methylation was associated with response to Aurora kinase inhibitors, a PLK-1 inhibitor and a Bcl-2 inhibitor. KDM1A methylation was associated with PLK-1 inhibitors and a KSP inhibitor. Increased promoter methylation of SLFN11 was correlated with resistance to DNA damaging agents, as a result of low or no SLFN11 expression. The 5’ UTR of the epigenetic modifier EZH2 was associated with response to Aurora kinase inhibitors and a FGFR inhibitor. Methylation and expression of YAP1 were correlated with response to an mTOR inhibitor. Among non-neuroendocrine markers, EPHA2 was associated with response to Aurora kinase inhibitors and a PLK-1 inhibitor, and CD151 with Bcl-2 inhibitors. Conclusions Multiple associations indicate potential epigenetic mechanisms affecting SCLC response to chemotherapy and suggest targets for combination therapies. While many correlations were not specific to SCLC lineages, several lineage markers were associated with specific agents.

Dataset Information

Tumor immunological phenotype signature-based high-throughput screening for the discovery of combination immunotherapy compounds

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure