The mitotic checkpoint is a targetable vulnerability of carboplatin-resistant triple negative breast cancers

Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 4;11(1):3176. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82780-6.

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype, lacking effective therapy. Many TNBCs show remarkable response to carboplatin-based chemotherapy, but often develop resistance over time. With increasing use of carboplatin in the clinic, there is a pressing need to identify vulnerabilities of carboplatin-resistant tumors. In this study, we generated carboplatin-resistant TNBC MDA-MB-468 cell line and patient derived TNBC xenograft models. Mass spectrometry-based proteome profiling demonstrated that carboplatin resistance in TNBC is linked to drastic metabolism rewiring and upregulation of anti-oxidative response that supports cell replication by maintaining low levels of DNA damage in the presence of carboplatin. Carboplatin-resistant cells also exhibited dysregulation of the mitotic checkpoint. A kinome shRNA screen revealed that carboplatin-resistant cells are vulnerable to the depletion of the mitotic checkpoint regulators, whereas the checkpoint kinases CHEK1 and WEE1 are indispensable for the survival of carboplatin-resistant cells in the presence of carboplatin. We confirmed that pharmacological inhibition of CHEK1 by prexasertib in the presence of carboplatin is well tolerated by mice and suppresses the growth of carboplatin-resistant TNBC xenografts. Thus, abrogation of the mitotic checkpoint by CHEK1 inhibition re-sensitizes carboplatin-resistant TNBCs to carboplatin and represents a potential strategy for the treatment of carboplatin-resistant TNBCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Carboplatin / pharmacology*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1 / genetics*
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • DNA Damage
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Drug Synergism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Neoplasm Proteins / classification
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proteome / classification
  • Proteome / genetics
  • Proteome / metabolism
  • Pyrazines / pharmacology*
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Proteome
  • Pyrazines
  • Pyrazoles
  • prexasertib
  • Carboplatin
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • WEE1 protein, human
  • CHEK1 protein, human
  • Checkpoint Kinase 1