Abstract 3448: Dasatinib attenuates Src pathway signaling and combined with veliparib and carboplatin potently inhibits tumor growth in a preclinical model of TNBC

Abstract

Abstract Background: The combination of a poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor with a DNA-damaging agent has shown promise in treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); however, not all patients respond to this combination (Rugo HS et al. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2016). The Src protein kinase modulates multiple cancer cell properties and plays a key role in tumorigenic processes. However, Src inhibitors as single agents have shown limited effects in solid tumors (Finn RS et al. Clinical Cancer Research. 2011). In this study, we examined the antitumor effects of the Src inhibitor dasatinib, the PARP inhibitor veliparib, and the DNA-damaging agent carboplatin in TNBC cells in vitro and tumors in vivo to try to identify the combination with the most clinical potential. Methods: The KRAS/BRAF-mutated TNBC cell line, MDA-MB-231, was used in this study. For in vitro studies, proliferation, cellular apoptosis, and 3D on-top clonogenic growth were measured, tube formation assays and western blot analysis were performed. For in vivo studies, a xenograft model was used to examine treatment responses, and immunohistochemical analysis was performed. Results: Surprisingly, treatment with the combination of veliparib plus carboplatin led to an increase in Src phosphorylation. Importantly, addition of dasatinib attenuated Src overexpression induced by veliparib plus carboplatin and further inhibited the downstream signaling of Src, thereby enhancing the antitumor efficacy of veliparib plus carboplatin. In an MDA-MB-231 xenograft model, the triple combination of dasatinib with veliparib plus carboplatin showed greater tumor growth inhibitory effects compared with single agents or double combinations. No systemic toxicity was observed in mice treated with the triple combination. Conclusions: Here, we provide novel evidence that veliparib combined with carboplatin drives Src activation in the preclinical model tested. Moreover, we provide provocative in vitro and in vivo data highlighting the potential for increasing therapeutic efficacy by combining dasatinib with veliparib and carboplatin in patients with KRAS/BRAF-mutated TNBC. Citation Format: Yuliang Sun, Xiaoqian Lin, Jennifer C. Aske, Casey Williams, Mark Abramovitz, Brian Leyland-Jones. Dasatinib attenuates Src pathway signaling and combined with veliparib and carboplatin potently inhibits tumor growth in a preclinical model of TNBC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3448.