Abstract 4686: Identification of ART3 as a novel synthetic lethal partner of the BRCA1 mutation in breast cancer

Abstract

Abstract Breast cancer (BC), the most prevalent malignancy in women, ranks fourth in cancer mortality as of 2022. Mutations in the BRCA genes significantly elevate BC risk and are associated with markedly reduced survival compared to non-carriers. These genes are crucial in homologous recombination, a mechanism essential for error-free DNA repair. Despite advancements, treatment options for BRCA mutation-driven cancers remain limited. Synthetic lethality (SL) has emerged as a promising strategy, with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) being the first developed drugs based on this principle. However, PARPi's effectiveness is limited, as nearly 40% of BRCA-mutated BCs are unresponsive, and resistance often develops in initial responders. Therefore, novel mutation-specific targeted therapies are urgently needed. In this study, we employed the novel computational method 'Mining Synthetic Lethals (MiSL)' to analyze TCGA pan-cancer primary tumor data, identifying ART3 as a potential SL partner of the BRCA1 germline mutation. Our approach focused on the intersection of genetic interactions and cancer vulnerabilities, providing a unique insight into SL relationships. siRNA-mediated silencing of ART3 in BRCA1-mutated cells consistently led to decreased cell viability, apoptosis induction, and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Following stable transfection with an inducible ART3 shRNA construct, we confirmed significant reduction in cell viability in BRCA1-deficient cells through colony formation assays. RNA sequencing of ART3 knockdown cells revealed transcriptional changes in genes involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and growth and proliferation pathways compared with control cells. Immunofluorescent staining revealed increased DNA damage foci with decreased DNA repair in ART3 knockdown BRCA1-deficient cells. In conclusion, our study identifies ART3 as a novel SL partner of the BRCA1 mutation in BC. This discovery paves the way for developing new therapeutic strategies for BRCA1-mutated breast cancers and novel chemoprevention approaches for individuals carrying germline BRCA1 mutations. Future research will focus on further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying this SL interaction and exploring its therapeutic potential in clinical settings. Citation Format: Hannah Neiger, Xinyu Pei, Anh Nguyen, Wenjia Wang, Emily L. Siegler, James Zhou, Kristie Lau, Alexandra Tan, Yihui Shi. Identification of ART3 as a novel synthetic lethal partner of the BRCA1 mutation in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4686.