DNA Damage Response Alterations Research Articles

Abstract A021: Hunting for synthetic lethal partners in DNA damage response-altered endometrial cancer

Abstract DNA damage response (DDR) genes are frequently altered in cancer, which may lead to protein loss-of-function (LoF) and result in particular DDR defects that can be therapeutically targeted via the concept of synthetic lethality (SL). There is a high prevalence of DDR alterations in endometrial cancer, a gynecologic malignancy with increased incidence and mortality in recent decades, and an unmet clinical need for a wider range of treatment options to reduce adverse effects and combat therapy resistance. In this study, a large-scale, agnostic bioinformatic screening approach was employed to discover novel potential SL targets specific to DDR LoF biomarkers in endometrial cancer for subsequent experimental validation in vitro. SL analysis was performed with the in-house Target / Biomarker / Lineage (TBL) bioinformatic pipeline (Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research) using datasets obtained from the Cancer Dependency Map (DepMap). The TBL pipeline statistically analyzed cancer cell line target gene dependency probabilities, inferred from Project Achilles and Project Score genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 dropout screens, and integrated this with mutation and copy number variation genomic datasets. Potential interactions were filtered for target-biomarker mutual exclusivity using patient data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The ability of the TBL pipeline to identify known SL interactions was demonstrated through in silico identification of ARID1B/ARID1A in ovarian cancer and SMARCA2/SMARCA4 in lung cancer as significant hits. In addition, the identification of WRN/ARID1A as a significant hit in uterine cancer, given that ARID1A loss has been significantly associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) in endometrial cancer, is consistent with previous findings of WRN helicase as a SL partner with MSI in endometrial cancer. Analysis and downstream refinement of endometrial cancer significant hits led to the identification of seven final candidate target-biomarker gene pairs. These putative SL partners comprise novel potential endometrial cancer targets, with various functions ranging from nucleotide biosynthesis to epigenetic remodeling, and include novel potential and established LoF biomarkers relevant to endometrial cancer biology, namely DNA mismatch repair. In vitro validation of the final candidates by genetic or pharmacologic approaches to assess target gene dependency in endometrial cancer cell lines with altered or wildtype biomarker status will be discussed. These experiments will provide key experimental data to validate our bioinformatic approach to SL target-biomarker discovery, and may identify novel SL partners involving DDR LoF alterations in endometrial cancer that could lead to the development of new molecular targeted therapies and improved treatment options for this patient subpopulation. Citation Format: Julie Zhou, Konstantinos Mitsopoulos, Olivia Rossanese. Hunting for synthetic lethal partners in DNA damage response-altered endometrial cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Expanding and Translating Cancer Synthetic Vulnerabilities; 2024 Jun 10-13; Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2024;23(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A021.

Genomic alterations in DNA damage response (DDR) genes in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) and impact on clinical efficacy with sacituzumab govitecan (SG): Biomarker results from TROPICS-02 study.

1075 Background: In the phase 3 TROPiCS-02 study, SG, a Trop-2–directed antibody-drug conjugate coupled to SN-38 as the payload, demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement in survival outcomes over chemotherapy in patients (pts) with pretreated HR+/HER2- mBC. SN-38 leads to double-stranded DNA damage, therefore we hypothesized that in tumors with defective DDR machinery, SG may provoke synthetic lethality. We report on comprehensive genomic analysis of DDR gene variants and the impact on SG clinical efficacy in this patient population. Methods: Pts with HR+/HER2– mBC who received prior taxane, endocrine therapy (ET), CDK4/6 inhibitor, and 2-4 prior lines of chemotherapy were randomized to receive SG (10 mg/kg IV days 1 and 8, every 21 days) or treatment of physician’s choice (TPC) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. DDR gene deleterious variants were identified using whole exome sequencing (WES) on archival or screening tumor tissues based on 142 DDR pathway genes annotated in the Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database and Human DNA Repair Gene database; association between these variants and clinical outcomes was evaluated using Cox regression model as Hazard Ratio (HR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Results: Of 543 patients included in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, WES data was available for 195 (36%) – clinicopathological features were similar between ITT and WES dataset (median age = 57 vs 58 for SG and 55 vs 55 for TPC; prior lines of chemotherapy >2 lines = 59% vs 57% for SG and 58% vs 55% for TPC). Estrogen Receptor (ER)>10% and prior lines of chemotherapy were comparable between WT and MUT in SG arm and in TPC arm. Overall, 114 (58%) of tumor samples had ≥1 deleterious alteration with BRCA2, PRKDC, ATM being the most common alterations. The primary results are included (Table). Although all patients demonstrated improved efficacy with SG vs TPC, patients with DDR mutant MBC had numerically greater benefit in PFS vs WT (MUT HR= 0.61; WT HR= 0.76) and OS (MUT HR = 0.68; WT HR= 0.82). Conclusions: While SG benefit over TPC was observed in both DDR WT and DDR MUT HR+/HER2– mBC, numerically greater benefit was observed for patients with DDR deficient tumors, suggesting possible synergy between the DDR pathway and SG’s anti-tumor effect. Further study of the synergistic effects of SG in combination with agents targeting DDR pathway are warranted. Clinical trial information: NCT03901339 . [Table: see text]

Evidence for persistent UV-induced DNA damage and altered DNA damage response in xeroderma pigmentosa patient corneas

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by injury to the ocular surface due to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV-induced damage in the cells leads to the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) and 6-4 pyrimidine-pyrimidone photoproducts that are repaired by the NER (Nucleotide Excision Repair) pathway. Mutations in the genes coding for NER proteins, as reported in XP patients, would lead to sub-optimal damage repair resulting in clinical signs varying from photo-keratitis to cancerous lesions on the ocular surface. Here, we aimed to provide evidence for the accumulation of DNA damage and activation of DNA repair pathway proteins in the corneal cells of patients with XP. Corneal buttons of patients who underwent penetrating keratoplasty were stained to quantify DNA damage and the presence of activated DNA damage response proteins (DDR) using specific antibodies. Positive staining for pH2A.X and thymidine dimers confirmed the presence of DNA damage in the corneal cells. Positive cells were found in both control corneas and XP samples however, unlike normal tissues, positive cells were found in all cell layers of XP samples indicating that these cells were sensitive to very low levels of UV. pH2A.X-positive cells were significantly more in XP corneas (p < 0.05) indicating the presence of double strand breaks in these tissues. A positive expression of phosphorylated-forms of DDR proteins was noted in XP corneas (unlike controls) such as ataxia telangiectasia mutated/Rad-3 related proteins (ATM/ATR), breast cancer-1 and checkpoint kinases-1 and -2. Nuclear localization of XPA was noted in XP samples which co-localized (calculated using Pearson's correlation) with pATM (0.9 ± 0.007) and pATR (0.6 ± 0.053). The increased presence of these in the nucleus confirms that unresolved DNA damage was accumulating in these cells thereby leading to prolonged activation of the damage response proteins. An increase in pp53 and TUNEL positive cells in the XP corneas indicated cell death likely driven by the p53 pathway. For comparison, cultured normal corneal epithelial cells were exposed to UV-radiation and stained for DDR proteins at 3, 6 and 24 h after irradiation to quantify the time taken by cells with intact DDR pathway to repair damage. These cells, when exposed to UV showed nuclear translocation of DDR proteins at 3 and 6 h which reduced significantly by 24 h confirming that the damaged DNA was being actively repaired leading to cell survival. The persistent presence of the DDR proteins in XP corneas indicates that damage is being actively recognized and DNA replication is stalled, thereby causing accumulation of damaged DNA leading to cell death, which would explain the cancer incidence and cell loss reported in these patients.

Abstract CT042: NCI10217: Phase Ib biomarker-driven tumor-agnostic combination (Combo) trial of copanlisib (Copa) and olaparib (Ola) in molecularly-selected patients (pts) with advanced cancers with PIK3CA hotspot, PTEN and DNA damage response (DDR) mutations

Abstract Background: Preclinically, PI3K and PARP inhibition synergize in cancers with DDR and PI3K pathway alterations. NCI10217 assessed the combo of Copa (pan-PI3K inhibitor) and Ola (PARP inhibitor) in tumors harboring mutations in PI3K/AKT or DDR pathways. Materials and Methods: Eligible pts had tumors with pathogenic PIK3CA hotspot, PTEN and DDR mutations. Copa was administered at 45 mg to 60 mg IV on Days (D) 1 and 15 or 1, 8 and 15 with Ola at 200 mg to 300 mg twice daily (BID) orally in 28-days cycles. Prior PARP and PI3K inhibitors were permitted. Fresh tumor biopsies and ctDNA were mandated at baseline and C1D15 and optional at the end of trial. Study objectives were safety, RP2D, pharmacokinetics, antitumor activity and translational analyses of serial tumor (WES; RNA-Seq; RPPA) and ctDNA samples. Results: 28 pts (M:F 8:20; ECOG PS 0:1 9:19; mean age 58y (28-76y) with breast (n=6), colorectal (n=5), prostate (n=4), endometrial (n=2), gastric (n=2), vaginal (n=2), appendix, cervix, head and neck, leiomyosarcoma, ovarian, peritoneal, and renal (n=1) cancers were enrolled. Pts with BRCA1/2 (n=12), PTEN (n=10), PIK3CA hotspot (n=6), ARID1A (n=4), CHEK2 (n=3), PALB2 (n=3), ATM (n=2), CDK12, CHEK1, MRE11A, RAD51C (n=1 each) mutations were enrolled. 10 pt tumors harbored &amp;gt;1 qualifying mutation. 17 (61%)/28 pts had ≥3 prior lines of therapy; 2 (7%)/28 had prior PARP inhibitors and 1 (4%)/28 had prior PI3K inhibitor. Common treatment-related toxicities included G1/2 mucositis (43%), nausea (43%), diarrhea (36%), anorexia (29%), fatigue (29%), maculo-papular rash (29%), hyperglycemia (25%), vomiting (25%); G3 transient hypertension (29%). Dose-limiting toxicities occurred in 3 (11%)/28 pts: 1 pt (G3 elevated transaminases) at Copa 45 mg (D1, D8 and D15) + Ola 200 mg BID, and 2 pts (G2 mucositis and maculo-papular rash, and G4 hyperglycemia) at Copa 60 mg (D1, D8, and D15) + Ola 300 mg BID. Of 22 pts evaluable for RECISTv1.1 criteria, 6 (27%)/22 pts achieved RECISTv1.1 partial responses (PR): 2 pts with BRCA1 mutation breast cancer; 1 pt with PIK3CA + PTEN + ARID1A mutation breast cancer; 1 pt with PTEN + PALB2 mutation breast cancer and prior PARP inhibitor exposure; 1 pt with BRCA2 mutation prostate cancer; 1 pt with BRCA2 + PTEN mutation prostate cancer. 8 (36%)/22 pts achieved RECISTv1.1 stable disease (SD); 2 (25%)/8 pts had SD≥6 months, including a pt with CA125 response (&amp;gt;50% reduction). Clinical benefit rate (SD≥6 months + PR) was 36%. Responses were deep (up to -100%) and durable (up to 37+ months). Based on these data, the RP2D was established at Copa 60 mg D1 and D15 + Ola 300 mg BID. Conclusion: Copa + Ola was safe and well-tolerated with clinical benefit observed in 36% of pts with advanced cancers with PIK3CA hotspot, PTEN and/or DDR mutations. Translational analyses are ongoing. Citation Format: Timothy A. Yap, Ecaterina E. Dumbrava, Jordi Rodon Ahnert, Apostolia M. Tsimberidou, David Hong, Sarina A. Piha-Paul, Daniel D. Karp, Siqing Fu, Aung Naing, Paula Pohlmann, Jessica R. Rhudy, Sheila B. Berenji-Jalaei, Ashley A. Cole, Christian Valladolid, Desirae Dufner, Bruno B. Bockorny, Andrea Bullock, Daniel Fein, Elizabeth Buchbinder, Atish Choudhury, Candace Haddox, Elizabeth Lee, Gerburg Wulf, Percy Ivy, Rabih Said, Geoffrey Shapiro, Funda Meric-Bernstam. NCI10217: Phase Ib biomarker-driven tumor-agnostic combination (Combo) trial of copanlisib (Copa) and olaparib (Ola) in molecularly-selected patients (pts) with advanced cancers with PIK3CA hotspot, PTEN and DNA damage response (DDR) mutations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(7_Suppl):Abstract nr CT042.

Abstract 5559: The anti-tumor efficacy and immune effects of combining of ceralasertib, an oral ATR kinase inhibitor, with imipridones, in prostate cancer treatment in vitro and in vivo

Abstract Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. There is an estimated 10% to 50% of cases progress to metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) state within 3 years of diagnosis. mCPRC remains lethal despite therapeutic advances. There is approximately 20% of mCRPC patients present somatic DNA damage repair (DDR) gene mutations. Ceralasertib, formerly known as AZD6738, is a potent and selective orally bioavailable inhibitor of the ataxia tenlangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase, which is involved in DNA repair in response to DNA damage and replication stress. Preclinical studies have demonstrated ATRi sensitizing alterations in DNA damage response (DDR) genes. Ceralasertib’s antitumor activity as a monotherapy in treating prostate cancer is moderate. Thus, we combined ceralasertib with imipridones (ONC201 and ONC206), which target mitochondrial caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) and the integrated stress response, resulting in enhanced antitumor efficacy in vitro. Prior data have demonstrated sensitivity of 4 prostate cancer lines to ceralasertib and imipridones monotherapies, synergistic activities with the combination treatments, and immune enhancement effects with the combination treatments when co-cultured with NK92MI cell line. We proceeded to a short term in-vivo study validating the combination treatment efficacy. Preliminary results include cytokine profiling using the Luminex 200 technology to understand treatment induced changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME) from both in vitro and in vivo studies. Our results guide novel clinical trials for effective clinical responses in mCPRC patients. Citation Format: Yutong Linda Xia, Leiqing Zhang, Maryam Ghandali, Maximilian P. Schwermann, Wafik El-Deiry. The anti-tumor efficacy and immune effects of combining of ceralasertib, an oral ATR kinase inhibitor, with imipridones, in prostate cancer treatment in vitro and in vivo [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 5559.

Phase II study of nivolumab in patients with genetic alterations in DNA damage repair and response who progressed after standard treatment for metastatic solid cancers (KM-06)

BackgroundImmune-modulating antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) have demonstrated promising antitumor efficacy in various types of cancers, especially highly mutated ones. Genetic alterations in DNA damage...

DNA damage response alterations in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: clinical, molecular, and prognostic implications

BackgroundDNA damage repair (DDR) pathways modulate cancer risk, progression, and therapeutic responses. Nonetheless, the characteristics and significance of DDR alterations in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain undefined. This study aimed to explore the predictive role, molecular mechanism, and tumor immune profile of DDR genes in ccRCC.MethodsWe prospectively sequenced 757 tumors and matched blood DNA samples from Chinese patients with ccRCC using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and analyzed data from 537 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). A comprehensive analysis was performed.ResultsFifty-two percent of Chinese patients with ccRCC harbored DDR gene mutations and 57% of TCGA patients. The immunotherapy treatment prognosis of patients with DDR gene mutations was superior to that of patients without DDR gene mutations (p = 0.047). DDR gene mutations were associated with more gene mutations and a higher tumor mutation load (TMB, p < 0.001). Moreover, patients with DDR gene mutations have a distinct mutational signature compared with those with wild-type DDR. Furthermore, the DDR-mut group had elevated neoantigen load (including single-nucleotide variants (SNV) and indel neoantigen load, p = 0.037 and p = 0.002, respectively), TCR Shannon (p = 0.025), and neutrophils (p = 0.010). DDR gene mutations exhibited a distinct immune profile with significantly higher expression levels of TNFSF9, CD70, ICAM1, and indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and lower expression levels of VTCN1 and IL12A.ConclusionsOur data suggest that the detection of somatic mutations in DDR genes can predict the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with ccRCC. Furthermore, we revealed the unique molecular and immune mechanisms underlying ccRCC with DDR gene mutations.

Abstract PR008: Elucidating the mechanistic role of the MRE11-NDRG1 interaction in DNA repair and chemoresistance

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease with limited treatment options. PDAC patients are commonly treated with chemotherapeutic drugs to induce DNA damage in rapidly dividing tumor cells, however tumors frequently develop resistance to chemotherapies, underscoring the need for more effective therapeutic strategies. The DNA damage response (DDR) is required for detecting and repairing chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, and DDR alterations have been shown to contribute to chemoresistance. Another key factor driving chemoresistance in PDAC is the dense stroma, which is composed of a variety of non-tumor cell types including cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs). We have recently identified a novel CAF-induced resistance mechanism involving NDRG1 (N-myc downstream regulated gene 1), a protein that plays a role in stress responses. CAF-induced signaling cascade results in the phosphorylation of NDRG1 and NDRG1-dependent DNA repair and protection from chemotherapies in pancreatic cancer cells. Specifically, inhibition of SGK1-mediated phosphorylation of NDRG1 and NDRG1 knockout both resulted in increased chemotherapy-induced DNA damage assessed via comet assay, and decreased replication fork speed and recovery after fork stalling assessed via DNA fiber spreading assay. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism of NDRG1-mediated DNA repair and replication, we performed a BioID screen to identify binding partners of NDRG1 and we have identified meiotic recombination 11 (MRE11), a nuclease involved in critical DNA repair pathways, as a novel binding partner of NDRG1. We have found that the interaction between MRE11 and NDRG1 is enriched during late S/early G2 cell cycle phases and under hydroxyurea-induced replication stress. Furthermore, we have found that the interaction is weakened when SGK1-mediated phosphorylation is inhibited. Interestingly, using the fork protection fiber spreading assay, we have found that blocking SGK1-mediated NDRG1 phosphorylation and blocking MRE11 exonuclease activity using mirin both result in increased protection of nascent DNA at stalled forks. However, in NDRG1 knockout cells, treatment with mirin leads to decreased protection of nascent DNA, suggesting that NDRG1 and MRE11 may be acting in the same pathway and that NDRG1 is required for MRE11’s activity at stalled forks. In summary, our work has uncovered a novel protein interaction that may play a key role in pancreatic cancer chemoresistance due to its role in the processing of stalled replication forks. Citation Format: Hanna M Doh, Nina Kozlova, Taru Muranen. Elucidating the mechanistic role of the MRE11-NDRG1 interaction in DNA repair and chemoresistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: DNA Damage Repair: From Basic Science to Future Clinical Application; 2024 Jan 9-11; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PR008.

Comprehensive molecular findings in primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus: A multicenter study.

Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) is an extremely rare but highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Due to the scarcity of driver gene alterations, there is a need for more clinical data to comprehensively depict its molecular alterations. This study reviewed 26 PMME cases from three medical centers. Hybrid capture-based targeted sequencing of 295 and 1021 genes was performed in 14 and 12 cases, respectively. We found that PMME patients had a relatively low tumor mutation burden (median, 2.88 mutations per Mb) and were simultaneously accompanied by mutations in genes such as KIT (6/26, 23%), TP53 (6/26, 23%), SF3B1 (4/26, 15%), and NRAS (3/26, 12%). KIT, NRAS, and BRAF were mutually exclusive, and SF3B1 co-occurred with KIT mutation and amplification. The most common pathways affected were the mitogen-activated protein kinases and DNA damage response (DDR) pathways. Stage IV was a risk factor for both progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 5.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.32-19.91) and overall survival (OS), HR = 4.33, 95% CI = 1.22-15.30). Treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) was an independent factor for favorable OS (HR = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.01-0.91). Overall, PMME is a complex malignancy with diverse gene alterations, especially with harboring DDR alterations for potentially response from ICIs.

Comprehensive genomic profiling of small bowel adenocarcinoma by tissue and plasma biopsy

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. The molecular landscape and immunological characteristics of SBA are poorly understood. Here, we performed comprehensive mutation profiling of tissue and plasma biopsies from 143 and 42 patients with SBA. Analysis showed that SBA had a distinct mutation spectrum from left- and right-sided colorectal carcinoma. Plasma biopsy had high concordance with tissue biopsy for single nucleotide variants and structural variants, but low concordance for copy number variations, which showed that plasma biopsy can be an alternative to tissue biopsy. Moreover, we analyzed the association of TMB with clinical and molecular features, and found that TMB was significantly higher in tumors with DNA damage response alterations. Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular and immunological features of SBA and demonstrate the potential of plasma biopsy as a non-invasive method for SBA diagnosis and treatment.

Abstract B045: Ataxia telangiectasia- and Rad3-related kinase inhibitor (ATRi) camonsertib in combination with low dose gemcitabine in patients with solid tumors with DNA damage response (DDR) aberrations: Preclinical and Phase 1b results

Abstract Background: Antitumor activity and good tolerability of camonsertib (cam) monotherapy in patients (pts) with recurrent solid tumors was previously reported. Preclinical data showed that cam-related tumor cell death is potentiated by the replication stress-inducing agent gemcitabine (gem) even at low doses, resulting in synergistic combination activity. We evaluated safety/tolerability and efficacy of cam+gem in this Ph1b trial (TRESR; NCT04497116). Methods: A tumor xenograft (Granta-519; ATM loss of function) was tested with a range of cam+gem doses. Pts &amp;gt;18yr, ECOG 0-1, with advanced solid tumors with deleterious DDR alterations were enrolled. Cam (80-120mg) + de-escalating gem doses (1000-100mg/m2) were given over 21- or 28-day (d) cycles (cam d1-2/3 and d8-9/10 or d15-16/17; gem d1 and d8 or d15). Dose decisions followed BOIN methodology. Endpoints were safety/tolerability, recommended Ph2 dose (RP2D), response rate (RECIST v1.1, CA-125 [GCIG], or PSA [PCWG3]), clinical benefit rate (CBR; response or treatment [Tx] duration ≥16 weeks [w] without progression), ctDNA molecular response rate (MRR; best reduction in mean variant allele frequency ≥50%), and cam PK. Replication stress markers were analyzed in surrogate normal tissue. Results: In a tumor xenograft model, low doses of cam (1/3 of maximum tolerated dose [MTD]) and gem (1/20 of MTD) resulted in tumor regression not observed in single agent arms, with good tolerability. As of May 2023, 54 pts were treated with cam+gem in TRESR (ovarian [n=19], pancreatic [n=8], breast [n=6], other [n=21] tumors); enrollment genes included ATM (n=12), BRCA1 (n=18), BRCA2 (n=16), other (n=8). No drug-drug interactions were noted. RECIST v1.1 or CA-125 responses were observed in 5 pts (40 evaluable): 3 cPR, 1 uPR in pts with ovarian (n=2; 1 ATM, 1 BRCA1), endometrial (gPALB2), and breast (gBRCA1) cancers; 1 CA-125 response in a pt (ovarian/gBRCA1) with SD (on Tx 21w+). Four additional pts (uterine carcinosarcoma, ovarian, liver, lung) with SD were on Tx ≥6 months. CBR was 42.4% (14/33) in evaluable pts and 66.7% (8/12) in pts with gynecological cancers. MRR was 58% (7/12) in evaluable pts. Myelotoxicity, the most frequent Tx-related toxicity, improved with decreasing gem doses. Responses were maintained in the 3 pts with cPR following reductions to ≤200mg/m2 gem; the pts with the uPR and CA-125 responses started Tx at 200 and 100mg/m2 gem, respectively. Preliminary RP2D is 80mg cam (50% of monotherapy RP2D) + 400mg/m2 gem, 28d cycle (1w on/1w off). Related Grade 3+ neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia occurred in 44%, 11%, and 0% pts, respectively (n=9). Importantly, neutrophil nadir occurred in the 1w off Tx with quick rebound, alleviating the need for dose modifications. Conclusion: The synergy of low doses of cam+gem, demonstrated in preclinical studies, was confirmed in the clinical setting. A safe and tolerable dose and schedule of the combination was identified. The antitumor efficacy supports further development in pts with gynecological cancers; evaluation at RP2D is ongoing. Citation Format: Ezra Rosen, Timothy A Yap, Elisa Fontana, Elizabeth K Lee, Devalingam Mahalingam, Martin Højgaard, Niharika B Mettu, Gregory M Cote, Ruth Plummer, Ian M Silverman, Joseph D Schonhoft, Emeline Bacque, Adrian J Fretland, Gabriela Gomez, Danielle Ulanet, Kezhen Fei, Julia Yang, Maria Koehler, Anne Roulston, Li Li, Michal Zimmermann, Benedito A Carneiro, Stephanie Lheureux. Ataxia telangiectasia- and Rad3-related kinase inhibitor (ATRi) camonsertib in combination with low dose gemcitabine in patients with solid tumors with DNA damage response (DDR) aberrations: Preclinical and Phase 1b results [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2023 Oct 11-15; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B045.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) from Older HSCs Is Resistant to Chemotherapy and Has an Altered DNA Damage Response

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy that leads to the accumulation of immature myeloid precursors, resulting in progressive marrow failure and death. AML arises from the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC), either directly or through an early myeloid precursor. HSCs must survive for the entire human lifespan to provide the 200+ billion blood cells that are produced daily. They are subjected to the entirety of the aging process. Further, while AML is diagnosed in every age range, it disproportionately affects older patients, with a median age at diagnosis of 68. Older age, typically defined as 60 years of age or older, is a powerful, poor prognostic factor. Clinical trials show an estimated 5-year survival of less than 10% in these patients. Ten-year survival is even worse with one study estimating 2.4% of patients over 60 years of age alive at ten years when treated with chemotherapy. Importantly, this poor outcome is the result of disease that is significantly more resistant to therapy. Even though this clinical data is well known the underlying mechanisms of therapy resistance in older AML are unknown. To address this, we generated genetically identical AML cells from fetal, 12-week-old (Young) or 24-month-old (Old) murine HSCs. Retroviral vectors were used to express the oncogenic MLL-ENL fusion protein and NRas G12D. AML was confirmed by morphology, immunophenotype and all AML cells were lethal when injected into syngeneic recipients. Old AML cells demonstrated reduced autophagy, decreased NAD levels and impaired mitochondria consistent with a significant effect of biological aging. When treated with DNA damaging chemotherapy, Old AML cells were significantly more resistant than either Young or Fetal cells to both cytarabine and the anthracycline doxorubicin. To examine the DNA damage response AML cells were treated with doxorubicin and stained for the early DNA damage marker gH2AX. Old AML cells generated significantly more gH2AX than either Fetal or Young AML cells (Figure 1). We next examined the induction of p53 in response to treatment and in contrast to the gH2AX results Old AML cells induced the least amount of p53 in response to doxorubicin treatment (Figure 2). This data demonstrates that Old AML cells were more adept at recognizing DNA damage but least likely to induce p53 in response to it suggesting a difference in DNA repair. To better understand these differences RNA sequencing was performed and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified. When Fetal and Young AML cells were compared, no DEGs reached the false discovery threshold for significance, demonstrating that Fetal and Young AMLs have highly similar gene expression profiles. In contrast, when Old AML cells were compared to either Young or Fetal cells, hundreds of highly significant DEGs were identified, and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that several DNA repair pathways were significantly upregulated in Old AML. These include base excision repair (FDR p= 8.60E-06), mismatch repair (FDR p=3.26E-05), and nucleotide excision repair (FDR p= 0.00043). To further validate these pathways, the Beat AML TCGA dataset was assessed for the prognostic effect of increased expression of key genes in these pathways. Patients with increased expression of these genes had a trend toward worse survival (p=0.07) consistent with these pathways being clinically relevant. These data suggest that AML arising in older patients may overexpress DNA damage repair pathways leading to chemotherapy resistance and poor outcomes. Additional work on ways to increase sensitivity to Old AML cells is in progress.

DNA Damage Response and Mismatch Repair Gene Defects in Advanced and Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

Alterations in DNA damage response (DDR) and related genes are present in up to 25% of advanced prostate cancers (PCa). Most frequently altered genes are involved in the homologous recombination repair, the Fanconi anemia, and the mismatch repair pathways, and their deficiencies lead to a highly heterogeneous spectrum of DDR-deficient phenotypes. More than half of these alterations concern non- BRCA DDR genes. From a therapeutic perspective, poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors have demonstrated robust clinical efficacy in tumors with BRCA2 and BRCA1 alterations. Mismatch repair-deficient PCa, and a subset of CDK12-deficient PCa, are vulnerable to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Emerging data point to the efficacy of ATR inhibitors in PCa with ATM deficiencies. Still, therapeutic implications are insufficiently clarified for most of the non- BRCA DDR alterations, and no successful targeted treatment options have been established.

Effect of ubiquitin protease system on DNA damage response in prostate cancer (Review).

Genomic instability is an essential hallmark of cancer, and cellular DNA damage response (DDR) defects drive tumorigenesis by disrupting genomic stability. Several studies have identified abnormalities in DDR-associated genes, and a dysfunctional ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the most common molecular event in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa). For example, mutations in Speckle-type BTB/POZ protein-Ser119 result in DDR downstream target activation deficiency. Skp2 excessive upregulation inhibits homologous recombination repair and promotes cell growth and migration. Abnormally high expression of a deubiquitination enzyme, ubiquitin-specific protease 12, stabilizes E3 ligase MDM2, which further leads to p53 degradation, causing DDR interruption and genomic instability. In the present review, the basic pathways of DDR, UPS dysfunction, and its induced DDR alterations mediated by genomic instability, and especially the potential application of UPS and DDR alterations as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in PCa treatment, were described.

MmuPV1 E6 induces cell proliferation and other hallmarks of cancer.

The E6 protein encoded by the murine papillomavirus (MmuPV1) is essential for MmuPV1-induced skin disease. Our previous work has identified a number of cellular interacting partners of MmuPV1 E6 and E7 through affinity purification/mass spectrometry analysis. These studies revealed that MmuPV1 E6 potently inhibits keratinocyte differentiation through multiple molecular mechanisms including inhibition of NOTCH and TGF-β signaling. Here, we report that MmuPV1 E6 has additional important oncogenic activities when expressed in its natural host cells, mouse keratinocytes, including increasing proliferation, overcoming density-mediated growth arrest, and proliferation under conditions of limited supply of growth factors. Unbiased proteomic/transcriptomic analyses of mouse keratinocytes expressing MmuPV1 E6 substantiated its effect on these cellular processes and divulged that some of these effects may be mediated in part through it upregulating E2F activity. Our analyses also revealed that MmuPV1 E6 may alter other cancer hallmarks including evasion of growth suppressors, inhibition of immune response, resistance to cell death, and alterations in DNA damage response. Collectively, our results suggest that MmuPV1 E6 is a major driver of multiple hallmarks of cancer in MmuPV1's natural host cells, mouse keratinocytes.IMPORTANCEThe Mus musculus papillomavirus 1 (MmuPV1) E6 and E7 proteins are required for MmuPV1-induced disease. Our understanding of the activities of MmuPV1 E6 has been based on affinity purification/mass spectrometry studies where cellular interacting partners of MmuPV1 E6 were identified, and these studies revealed that MmuPV1 E6 can inhibit keratinocyte differentiation through multiple mechanisms. We report that MmuPV1 E6 encodes additional activities including the induction of proliferation, resistance to density-mediated growth arrest, and decreased dependence on exogenous growth factors. Proteomic and transcriptomic analyses provided evidence that MmuPV1 E6 increases the expression and steady state levels of a number of cellular proteins that promote cellular proliferation and other hallmarks of cancer. These results indicate that MmuPV1 E6 is a major driver of MmuPV1-induced pathogenesis.

AZD-7648, a DNA-PK Inhibitor, Induces DNA Damage, Apoptosis, and Cell Cycle Arrest in Chronic and Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

The non-homologous end joining pathway is vital for repairing DNA double-strand breaks (DSB), with DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) playing a critical role. Altered DNA damage response (DDR) in chronic (CML) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) offers potential therapeutic opportunities. We studied the therapeutic potential of AZD-7648 (DNA-PK inhibitor) in CML and AML cell lines. This study used two CML (K-562 and LAMA-84) and five AML (HEL, HL-60, KG-1, NB-4, and THP-1) cell lines. DDR gene mutations were obtained from the COSMIC database. The copy number and methylation profile were evaluated using MS-MLPA and DDR genes, and telomere length using qPCR. p53 protein expression was assessed using Western Blot, chromosomal damage through cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay, and γH2AX levels and DSB repair kinetics using flow cytometry. Cell density and viability were analyzed using trypan blue assay after treatment with AZD-7648 in concentrations ranging from 10 to 200 µM. Cell death, cell cycle distribution, and cell proliferation rate were assessed using flow cytometry. The cells displayed different DNA baseline damage, DDR gene expressions, mutations, genetic/epigenetic changes, and p53 expression. Only HEL cells displayed inefficient DSB repair. The LAMA-84, HEL, and KG-1 cells were the most sensitive to AZD-7648, whereas HL-60 and K-562 showed a lower effect on density and viability. Besides the reduction in cell proliferation, AZD-7648 induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and DNA damage. In conclusion, these results suggest that AZD-7648 holds promise as a potential therapy for myeloid leukemias, however, with variations in drug sensitivity among tested cell lines, thus supporting further investigation to identify the specific factors influencing sensitivity to this DNA-PK inhibitor.

Clinical significance of DNA damage response mutations in stage I and stage IIIa NSCLC.

DNA damage response (DDR) pathways are essential to sustain genomic stability and play a critical role in cancer development and progression. Here, we investigated the profile of DDR gene mutations in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and their prognostic values. We first examined 74 DDR genes involved in seven DDR pathways and then focused on six specific genes: ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK1, BARD1, and BRIP1. A total of 179 stage I and IIIa NSCLC patients who received curative resection in Peking Union Medical College Hospital and their corresponding samples were collected for DNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry and survival analysis. A total of 167 eligible patients were finally analyzed. Mutation frequencies were 82% and 26.3% for the selected 74 genes and six genes, respectively. Mismatch repair (MMR) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) alterations were observed more frequently in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and smokers were more likely to develop the selected six DDR gene mutations than those who never smoked. Deleterious mutations in the six genes were independent prognostic indicators of significantly longer disease-free survival and overall survival. No association was found between DDR gene status and PD-L1 expression, CD8 positive lymphocyte and tumor-associated macrophage infiltration in tumor area. However, numbers of mutations were significantly increased among patients with DDR alterations. Deleterious mutations of these six genes were common in resected NSCLC and could serve as prognostic biomarkers.

BRCA-deficient metastatic prostate cancer has an adverse prognosis and distinct genomic phenotype

Genomic alterations in DNA damage response (DDR) genes are common in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Understanding how these genomic events impact prognosis and/or treatment response is vital for optimising clinical outcomes. Targeted sequencing was performed on 407 plasma samples from 375 men with mCRPC. Using the CLIA-certified PredicineCARE™ cell-free DNA (cfDNA) assay, pathogenic alterations in 152 key genes (including 27 DDR-related genes) were assessed, as was the presence and mechanisms of biallelic loss in BRCA2. At least one DDR alteration was present in 34.5% (129/375) of patients (including monoallelic alterations). The most frequently altered DDR genes were BRCA2 (19%), ATM (13%), FANCA (5%), CHEK2 (5%) and BRCA1 (3%). Patients with BRCA alterations, especially BRCA2, had significantly worse progression-free survival (PFS) (Hazard ratio (HR) 3.3 [95% CI 1.9-6.0]; Cox regression p<0.001), overall survival (HR 2.2 [95% CI 1.1-4.5]; Cox regression p=0.02) and PSA response rates to androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitors (32% vs 60%, chi-square p=0.02). BRCA-deficient tumours were also enriched for alterations within multiple genes including in the AR and PI3K pathways. Zygosity of BRCA2 alterations had no discernible impact on clinical outcomes, with similarly poor PFS for monoallelic vs biallelic loss (median 3.9 months vs 3.4 months vs copy neutral 9.8 months). These data emphasise that the BRCA genes, in particular BRCA2, are key prognostic biomarkers in mCRPC. The clinical utility of BRCA2 as a marker of poor outcomes may, at least in cfDNA assays, be independent of the zygosity state detected. Enrichment of actionable genomic alterations in cfDNA from BRCA-deficient mCRPC may support rational co-targeting strategies in future clinical trials. Several funding sources have supported this study. A full list is provided in the Acknowledgments. No funding was received from Predicine, Inc. during the conduct of the study.

Impact of DNA damage repair alterations on prostate cancer progression and metastasis.

Prostate cancer is among the most common diseases worldwide. Despite recent progress with treatments, patients with advanced prostate cancer have poor outcomes and there is a high unmet need in this population. Understanding molecular determinants underlying prostate cancer and the aggressive phenotype of disease can help with design of better clinical trials and improve treatments for these patients. One of the pathways often altered in advanced prostate cancer is DNA damage response (DDR), including alterations in BRCA1/2 and other homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes. Alterations in the DDR pathway are particularly prevalent in metastatic prostate cancer. In this review, we summarise the prevalence of DDR alterations in primary and advanced prostate cancer and discuss the impact of alterations in the DDR pathway on aggressive disease phenotype, prognosis and the association of germline pathogenic alterations in DDR genes with risk of developing prostate cancer.

High-LET-Radiation-Induced Persistent DNA Damage Response Signaling and Gastrointestinal Cancer Development.

Ionizing radiation (IR) dose, dose rate, and linear energy transfer (LET) determine cellular DNA damage quality and quantity. High-LET heavy ions are prevalent in the deep space environment and can deposit a much greater fraction of total energy in a shorter distance within a cell, causing extensive DNA damage relative to the same dose of low-LET photon radiation. Based on the DNA damage tolerance of a cell, cellular responses are initiated for recovery, cell death, senescence, or proliferation, which are determined through a concerted action of signaling networks classified as DNA damage response (DDR) signaling. The IR-induced DDR initiates cell cycle arrest to repair damaged DNA. When DNA damage is beyond the cellular repair capacity, the DDR for cell death is initiated. An alternative DDR-associated anti-proliferative pathway is the onset of cellular senescence with persistent cell cycle arrest, which is primarily a defense mechanism against oncogenesis. Ongoing DNA damage accumulation below the cell death threshold but above the senescence threshold, along with persistent SASP signaling after chronic exposure to space radiation, pose an increased risk of tumorigenesis in the proliferative gastrointestinal (GI) epithelium, where a subset of IR-induced senescent cells can acquire a senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and potentially drive oncogenic signaling in nearby bystander cells. Moreover, DDR alterations could result in both somatic gene mutations as well as activation of the pro-inflammatory, pro-oncogenic SASP signaling known to accelerate adenoma-to-carcinoma progression during radiation-induced GI cancer development. In this review, we describe the complex interplay between persistent DNA damage, DDR, cellular senescence, and SASP-associated pro-inflammatory oncogenic signaling in the context of GI carcinogenesis.