Shu S, Wu HJ, Ge JY, Zeid R, Harris IS, Jovanovic B, Murphy K, Wang B, Qiu X, Endress JE, Reyes J, Lim K, Font-Tello A, Syamala S, Xiao T, Reddy Chilamakuri CS, Papachristou EK, D'Santos C, Anand J, Hinohara K, Li W, McDonald TO, Luoma A, Modiste RJ, Nguyen QD, Michel B, Cejas P, Kadoch C, Jaffe JD, Wucherpfennig KW, Qi J, Liu XS, Long H, Brown M, Carroll JS, Brugge JS, Bradner J, Michor F, Polyak K. Synthetic Lethal and Resistance Interactions with BET Bromodomain Inhibitors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Mol Cell. 2020 May 07.

Citation

Shu S, Wu HJ, Ge JY, Zeid R, Harris IS, Jovanović B, Murphy K, Wang B, Qiu X, Endress JE, Reyes J, Lim K, Font-Tello A, Syamala S, Xiao T, Reddy Chilamakuri CS, Papachristou EK, D'Santos C, Anand J, Hinohara K, Li W, McDonald TO, Luoma A, Modiste RJ, Nguyen QD, Michel B, Cejas P, Kadoch C, Jaffe JD, Wucherpfennig KW, Qi J, Liu XS, Long H, Brown M, Carroll JS, Brugge JS, Bradner J, Michor F, Polyak K. 2020. Synthetic Lethal and Resistance Interactions with BET Bromodomain Inhibitors in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Molecular cell. 78(6):1096-1113.e8. Pubmed: 32416067 DOI:S1097-2765(20)30269-0

Abstract

BET bromodomain inhibitors (BBDIs) are candidate therapeutic agents for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and other cancer types, but inherent and acquired resistance to BBDIs limits their potential clinical use. Using CRISPR and small-molecule inhibitor screens combined with comprehensive molecular profiling of BBDI response and resistance, we identified synthetic lethal interactions with BBDIs and genes that, when deleted, confer resistance. We observed synergy with regulators of cell cycle progression, YAP, AXL, and SRC signaling, and chemotherapeutic agents. We also uncovered functional similarities and differences among BRD2, BRD4, and BRD7. Although deletion of BRD2 enhances sensitivity to BBDIs, BRD7 loss leads to gain of TEAD-YAP chromatin binding and luminal features associated with BBDI resistance. Single-cell RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and cellular barcoding analysis of BBDI responses in sensitive and resistant cell lines highlight significant heterogeneity among samples and demonstrate that BBDI resistance can be pre-existing or acquired.

Related Faculty

Franziska Michor, Ph.D.

Michor Lab

Franziska Michor uses the tools of theoretical evolutionary biology, applied mathematics, statistics, and computational biology to address important questions in cancer research.