DNA-PK inhibitor peposertib enhances p53-dependent cytotoxicity of DNA double-strand break inducing therapy in acute leukemia
Abstract
Peposertib (M3814) is really a potent and selective DNA-PK inhibitor at the begining of clinical development. It effectively blocks non-homologous finish-joining repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) and strongly potentiates the antitumor aftereffect of ionizing radiation (IR) and topoisomerase II inhibitors. By suppressing DNA-PK catalytic activity in the existence of DNA DSB, M3814 potentiates ATM/p53 signaling resulting in enhanced p53-dependent antitumor activity in tumor cells. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of M3814 in conjunction with DSB-inducing agents in leukemia cells along with a patient-derived tumor. We reveal that in the existence of IR or topoisomerase II inhibitors, M3814 enhances the ATM/p53 response in acute leukemia cells resulting in the elevation of p53 protein levels along with its transcriptional activity. M3814 synergistically sensitized p53 wild-type, although not p53-deficient, AML cells to killing by DSB-inducing agents via p53-dependent apoptosis involving both intrinsic and extrinsic effector pathways. The antileukemic effect was further potentiated by enhancing daunorubicin-caused myeloid cell differentiation. Further, combined with fixed-ratio liposomal formulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine, CPX-351, M3814 enhanced the effectiveness against leukemia cells in vitro as well as in vivo without growing hematopoietic toxicity, suggesting that DNA-PK inhibition could provide a novel clinical technique for harnessing the anticancer potential of p53 in AML M3814 therapy.