Preclinical validation of a novel therapeutic strategy for choroid plexus carcinoma

TitlePreclinical validation of a novel therapeutic strategy for choroid plexus carcinoma
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsMartin B, Garman T, Laramee M, Wang A, Zhang X, Beck E, Wilson K, Klumpp-Thomas C, McKnight C, Xu X, Hagen N, Holland D, Dahmane N, Thomas CJ, Souweidane M
JournalJ Control Release
Volume357
Pagination580-590
Date Published2023 May
ISSN1873-4995
KeywordsAnimals, Carcinoma, Child, Choroid Plexus Neoplasms, Humans, Mammals, Melphalan, Mice, Topotecan
Abstract

Choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC) is a rare infantile brain tumor with an aggressive clinical course that often leaves children with debilitating side effects due to aggressive and toxic chemotherapies. Development of novel therapeutical strategies for this disease have been extremely limited owing to the rarity of the disease and the paucity of biologically relevant substrates. We conducted the first high-throughput screen (HTS) on a human patient-derived CPC cell line (Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, CCHE-45) and identified 427 top hits highlighting key molecular targets in CPC. Furthermore, a combination screen with a wide variety of targets revealed multiple synergistic combinations that may pave the way for novel therapeutical strategies against CPC. Based on in vitro efficiency, central nervous system (CNS) penetrance ability and feasible translational potential, two combinations using a DNA alkylating or topoisomerase inhibitors in combination with an ataxia telangiectasia mutated and rad3 (ATR) inhibitor (topotecan/elimusertib and melphalan/elimusertib respectively) were validated in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacokinetic assays established increased brain penetrance with intra-arterial (IA) delivery over intra-venous (IV) delivery and demonstrated a higher CNS penetrance for the combination melphalan/elimusertib. The mechanisms of synergistic activity for melphalan/elimusertib were assessed through transcriptome analyses and showed dysregulation of key oncogenic pathways (e.g. MYC, mammalian target of rapamycin mTOR, p53) and activation of critical biological processes (e.g. DNA repair, apoptosis, hypoxia, interferon gamma). Importantly, IA administration of melphalan combined with elimusertib led to a significant increase in survival in a CPC genetic mouse model. In conclusion, this study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first that identifies multiple promising combinatorial therapeutics for CPC and emphasizes the potential of IA delivery for the treatment of CPC.

DOI10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.04.016
Alternate JournalJ Control Release
PubMed ID37054779
PubMed Central IDPMC10174050
Grant ListZ99 TR999999 / ImNIH / Intramural NIH HHS / United States
ZIA TR000047 / ImNIH / Intramural NIH HHS / United States