Targeting the PI3K/mTOR Pathway Augments CHK1 Inhibitor-Induced Replication Stress and Antitumor Activity in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in industrialized countries and has limited treatment options. Targeting ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-related/cell-cycle checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1)-mediated S-phase and G-M-phase cell-cycle checkpoints has been a promising therapeutic strategy in HGSOC. To improve the efficacy of CHK1 inhibitor (CHK1i), we conducted a high-throughput drug combination screening in HGSOC cells.

Prexasertib, a cell cycle checkpoint kinases 1 and 2 inhibitor, increases toxicity of PARP inhibition by preventing Rad51 foci formation in wild type high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

PARP inhibitors (PARPi) have been effective in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), although clinical activity is limited against wild type HGSOC. The nearly universal loss of normal p53 regulation in HGSOCs causes dysfunction in the G1/S checkpoint, making tumor cells reliant on Chk1-mediated G2/M cell cycle arrest for DNA repair. Therefore, Chk1 is a reasonable target for a combination strategy with PARPi in treating wild type HGSOC.

Apoptosis is augmented in high-grade serous ovarian cancer by the combined inhibition of Bcl-2/Bcl-xL and PARP.

The aim of our study was to evaluate possible synergistic cytotoxic effects of the combination treatment with the BH3-mimetic ABT-263 and the PARP inhibitor BMN 673 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) cells using clinically achievable concentrations of each drug. In vitro cytotoxic effects of ABT-263 and BMN 673 were assessed by XTT assay in three HGSOC cell lines: OVCAR3, OVCAR8, and OV90 cells. Combination index values and synergy/antagonism volumes were used to determine synergy.