Targeting chromosomally unstable tumors with a selective KIF18A inhibitor.

Chromosome instability is a prevalent vulnerability of cancer cells that has yet to be fully exploited therapeutically. To identify genes uniquely essential to chromosomally unstable cells, we mined the Cancer Dependency Map for genes essential in tumor cells with high levels of copy number aberrations. We identify and validate KIF18A, a mitotic kinesin, as a vulnerability of chromosomally unstable cancer cells.

Anti-tumor immunity influences cancer cell reliance upon ATG7.

Macroautophagy (autophagy) is an essential cellular catabolic process required for survival under conditions of starvation. The role of autophagy in cancer is complex, context-dependent and at times contradictory, as it has been shown to inhibit, promote or be dispensable for tumor progression. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of the immune system to the reliance of tumors on autophagy by depleting autophagy-related 7 (ATG7) in murine tumor cells and grafting into immunocompetent versus immunodeficient hosts.

Cystine-glutamate antiporter xCT deficiency suppresses tumor growth while preserving antitumor immunity.

T cell-invigorating cancer immunotherapies have near-curative potential. However, their clinical benefit is currently limited, as only a fraction of patients respond, suggesting that these regimens may benefit from combination with tumor-targeting treatments. As oncogenic progression is accompanied by alterations in metabolic pathways, tumors often become heavily reliant on antioxidant machinery and may be susceptible to increases in oxidative stress.

Self-Digestion for Lifespan Extension: Enhanced Autophagy Delays Aging.

By systemically boosting autophagy with a knockin mutation that prevents binding of beclin 1 to BCL2, Fernández et al. (2018) demonstrate that enhanced autophagy prolongs lifespan in mammals.

Calcipotriol Targets LRP6 to Inhibit Wnt Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer.

Unlabelled: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy in need of more effective treatment approaches. One potential therapeutic target is Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which plays important roles in PDAC tumor initiation and progression. Among Wnt inhibitors with suitable in vivo biologic activity is vitamin D, which is known to antagonize Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colorectal cancer and have antitumor activity in PDAC.

The CREB-binding protein inhibitor ICG-001 suppresses pancreatic cancer growth.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal cancer due in part to a lack of highly robust cytotoxic or molecular-based therapies. Recent studies investigating ligand-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling have highlighted its importance in pancreatic cancer initiation and progression, as well as its potential as a therapeutic target in PDAC. The small-molecule ICG-001 binds cAMP-responsive element binding (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) to disrupt its interaction with β-catenin and inhibit CBP function as a coactivator of Wnt/β-catenin-mediated transcription.

HOXB7 promotes invasion and predicts survival in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: The homeobox gene HOXB7 is overexpressed across a range of cancers and promotes tumorigenesis through varying effects on proliferation, survival, invasion, and angiogenesis. Although published microarray data suggest HOXB7 is overexpressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its function in pancreatic cancer has not been studied.

Methods: HOXB7 message and protein levels were examined in PDAC cell lines and patient samples, as well as in normal pancreas.