Abstract 6280: CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediatated radiosensitization of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer
Authors: Pesch Andrea M. , Hirsh Nicole , Chandler Benjamin C. , Michmerhuizen Anna R. , Ritter Cassandra L. , Androsiglio Marlie , Wilder-Romans Kari , Liu Meilan , Gersch Christina L. , Larios Jose M. , Rae James M. , Speers Corey W. 
Published: September 2020

Purpose: Although cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors like palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib have improved progression free survival in patients with metastatic, estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, acquired resistance to these drugs limits their efficacy. Despite promising new studies defining the utility of CDK4/6 inhibitors in the upfront, non-metastatic setting, there is limited data available on the effects of concurrent CDK4/6 inhibition and radiation (RT).

Methods: Transcriptomic and proteomic expression data was used to quantify changes in RNA and protein expression in ER+ breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T47D) after short term (16 hour) CDK4/6 inhibition. Proliferation assays were used to determine the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of palbociclib, ribociclib, and abemaciclib. Clonogenic survival assays were performed to calculate the radiation enhancement ratio (rER) and the surviving fraction at 2 Gy for each treatment. Homologous recombination (HR) proficiency was assessed using RAD51 and γH2AX foci formation and a pYFP reporter was used to assess non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) efficiency. Western blots were used to quantify protein expression. MCF-7 xenografts were used to study the efficacy of combination (palbociclib + RT) therapy in vivo. MCF-7 and T47D cell lines with acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition (IC50 &gt;1uM) were used for comparison in all assays.

Results: Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified changes in expression of DNA damage response mediators and cell cycle machinery with short term CDK4/6 inhibition. Palbociclib significantly radiosensitized ER+ cell lines at concentrations at or below the IC50 value in clonogenic survival assays (MCF-7 rER: 1.22-1.52, T47D rER: 1.23-1.50) and led to a decrease in the surviving fraction of cells at 2 Gy (p &lt; 0.001). Similar results were observed in ribociclib- (rER: 1.08 - 1.68) and abemaciclib-treated (rER: 1.19 - 2.05) cells. MCF-7 and T47D cells treated with CDK4/6 inhibition and RT showed a decrease in RAD51 foci formation, suggesting a decrease in HR efficiency (p &lt; 0.001). However, CDK4/6 inhibition did not affect NHEJ efficiency (p &gt; 0.05). CDK4/6 inhibition + RT led to a decrease in expression of protein expression of HR meditators like p-CHK1 but did not affect phosphorylation of NHEJ proteins like pKu80/pKu70. Cells with acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition did not demonstrate radiosensitization (MCF-7 rER: 0.93 - 1.03, T47D rER: 0.96 - 1.11) or changes in RAD51 foci formation with combination treatment.

Conclusions: Our data suggests that CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediated radiosensitization may be effective in ER+ breast cancers prior to the development of CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance. These studies provide preclinical rationale to test CDK4/6 inhibition + RT in women with locally-advanced ER+ breast cancer at high risk for locoregional recurrence.

Citation Format: Andrea M. Pesch, Nicole Hirsh, Benjamin C. Chandler, Anna R. Michmerhuizen, Cassandra L. Ritter, Marlie Androsiglio, Kari Wilder-Romans, Meilan Liu, Christina L. Gersch, Jose M. Larios, James M. Rae, Corey W. Speers. CDK4/6 inhibitor-mediatated radiosensitization of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6280.