Abstract 1463: Efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) and Aurora B kinase inhibitor
Authors: Krex Dietmar , Temme Achim , Schneiderman Rosa S , Zeevi Einav , Gotlib Karnit , Voloshin Tali , Giladi Moshe , Kinzel Adrian , Kirson Eilon D , Weinberg Uri , Plati Yoram 
Published: August 2018

Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are an effective antineoplastic treatment modality delivered via noninvasive application of low-intensity, intermediate-frequency, alternating electric fields. TTFields is approved for the treatment of both newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma. A promising approach to enhance the efficiency of TTFields is the use of drugs that extend metaphase-anaphase transition and telophase. Specifically, inhibitors or drugs interfering with components of the chromosomal passenger complex, in particular affecting Aurora B kinase, are potential candidates for combinatorial use with TTFields. The goal of the present study is to test the hypothesis that TTFields effect on tumor cells can be exaggerated by an additional inhibition of cytokinesis through chemical inhibition of Aurora B kinase. Efficacy of the combined treatment of TTFields and Aurora B kinase inhibitors (AZD1152) was tested in 3 different glioma cell lines: U87-MG, U87-MGshP53 and U-251. TTFields (1.6 V/cm RMS, 200 kHz) were applied for 72 hours using the inovitro system. AZD1152 was added to the media in concentrations of up to 100 nmol/L. Cell counts, cell cycle and clonogenic potential were determined at the end of treatment. Formation of multinuclear cells was determined using microscopic images of cells stained with crystal violet. The combined treatment of TTFields and AZD1152 led to a significant reduction in the number of U251, U-87 MG and U-87 MGshP53 cells (2-way ANOVA, p&lt;0.001 in all three cell lines) as compared to each treatment alone. The overall effect taking into account not just the cytotoxic effect at the end of treatment, but also the clonogenic potential, demonstrated a significant reduction in U87-MG, U87-MGshP53 and U-251 cells (2-way ANOVA, p&lt;0.001 in all 3 cell lines) as compared to each treatment alone. Microscopy images of U87-MG and U87-MGshP53 cells stained with crystal violet after treatment revealed high prevalence of multinuclear cells in cells exposed to TTFields and AZD1152 (25nM) as compared to cells treated with AZD1152 (25nM) alone. Cells treated with TTFields and higher doses of AZD1152 (50-100nM) demonstrated increased rates of pyknosis. The results presented in this work demonstrate that the combination of TTFields and AZD1152 can be an effective treatment against glioma cells. Based on the above, there is a strong rationale to continue exploring the potential of combining TTFields and AZD1152 in the clinical settings.

Citation Format: Dietmar Krex, Achim Temme, Rosa S Schneiderman,, Einav Zeevi, Karnit Gotlib, Tali Voloshin, Moshe Giladi, Adrian Kinzel, Eilon D Kirson, Uri Weinberg, Yoram Plati. Efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) and Aurora B kinase inhibitor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1463.