Abstract 519: CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapies induce senescence with drug- and cell line-specific vulnerabilities in ERα+ breast cancer
Authors: Lena Batoon, Angelo J. Guilatco, Anna Detry, Xiyin Wang, Megan M. Weivoda, John R. Hawse
Journal: Cancer Research (2025)

Abstract Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive breast cancer accounts for up to 80% of cases. Despite advances in CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) and endocrine therapies, recurrence and late relapse remain significant challenges. Recurrence often arises from disseminated cancer cells that persist despite 5-10 years of systemic adjuvant treatment. While CDK4/6i and endocrine therapies induce prolonged growth arrest resembling senescence, they do not significantly kill cancer cells. Senescent/pseudo-senescent cancer cells are implicated in aggressive variant formation, recurrence, and metastasis. We explored eliminating breast cancer cells via senolysis while they are in therapy-induced senescent state to prevent their potential to escape, repopulate, or cause long-term adverse effects. Live-cell imaging of MCF7 and T47D cells treated with abemaciclib and endocrine therapies (endoxifen or estrogen deprivation to mimic aromatase inhibition) at clinically relevant concentrations for eight days demonstrated prolonged growth cessation and G1 cell cycle arrest even two weeks post-drug withdrawal. These cells displayed a senescence-like gene expression profile, with increased CDKN2B (p15), CDKN1A (p21), BCL2, reduced KI67, and increased TGFβ expression, a known Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP) factor linked to deep senescence. These results confirm effective senescence induction by various CDK4/6i and endocrine therapy combinations. Further analysis using established senescence markers (e.g., nuclear size, telomere-associated foci, satellite distension, and loss of nuclear HMGB1 and LaminB1) revealed unique senescence phenotypes across therapy combinations. Cell viability assays and live imaging of Caspase 3/7 activation demonstrated differential vulnerabilities of senescent/senescent-like ERα+ cancer cells (MCF7, T47D, UCD4, UCD12) to 13 senolytics (1 μM), including natural flavonoids and inhibitors targeting pro-survival factors, tyrosine kinases, and the Notch pathway. For example, MCF7 and UCD4 cells responded to MCL1i and RSL3, T47D to BCLXLi and RSL3, and UCD12 to BCLXLi and Navitoclax. Notably, senolytic cocktails (e.g., RSL3, GNF7, Venetoclax, Dasatinib) at reduced concentrations (0.25 μM each) effectively eliminated senescent/senescent-like ERα+ cancer cells across all cancer cell lines, achieving 100% elimination in T47D cells. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that despite variability in therapy-induced senescence, senolytic combinations effectively target senescent ERα+ cancer cells. This provides preliminary evidence for the potential integration of this strategy into standard breast cancer therapy with a goal to improve recurrence-free survival and increase the cure rates for ERα+ breast cancer patients. In vivo studies are underway to evaluate this strategy in preclinical models. Citation Format: Lena Batoon, Angelo J. Guilatco, Anna Detry, Xiyin Wang, Megan M. Weivoda, John R. Hawse. CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapies induce senescence with drug- and cell line-specific vulnerabilities in ERα+ breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 519.