ORCID
- Hanemann, Oliver: 0000-0002-1951-1025
Abstract
Meningioma is the most common primary intracranial tumour, and surgical resection is the main therapeutic option. Merlin is a tumour suppressor protein that is frequently mutated in meningioma. The activity of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, CRL4-DCAF1, and the Raf/MEK/ERK scaffold protein Kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1) are upregulated in Merlin-deficient tumours, which drives tumour growth. Identifying small molecules that inhibit these key pathways may provide an effective treatment option for patients with meningioma. We used meningioma tissue and primary cells derived from meningioma tumours to investigate the expression of DDB1 and Cullin 4-associated factor 1 (DCAF1) and KSR1, and confirmed these proteins were overexpressed. We then used primary cells to assess the therapeutic potential of MLN3651, a neddylation inhibitor which impacts the activity of the CRL family of E3 ubiquitin ligases and the MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK1/2) inhibitor selumetinib. MLN3651 treatment reduced proliferation and activated apoptosis, whilst increasing Raf/MEK/ERK pathway activation. The combination of MLN3651 and the MEK1/2 inhibitor selumetinib prevented the increase in Raf/MEK/ERK activity, and had an additive effect compared with either treatment alone. Therefore, the combined targeting of CRL4-DCAF1 and Raf/MEK/ERK activity represents an attractive novel strategy in the treatment of Merlin-deficient meningioma.
DOI
10.3390/cancers12071744
Publication Date
2020-06-30
Publication Title
Cancers
Volume
12
Issue
7
ISSN
2072-6694
Embargo Period
2020-10-03
Organisational Unit
Peninsula Medical School
First Page
1744
Last Page
1744
Recommended Citation
Lyons, R. J., Ercolano, E., Baiz, D., Makhija, M., Berger, A., Sells, T., Stroud, S., Hilton, D., Adams, C., & Hanemann, C. (2020) 'The Potential of MLN3651 in Combination with Selumetinib as a Treatment for Merlin-Deficient Meningioma', Cancers, 12(7), pp. 1744-1744. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers12071744
