Genome-wide CRISPR screen uncovers a synergistic effect of combining Haspin and Aurora kinase B inhibition

Oncogene. 2020 May;39(21):4312-4322. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-1296-2. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Abstract

Aurora kinases are a family of serine/threonine kinases vital for cell division. Because of the overexpression of Aurora kinases in a broad range of cancers and their important roles in mitosis, inhibitors targeting Aurora kinases have attracted attention in cancer therapy. VX-680 is an effective pan-Aurora kinase inhibitor; however, its clinical efficacy was not satisfying. In this study, we performed CRISPR/Cas9 screens to identify genes whose depletion shows synthetic lethality with VX-680. The top hit from these screens was GSG2 (also known as Haspin), a serine/threonine kinase that phosphorylates histone H3 at Thr-3 during mitosis. Moreover, both Haspin knockout and Haspin inhibitor-treated HCT116 cells were hypersensitive to VX-680. Furthermore, we showed that the synthetic lethal interaction between Haspin depletion and VX-680 was mediated by the inhibition of Haspin with Aurora kinase B (AURKB), but not with Aurora kinase A (AURKA). Strikingly, combined inhibition of Haspin and AURKB had a better efficacy than single-agent treatment in both head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer. Taken together, our findings have uncovered a synthetic lethal interaction between AURKB and Haspin, which provides a strong rationale for this combination therapy for cancer patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Aurora Kinase B* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Aurora Kinase B* / genetics
  • Aurora Kinase B* / metabolism
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems*
  • Genome-Wide Association Study
  • HCT116 Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins* / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Proteins* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins* / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms* / enzymology
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases* / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases* / metabolism

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • tozasertib
  • AURKB protein, human
  • Aurora Kinase B
  • HASPIN protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases