A genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screening reveals SH3D21 as a sensitizer for gemcitabine

Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 16;9(1):19188. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-55893-2.

Abstract

Gemcitabine, 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine, is used as a pro-drug in treatment of variety of solid tumour cancers including pancreatic cancer. After intake, gemcitabine is transferred to the cells by the membrane nucleoside transporter proteins. Once inside the cells, it is converted to gemcitabine triphosphate followed by incorporation into DNA chains where it causes inhibition of DNA replication and thereby cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Currently gemcitabine is the standard drug for treatment of pancreatic cancer and despite its widespread use its effect is moderate. In this study, we performed a genome-scale CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screening on pancreatic cancer cell line Panc1 to explore the genes that are important for gemcitabine efficacy. We found SH3D21 as a novel gemcitabine sensitizer implying it may act as a therapeutic target for improvement of gemcitabine efficacy in treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / drug effects
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems / genetics*
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Replication / drug effects
  • DNA Replication / genetics
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Gemcitabine
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Gemcitabine