The Synergistic Anti-Tumor Activity of EZH2 Inhibitor SHR2554 and HDAC Inhibitor Chidamide through ORC1 Reduction of DNA Replication Process in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

Abstract

Background: Upregulation of H3K27me3 induced by EZH2 overexpression or somatic heterozygous mutations were implicated in lymphomagenesis. It has been demonstrated that several EZH2-target agents have notable therapeutic effects in EZH2-mutant B-cell lymphoma patients. Here we present a novel highly selective EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 and possible combination strategy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods: Cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability Assay and flow cytometry. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of related proteins. The gene expression profiling post combination treatment was analyzed by RNA-Seq. Finally, CDX and PDX models were used to evaluate the synergistic anti-tumor effects of the combination treatment in vivo. Results: The novel EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 inhibited proliferation and induced G1 phase arrest in EZH2-mutant DLBCL cell lines. The combination of EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor chidamide (hereafter referred to as HBI8000) exerted synergistic anti-proliferative activity in vitro and in vivo. Gene expression profile analysis revealed dramatic inhibition of the DNA replication process in combined treatment. Conclusions: SHR2554, a potent, highly selective small molecule inhibitor of EZH2, inhibited EZH2-mutant DLBCL more significantly in vitro and in vivo. The combination of HDAC inhibitor HBI8000 with EZH2 inhibitor SHR2554 exhibited dramatic anti-tumor activity in both mutant and wild-type DLBCL, which may become a potential therapeutic modality for the treatment of DLBCL patients.

Keywords

• diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• EZH2 inhibitor
• synergistic effects
• DNA replication process