PIM kinase inhibition counters resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy in human prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: PIM kinases are associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis in prostate cancer through roles in DNA damage response, cellular metabolism, proliferation, and survival. We hypothesized PIM inhibition addresses treatment resistance to radiotherapy and docetaxel in prostate cancer.

METHODS

PIM inhibition in prostate cancer cell lines was examined by phosphorylated H2AX and colony formations assays. In normal and castrated mice with prostate tumor xenografts, tumor growth was monitored with daily oral PIM inhibition +/- fractionated radiotherapy (RT) or docetaxel. Radiotherapy was given 30 Gy in 15 treatments, mimicking clinical conventional daily treatment over 3 weeks in a translational murine model system.

RESULTS

PIM inhibition decreased radiotherapy-induced DNA-damage repair and decreased cell proliferation and survival. In mice, PIM inhibition increased the efficacy of both radiation and docetaxel to reduce tumor size in hormone-dependent and -independent xenografts. Xenografts showed altered gene expression changes, including downregulation of ribosomal pathways and upregulation of cardiomyocyte signaling pathways, due to PIM inhibition as analyzed by RNA-Seq. Immunostaining of multiple proteins, including COX-2 and MDM2, was altered by PIM inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

PIM inhibition addresses treatment resistance to docetaxel and radiotherapy in multiple prostate cancer models. Our data provide a strong rationale for testing PIM inhibitors in combination with standard therapies for treatment-resistant high-risk localized or metastatic prostate cancer in clinical trials.