Therapeutic potential of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor rucaparib for the treatment of sporadic human ovarian cancer

Here, we investigate the potential role of the PARP inhibitor rucaparib (CO-338, formerly known as AG014699 and PF-01367338) for the treatment of sporadic ovarian cancer. We studied the growth inhibitory effects of rucaparib in a panel of 39 ovarian cancer cell lines that were each characterized for mutation and methylation status of BRCA1/2, baseline gene expression signatures, copy number variations of selected genes, PTEN status, and sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. To study interactions with chemotherapy, we used multiple drug effect analyses and assessed apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, and gamma H2AX formation. Concentration-dependent antiproliferative effects of rucaparib were seen in 26 of 39 (67%) cell lines and were not restricted to cell lines withBRCA1/2mutations. Lowexpression of other genes involvedinhomologous repair (e.g., BCCIP, BRCC3, ATM, RAD51L1), amplification of AURKA or EMSY, and response to platinum-based chemotherapywas associatedwith sensitivity to rucaparib. Druginteractions with rucaparibwere synergistic for topotecan, synergistic, or additive for carboplatin, doxorubicin or paclitaxel, and additive for gemcitabine. Synergy was most pronounced when rucaparib was combined with topotecan, which resulted in enhanced apoptosis, DNA fragmentation, and gamma H2AX formation. Importantly, rucaparib potentiated chemotherapy independent of its activity as a single agent. PARP inhibition may be a useful therapeutic strategy for a wider range of ovarian cancers bearing deficiencies in the homologous recombination pathway other than justBRCA1/2mutations. These results support further clinical evaluation of rucaparib either as a single agent or as an adjunct to chemotherapy for the treatment of sporadic ovarian cancer. (C) 2013 AACR.