Expression data from EZH2 inhibitor treated Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cell lines

Mutations within the catalytic domain of the histone methyltransferase (HMT) EZH2 have been identified in subsets of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) patients. These genetic alterations are hypothesized to confer an oncogenic dependency on EZH2 enzymatic activity in these cancers. We previously reported the discovery of a potent, selective, S-adenosyl-methionine-competitive and orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of EZH2, EPZ-6438. EPZ-6438 selectively inhibits intracellular lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27) methylation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in both EZH2 wild type and mutant lymphoma cells. Inhibition of H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27Me3) led to selective cell killing of human lymphoma cell lines bearing EZH2 catalytic domain point mutations. Treatment of xenograft-bearing mice with EPZ-6438 leads to dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition and eradication of genetically altered NHL with correlative diminution of H3K27Me3 levels in tumors and selected normal tissues. Mice dosed orally with EPZ-6438 for 28 days remained tumor free for up to 63 day after stopping compound treatment in two EZH2 mutant xenograft models. These data confirm the dependency of mutant NHL on EZH2 activity and portend the utility of EZH2-targeted drugs for the treatment of these genetically defined cancers.

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Knutson SK, Kawano S, Minoshima Y, Warholic NM, Huang KC, Xiao Y, Kadowaki T, Uesugi M, Kuznetsov G, Kumar N, Wigle TJ, Klaus CR, Allain CJ, Raimondi A, Waters NJ, Smith JJ, Porter-Scott M, Chesworth R, Moyer MP, Copeland RA, Richon VM, Uenaka T, Pollock RM, Kuntz KW, Yokoi A, Keilhack H