An In Vivo CRISPR Screening Platform for Prioritizing Therapeutic Targets in AML

Abstract

CRISPR–Cas9-based genetic screens have successfully identified cell type–dependent liabilities in cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a devastating hematologic malignancy with poor overall survival. Because most of these screens have been performed in vitro using established cell lines, evaluating the physiologic relevance of these targets is critical. We have established a CRISPR screening approach using orthotopic xenograft models to validate and prioritize AML-enriched dependencies in vivo, including in CRISPR-competent AML patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models tractable for genome editing. Our integrated pipeline has revealed several targets with translational value, including SLC5A3 as a metabolic vulnerability for AML addicted to exogenous myo-inositol and MARCH5 as a critical guardian to prevent apoptosis in AML. MARCH5 repression enhanced the efficacy of BCL2 inhibitors such as venetoclax, further highlighting the clinical potential of targeting MARCH5 in AML. Our study provides a valuable strategy for discovery and prioritization of new candidate AML therapeutic targets.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 16, 2021
Source ID
10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-1851

Entities

People

  • Amanda L. Robichaud
  • Amy Saur Conway
  • Anthony Letai
  • Biniam Adane
  • Bo Kyung A. Seong
  • Caroline S. Wechsler
  • Clément Larrue
  • Federica Piccioni
  • Guillaume Kugener
  • Jeremy Ryan
  • Joseph D Mancias
  • Jérôme Tamburini
  • Kimberly Stegmaier
  • Lynn Lee
  • Mark Wunderlich
  • Miljan Kuljanin
  • Nastassja K. Scheidegger
  • Neekesh Dharia
  • Sarah Mouche
  • Scott T. Younger
  • Shan Lin
  • Thelma Mashaka

Organizations

  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
  • Dana–Farber Cancer Institute
  • National Cancer Institute
  • National Institutes of Health
  • United States Department of Defense
  • University of Cincinnati
  • University of Geneva

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Oncology

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology