Checkpoint Kinase 1 Inhibitor Combined with Low Dose Hydroxyurea Promotes ATM-Activated NF-κB-Dependent Pro-Inflammatory Chemokine Expression in Melanomas.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Melanoma has a rising incidence worldwide. Current treatments are effective, although the development of resistance is common. A novel anti-cancer treatment using checkpoint kinase 1 inhibitor (CHK1i), SRA737, in combination with low-dose hydroxyurea (LDHU), has been demonstrated to effectively kill tumour cells and promote an anti-tumour immune response through the treatment-induced release of pro-inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. These chemokines/cytokines modify the tumour microenvironment from an immunosuppressive to an inflamed state to recruit anti-tumour immune cells. METHODS: A panel of human melanoma cell lines was assessed using a panel of chemokines and cytokine expression, and the mechanism of their regulation was investigated. RESULTS: We demonstrate that SRA737 + LDHU upregulates pro-inflammatory chemokines in human melanoma cells in response to SRA737 + LDHU through the ATM-NF-κB signalling pathway. The increased chemokine expression corresponded to the increase in secretion of pro-inflammatory chemokines from tumour cells following SRA737 + LDHU treatment. However, inhibiting NF-κB and ATM did not affect SRA737 + LDHU-induced cell killing. Increased expression of non-NF-κB target genes with SRA737 + LDHU suggests that other transcriptional pathways are also activated and may contribute to the increasing cytokine/chemokine gene expression in response to treatment. CONCLUSIONS: SRA737 + LDHU upregulates pro-inflammatory chemokine expression through an ATM-NF-κB-dependent mechanism.