AZD1152 negatively affects the growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells and enhances the effects of oncolytic virus dl922-947.

Novel therapeutic approaches are required for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), an incurable disease resistant to currently available therapies. Aurora B kinase is an important mitotic kinase involved in chromosome segregation and cytokinesis. It is overexpressed in many cancers including ATC and represents a potential target for chemotherapy. The effects of AZD1152, a specific Aurora B kinase inhibitor, has been evaluated against ATC, showing G2/M accumulation, polyploidy and subsequent cell death by mitotic catastrophe upon drug treatment. Only three administrations of AZD1152 significantly reduced the growth of ATC tumour xenogratfs. Oncolytic viruses in association with other forms of treatment have proven highly promising in preclinical and clinical reports. The oncolytic adenovirus dl922-947 is active against ATC cells and we have evaluated the effects of the association between AZD1152 and dl922-947. In cells treated with virus and drug, we report additive/synergistic killing effects. Interestingly, the phosphorylation of Histone H3 (Ser10), the main Aurora B substrate, is inhibited by dl922-947 in a dose dependent manner, and completely abolished in association with AZD1152. The combined treatment significantly inhibited the growth of ATC tumour xenografts with respect of single treatments. Our data demonstrated the Aurora B inhibitor AZD1152 could represent a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of ATC, and that this drug could be used in combination with oncolytic virus dl922-947.