Combined CDK4/6 and PI3K{alpha} inhibition is synergistic and immunogenic in triple negative breast cancer

New treatments for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are urgently needed. Despite there being little evidence of clinical activity as single-agent therapies, we show that dual blockade of PI3Kα and CDK4/6 is synergistically effective against multiple RB1-wildtype TNBC models. Combined PI3Kα and CDK4/6 inhibition significantly increased apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and tumor immunogenicity and generated immunogenic cell death in human TNBC cell lines. Combination treatment also significantly improved disease control in human xenograft models compared with either monotherapy. Combined PI3Kα and CDK4/6 inhibition significantly increased tumor-infiltrating T cell activation and cytotoxicity and decreased the frequency of immunosuppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells in a syngeneic TNBC mouse model. Notably, combined PI3Kα and CDK4/6 inhibition, along with inhibition of immune checkpoints PD-1 and CTLA-4, induced complete and durable regressions (>1 year) of established TNBC tumors in vivo. Overall, our results illustrate convergent mechanisms of PI3Kα and CDK4/6 blockade on cell cycle progression, DNA damage response, and immune-modulation and may provide a novel therapeutic approach for TNBC.

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