Tris DBA palladium is an orally available inhibitor of GNAQ mutant uveal melanoma in vivo

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Elgilda Musi, Columbia University; Gary K. Schwartz, Columbia University; Jae Hyuk Yoo, University of Utah; Shannon J. Odelberg, University of Utah; Dean Y. Li, University of Utah; Michael Y. Bonner, Emory University; Ponniah Selvakumar, University of Saskatchewan; Shikha Rao, Emory University; Linda C. Gilbert, Emory University; Justin Elsey, Emory University; Jack Arbiser, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2019-07-01
• Publisher: Impact Journals
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: Copyright: Musi et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.27040
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Oncotarget
• ISSN: 1949-2553
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 43
• Start Page: 4424
• End Page: 4436
• Grant/Funding Information: Dr. Arbiser is supported by NIH RO1 AR47901 and the Rabinowitch-Davis Foundation; Work supported by NHLBI, NIAMS, NCI, and Navigen Pharmaceuticals.
• Keywords: chemotherapy; melanoma
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Pathology; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Oncology

Abstract

Uveal melanoma is a rare but often lethal malignancy and is the leading cause of death due to an ophthalmic condition. Uveal melanoma is often diagnosed at a late stage and has a strong propensity to hepatic metastasis. Recently, the most common driver mutations in uveal melanoma have been identified, predominantly in the G-proteins GNAQ. This pattern differs from that of cutaneous melanoma in which Braf and Nras predominate. There are no current clinically used agents that target GNAQ mutations, unlike the use of Braf inhibitors in cutaneous melanoma. We tested the novel agent Tris DBA palladium and found that it was markedly more effective against GNAQ mutant melanomas than wild type uveal melanomas. Given that ARF6 has recently been discovered as a node in GNAQ mutations, we evaluated the efficacy of Tris DBA palladium on ARF6 signaling and found that it was effective in inhibiting ARF6 activation. Finally, Tris DBA palladium was orally effective against GNAQ mutant melanoma in vivo. Tris DBA Palladium deserves further evaluation as a systemic agent for uveal melanoma.