Gastrointestinal

Patient sample and mouse studies identified a BBC3 inhibitor that could help treat intestinal injury caused by topoisomerase inhibitors for cancer. In mice receiving the generic topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan, BBC3 knockout increased survival compared with normal BBC3 expression. In a human colonic organoid-based model of damage caused by a tool compound topoisomerase inhibitor, a BBC3 inhibitor decreased levels of LGR5 mRNA, a marker of chemotherapy-induced damage, and increased organoid growth compared with no treatment. In mice treated with the generic topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan, pretreatment with the BBC3 inhibitor decreased apoptosis of intestinal crypt cells compared with vehicle pretreatment. Next steps could include testing the BBC3 inhibitor in mouse models of cancer treated with topoisomerase inhibitors...