Depletion of the mitochondrial chaperone HspA9 for BRAF-mutant melanoma

INDICATION: Melanoma

Reducing production of the mitochondrial chaperone HspA9 could treat BRAF-mutant melanoma. In melanoma patients, high tumor levels of HspA9 mRNA were associated with poor survival. In two human melanoma cell lines expressing V600E-mutant BRAF and resistant to BRAF inhibitor Zelboraf vemurafenib, an shRNA against HspA9 or an HspA9 inhibitor tool compound reduced growth. In three xenograft mouse models of BRAF V600E-mutant melanoma, including a Zelboraf-resistant model, the HspA9 inhibitor inhibited tumor growth...