Cancer

Cell studies suggest PARP inhibitors and other inhibitors of DNA damage repair could help treat brain cancers that have complex genome rearrangements (chromothripsis). In mouse medulloblastoma cells with homozygous XRCC4 deletion-induced chromothripsis, the PARP inhibitor Lynparza olaparib plus a RAD51 inhibitor tool compound and the generic topoisomerase I (TOP1) inhibitor topotecan decreased viability compared with vehicle. In a human medulloblastoma cell line and a high-grade glioma cell line with chromothripsis, the PARP inhibitor Talzenna talazoparib plus topotecan decreased viability compared with vehicle. Next steps could include testing PARP inhibitors in animal models of brain cancers with chromothripsis (see "Beyond BRCA".)...