Combined Inactivation of CTPS1 and ATR Is Synthetically Lethal to MYC-Overexpressing Cancer Cells

The undruggable oncogene MYC supports cancer cell proliferation and survival through parallel induction of multiple anabolic processes. Here we find that inhibiting CTP synthase (CTPS) selectively decreases cell viability and induces DNA replication stress in MYC-overexpressing cells. MYC-driven rRNA synthesis caused the selective DNA replication stress upon CTPS inhibition. Combined inhibition of CTPS and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) is synthetically lethal in MYC-overexpressing cells, promoting cell death in vitro and decreasing tumor growth in vivo. Unexpectedly, interfering with CTPS1 but not CTPS2 is required to induce replication stress in MYC-deregulated cancer cells and consequent cell death in the presence of an ATR inhibitor. These results highlight a specific and key role of CTPS1 in MYC-driven cancer, suggesting that selectively inhibiting CTPS1 in combination with ATR could be a promising strategy to combat disease progression. Significance: Inhibition of CTPS in MYC-overexpressing cells blocks pyrimidine synthesis while maintaining ribosome synthesis activity to create an anabolic imbalance that induces replication stress, providing a new approach to selectively target MYC-driven cancer.

Automated summary

Inhibition of CTP synthase selectively decreases cell viability and induces DNA replication stress in MYC-overexpressing cells. Combined inhibition of CTP synthase and ATR is synthetically lethal in MYC-overexpressing cells, leading to cell death in vitro and decreased tumor growth in vivo. Interfering with CTPS1 but not CTPS2 is necessary to induce replication stress and cell death in MYC-deregulated cancer cells in the presence of an ATR inhibitor.