Combination treatment with BMI1 and MAPK/ERK inhibitors is effective in medulloblastoma

Epigenetic changes play a key role in the pathogenesis of medulloblastoma (MB), the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. Here we identify a synergic vulnerability of BMI1High;CHD7Low MB cells to a combination treatment with BMI1 and MAPK/ERK inhibitors and we elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning the CHD7-BMI1-MAPK regulatory axis which mediates the anti-tumor effect of these inhibitors in vitro and in vivo, in a pre-clinical mouse model. Enhanced ERK1 and ERK2 phosphorylation activity is found in BMI1High;CHD7Low G4 MB patients, raising the possibility that they could be amenable to a similar therapy. RNA-Seq of MB cells treated with BMI1 and MAPK/ERK inhibitors.