Differential gene expression analysis of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells after THZ1 and TKI combination therapy.

The CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 has been shown to suppress MYCN gene transcription but not cause significant cell death as a single agent. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) ponatinib and lapatinib were found to exert synergistic anti-cancer effects in combination with the CDK7 inhibitor THZ1, on MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. We performed Affymetrix Human Gene 2.0 ST microarray experiments in BE2C neuroblastoma cells after 6hrs treatment with either vehicle control, 32nM THZ1, 250nM ponatinib, 1000nM lapatinib, THZ1 + ponatinib or THZ1 + lapatinib. Differential expression analysis (drug treatment - vehicle control) was analysed for each drug treatment.