Genetic screens discover proteases as synthetic lethal partners of PI3K inhibition in breast cancer cells

The RNA-Seq analysed the changes in protease gene expression upon short-term PI3K inhibition in three breast cancer cell lines. Overall design: MCF7, MDA-MB-231 and PyB6-313 breast cancer cells were seeded, 16 h later RNA was isolated (T0; Medium control). Remaining plates were treated with the PI3K inhibitor BKM (NVP-BKM-120 [Buparlisib], CT-BKM120; Chemitek) at EC50 (200 nM [MCF7], 1300 nM [MDA-MB-231], 1500 nM [PyB6-313]), or the same dilution of DMSO (solvent control). After 3 h of treatment, RNA was isolated. Conditions were prepared in triplicates.