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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics
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Awakening of "Schlafen11" to Tackle Chemotherapy Resistance in SCLC

Katrien Berns1, Anton Berns1

  • 1The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Cancer Cell
|February 16, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Chemotherapy resistance in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) can be overcome. EZH2 inhibition combined with chemotherapy effectively treats drug-resistant SCLC, offering new therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Chemotherapy resistance is a significant challenge in treating small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
  • Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying SCLC drug resistance is crucial for developing effective therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of EZH2 in mediating chemotherapy resistance in SCLC.
  • To evaluate the therapeutic potential of combining EZH2 inhibition with chemotherapy in SCLC models.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized xenograft models of SCLC to study drug resistance.
  • Investigated the regulatory relationship between EZH2 and Schlafen11 (SLFN11) expression.
  • Assessed the efficacy of combined EZH2 inhibition and chemotherapy treatment.

Main Results:

  • Identified EZH2 as a mediator of chemotherapy resistance in a subset of SCLC.
  • Demonstrated that EZH2 downregulates Schlafen11 (SLFN11) expression, contributing to drug resistance.
  • Showed that combining EZH2 inhibition with chemotherapy effectively overcomes drug resistance in SCLC xenografts.

Conclusions:

  • EZH2-mediated downregulation of SLFN11 is a key mechanism of chemotherapy resistance in SCLC.
  • Combination therapy targeting EZH2 and chemotherapy presents a promising new treatment strategy for SCLC.

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