SNS01-T modulation of eIF5A inhibits B-cell cancer progression and synergizes with bortezomib and lenalidomide.

The high rates of recurrence and low median survival in many B-cell cancers highlight a need for new targeted therapeutic modalities. In dividing cells, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is hypusinated and involved in regulation of protein synthesis and proliferation, whereas the non-hypusinated form of eIF5A is a potent inducer of cell death in malignant cells. Here, we demonstrate the potential of modulating eIF5A expression as a novel approach to treating B-cell cancers. SNS01-T is a nonviral polyethylenimine-based nanoparticle, designed to induce apoptosis selectively in B-cell cancers by small interfering RNA-mediated suppression of hypusinated eIF5A and plasmid-based overexpression of a non-hypusinable eIF5A mutant. In this study, we show that SNS01-T is preferentially taken up by malignant B cells, inhibits tumor growth in multiple animal models of B-cell cancers without damaging normal tissues, and synergizes with the current therapies bortezomib and lenalidomide to inhibit tumor progression. The results collectively demonstrate the potential of SNS01-T as a novel therapeutic for treatment of a diverse range of B-cell malignancies.