Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41571637›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

CDK2 inhibitor BLU-222 synergizes with CDK4/6 inhibitors in drug resistant breast cancers through p21/p27 induction.

Linjie Luo, Yan Wang, Tuyen Bui, Xiaoting Jiang, Mei-Kuang Chen, Xiayu Rao, Sepideh Mohammadhosseinpour, Mi Li, Serena Kim, Rachel Y Kim and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Next-generation CDK inhibitors in HR+/HER2- breast cancer.The Journal of clinical investigation · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Linjie LuoDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2365-0327
Yan WangDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9566-8975
Tuyen BuiDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Xiaoting JiangDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Mei-Kuang ChenDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8027-8990
Xiayu RaoDepartment of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Sepideh MohammadhosseinpourDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Mi LiDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-4144
Serena KimDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Rachel Y KimDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Saba KamaliaslDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Carmen W UlizioDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Spyros TsavachidisDepartment of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
Juliana Navarro-YepesDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Nicole M KettnerDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2043-4407
Hannah WingateDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Funda Meric-BernstamDepartment of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6816-6072
Kelly K HuntDepartment of Breast Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9156-8723
Jing WangDepartment of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5398-0802
Kerrie FaiaBlueprint Medicines Corporation, Cambridge, MA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6504-160X
Khandan KeyomarsiDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA. kkeyomar@mdanderson.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5440-0849

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Scott Kopetz · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
Targeting STAT3 for the Treatment of CDK4/6 Inhibitor Resistant Advanced Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer PatientsR01CA255960 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI KHANDAN KEYOMARSI · 2021 to 2026
$2.6M
Cytoplasmic cyclin E is an early event for progression to invasive breast cancerR01CA223772 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI KEYOMARSI, KHANDAN · 2018 to 2023
$2.3M
UPWARDS Training Program (Underrepresented Minorities Working Towards Research Diversity in Science)R25CA240137 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI KEYOMARSI, KHANDAN, WATOWICH, STEPHANIE S · 2020 to 2024
$2.1M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672NCI NIH HHS R01 CA223772NCI NIH HHS R01 CA255960NCI NIH HHS R25 CA240137
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) combined with endocrine therapy are the standard first-line treatment for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer, but resistance inevitably develops. In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the efficacy of CDK4/6i remains uncertain. Our study shows that the selective CDK2 inhibitor BLU-222, while effective alone, enhances synergistic activity when combined with CDK4/6i in resistant HR+/HER2- and TNBC models, leading to increased apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. In vivo, combining BLU-222 with palbociclib or ribociclib produced significant antitumor activity across eight resistant models, driving durable tumor regression and prolonged survival. Mechanistically, BLU-222, alone or with palbociclib, upregulated p21 and p27 expression, enhanced p21 binding to CDK2 as well as p21 and p27 binding to CDK4. CRISPR knockout of p21 or p27 in palbociclib-resistant cells eliminated this synergy. Further, RNA sequencing revealed that combination treatment upregulated senescence and interferon pathways, providing mechanistic insight into the observed therapeutic synergy.

Indexed as

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27Drug Resistance, NeoplasmProtein Kinase InhibitorsTriple Negative Breast NeoplasmsAminopyridinesAnimalsApoptosisCell Line, TumorDrug SynergismFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansAminopyridinesCDK2 protein, humanCDK4 protein, humanCDK6 protein, humanCDKN1A protein, humanCyclin-Dependent Kinase 2Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27palbociclibPiperazinesProtein Kinase InhibitorsPurinesPyridinesribociclib

Identifiers

PMID41571637
PMCPMC12828054

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.