Synthetically Lethal Interactions of ATM, ATR, and DNA-PKcs

Synthetic lethality occurs when simultaneous perturbations of two genes or molecular processes result in a loss of cell viability. The number of known synthetically lethal interactions is growing steadily. We review here synthetically lethal interactions of ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), ATM- and Rad3-related (ATR), and DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). These kinases are appropriate for synthetic lethal therapies because their genes are frequently mutated in cancer, and specific inhibitors are currently in clinical trials. Understanding synthetically lethal interactions of a particular gene or gene family can facilitate predicting new synthetically lethal interactions, therapy toxicity, and mechanisms of resistance, as well as defining the spectrum of tumors amenable to these therapeutic approaches.