Werner helicase as a therapeutic target in mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States. A key driver of CRC development is microsatellite instability (MSI), which is caused by DNA mismatch repair deficiency and characterized by hypermutability of short-tandem repeat sequences. A significant portion of MSI CRCs do not respond to checkpoint immunotherapy treatments, highlighting an unmet need for improved therapies. Recent studies have revealed that MSI cancer cells require Werner (WRN), a RecQ family DNA helicase, for survival. Inhibiting WRN has emerged as a promising approach for targeting MSI CRCs that are insensitive to standard therapies. Several highly potent small-molecule WRN inhibitors have been developed and exhibited striking in vitro and in vivo activities against MSI cancers. Two of these WRN inhibitors, HRO761 and VVD-133214, have recently entered clinical trials. In this review, we summarize recent studies on WRN as a synthetic lethal target in MSI CRC and the development of WRN inhibitors as a new class of anticancer agents.