Aurora kinase A (
AURKA) localizes to centrosomes and mitotic spindles where it mediates mitotic progression and
chromosomal stability. Overexpression of
AURKA is common in
cancer, resulting in acquisition of alternate non-mitotic functions. In the current study, we identified a novel role for
AURKA in regulating
ovarian cancer cell dissemination and evaluated the efficacy of an
AURKA-selective small molecule inhibitor,
alisertib (
MLN8237), as a single agent and combined with
paclitaxel using an orthotopic xenograft model of
epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Ovarian
carcinoma cell lines were used to evaluate the effects of
AURKA inhibition and overexpression on migration and adhesion. Pharmacological or RNA interference-mediated inhibition of
AURKA significantly reduced ovarian
carcinoma cell migration and adhesion and the activation-associated phosphorylation of the cytoskeletal regulatory
protein SRC at
tyrosine 416 (pSRC(Y416)). Conversely, enforced expression of
AURKA resulted in increased migration, adhesion and activation of SRC in cultured cells. In vivo
tumor growth and dissemination were inhibited by
alisertib treatment as a single agent. Moreover, combination of
alisertib with
paclitaxel, an agent commonly used in treatment of EOC, resulted in more potent inhibition of
tumor growth and dissemination compared with either
drug alone. Taken together, these findings support a role for
AURKA in EOC dissemination by regulating migration and adhesion. They also point to the potential utility of combining
AURKA inhibitors with
taxanes as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of EOC patients.