<b>Purpose:</b> AZD1775, a first-in-class, small-molecule inhibitor of the Wee1 tyrosine kinase, is under evaluation as a potential chemo- and radiosensitizer for treating glioblastoma.
Our analysis predicted a significant association between miR-128 and the protein kinase WEE1, which we subsequently validated experimentally by showing that the over-expression of the naturally under-expressed miR-128 in glioma cells resulted in the inhibition of WEE1 in glioblastoma cells.
As such, cancer cells become sensitized to conventional therapy by WEE1 inhibition, in particular those with insufficient G₁-arrest due to deficient p53 signaling, like glioblastoma cells.