Invasion-Block and S-MARVEL: A High-content Screening and Image Analysis Platform Identifies ATM Kinase As a Modulator of Melanoma Invasion and Metastasis

Robust high-throughput assays are crucial for the effective functioning of a drug discovery pipeline. Herein, we report the development of Invasion-Block, an automated high-content screening platform for measuring invadopodia-mediated matrix degradation as a readout for the invasive capacity of cancer cells. Combined with Smoothen-Mask and Reveal, a custom-designed, automated image analysis pipeline, this platform allowed us to evaluate melanoma cell invasion capacity posttreatment with two libraries of compounds comprising 3840 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs with well-characterized safety and bioavailability profiles in humans as well as a kinase inhibitor library comprising 210 biologically active compounds. We found that Abl/Src, PKC, PI3K, and Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase inhibitors significantly reduced melanoma cell invadopodia formation and cell invasion. Abrogation of ATM expression in melanoma cells via CRISPR-mediated gene knockout reduced 3D invasion in vitro as well as spontaneous lymph node metastasis in vivo. Together, this study established a rapid screening assay coupled with a customized image-analysis pipeline for the identification of antimetastatic drugs. Our study implicates that ATM may serve as a potent therapeutic target for the treatment of melanoma cell spread in patients.