1
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Ngo VA. Insight into molecular basis and dynamics of full-length CRaf kinase in cellular signaling mechanisms. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00438-7. [PMID: 38946141 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Raf kinases play key roles in signal transduction in cells for regulating proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Despite decades of research into functions and dynamics of Raf kinases with respect to other cytosolic proteins, understanding Raf kinases is limited by the lack of their full-length structures at the atomic resolution. Here, we present the first model of the full-length CRaf kinase obtained from artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms with a converging ensemble of structures simulated by large-scale temperature replica exchange simulations. Our model is validated by comparing simulated structures with the latest cryo-EM structure detailing close contacts among three key domains and regions of the CRaf. Our simulations identify potentially new epitopes of intramolecule interactions within the CRaf and reveal a dynamical nature of CRaf kinases, in which the three domains can move back and forth relative to each other for regulatory dynamics. The dynamic conformations are then used in a docking algorithm to shed insight into the paradoxical effect caused by vemurafenib in comparison with a paradox breaker PLX7904. We propose a model of Raf-heterodimer/KRas-dimer as a signalosome based on the dynamics of the full-length CRaf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van A Ngo
- Advanced Computing for Life Sciences and Engineering, Science Engagement Section, Computing and Computational Sciences, National Center for Computational Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
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2
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Scardaci R, Berlinska E, Scaparone P, Vietti Michelina S, Garbo E, Novello S, Santamaria D, Ambrogio C. Novel RAF-directed approaches to overcome current clinical limits and block the RAS/RAF node. Mol Oncol 2024; 18:1355-1377. [PMID: 38362705 PMCID: PMC11161739 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway are frequent alterations in cancer and RASopathies, and while RAS oncogene activation alone affects 19% of all patients and accounts for approximately 3.4 million new cases every year, less frequent alterations in the cascade's downstream effectors are also involved in cancer etiology. RAS proteins initiate the signaling cascade by promoting the dimerization of RAF kinases, which can act as oncoproteins as well: BRAFV600E is the most common oncogenic driver, mutated in the 8% of all malignancies. Research in this field led to the development of drugs that target the BRAFV600-like mutations (Class I), which are now utilized in clinics, but cause paradoxical activation of the pathway and resistance development. Furthermore, they are ineffective against non-BRAFV600E malignancies that dimerize and could be either RTK/RAS independent or dependent (Class II and III, respectively), which are still lacking an effective treatment. This review discusses the recent advances in anti-RAF therapies, including paradox breakers, dimer-inhibitors, immunotherapies, and other novel approaches, critically evaluating their efficacy in overcoming the therapeutic limitations, and their putative role in blocking the RAS pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Scardaci
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology CenterUniversity of TorinoItaly
| | - Ewa Berlinska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology CenterUniversity of TorinoItaly
| | - Pietro Scaparone
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology CenterUniversity of TorinoItaly
| | - Sandra Vietti Michelina
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology CenterUniversity of TorinoItaly
| | - Edoardo Garbo
- Department of OncologyUniversity of Torino, San Luigi HospitalOrbassanoItaly
| | - Silvia Novello
- Department of OncologyUniversity of Torino, San Luigi HospitalOrbassanoItaly
| | - David Santamaria
- Centro de Investigación del CáncerCSIC‐Universidad de SalamancaSpain
| | - Chiara Ambrogio
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology CenterUniversity of TorinoItaly
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3
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Zheng W, Yuan H, Fu Y, Deng G, Zheng X, Xu L, Fan H, Jiang W, Yu X. An effective two-stage NMBzA-induced rat esophageal tumor model revealing that the FAT-Hippo-YAP1 axis drives the progression of ESCC. Cancer Lett 2024; 588:216813. [PMID: 38499266 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Rat model of N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBzA)-induced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is routinely used to study ESCC initiation, progression and new therapeutic strategies. However, the model is time-consuming and malignant tumor incidences are low. Here, we report the usage of multi-kinase inhibitor sorafenib as a tumor promoter to establish an efficient two-stage NMBzA-induced rat ESCC carcinogenesis model, resulting in increments of tumor incidences and shortened tumor formation times. By establishing the model and applying whole-genome sequencing, we discover that benign papillomas and malignant ESCCs harbor most of the "driver" events found in rat ESCCs (e.g. recurrent mutations in Ras family, the Hippo and Notch pathways and histone modifier genes) and the mutational landscapes of rat and human ESCCs overlap extensively. We generate tumor cell lines derived from NMBzA-induced papillomas and ESCCs, showing that papilloma cells retain more characteristics of normal epithelial cells than carcinoma cells, especially their exhibitions of normal rat cell karyotypes and inabilities of forming tumors in immunodeficient mice. Three-dimensional (3-D) organoid cultures and single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) indicate that, when compared to control- and papilloma-organoids, ESCC-organoids display salient abnormalities at tissue and single-cell levels. Multi-omic analyses indicate that NMBzA-induced rat ESCCs are accompanied by progressive hyperactivations of the FAT-Hippo-YAP1 axis and siRNA or inhibitors of YAP1 block the growth of rat ESCCs. Taken together, these studies provide a framework of using an effective rat ESCC model to investigate multilevel functional genomics of ESCC carcinogenesis, which justify targeting YAP1 as a therapeutic strategy for ESCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zheng
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Hui Yuan
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yuxia Fu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Guodong Deng
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Xuejing Zheng
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Hongjun Fan
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Xiying Yu
- Department of Etiology and Carcinogenesis, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China; Beijing Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
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Mendiratta G, Stites E. Theoretical analysis reveals a role for RAF conformational autoinhibition in paradoxical activation. eLife 2023; 12:e82739. [PMID: 37823369 PMCID: PMC10627510 DOI: 10.7554/elife.82739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
RAF kinase inhibitors can, under certain conditions, increase RAF kinase signaling. This process, which is commonly referred to as 'paradoxical activation' (PA), is incompletely understood. We use mathematical and computational modeling to investigate PA and derive rigorous analytical expressions that illuminate the underlying mechanism of this complex phenomenon. We find that conformational autoinhibition modulation by a RAF inhibitor could be sufficient to create PA. We find that experimental RAF inhibitor drug dose-response data that characterize PA across different types of RAF inhibitors are best explained by a model that includes RAF inhibitor modulation of three properties: conformational autoinhibition, dimer affinity, and drug binding within the dimer (i.e., negative cooperativity). Overall, this work establishes conformational autoinhibition as a robust mechanism for RAF inhibitor-driven PA based solely on equilibrium dynamics of canonical interactions that comprise RAF signaling and inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Mendiratta
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological StudiesLa JollaUnited States
| | - Edward Stites
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
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5
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Liu C, Ye D, Yang H, Chen X, Su Z, Li X, Ding M, Liu Y. RAS-targeted cancer therapy: Advances in drugging specific mutations. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e285. [PMID: 37250144 PMCID: PMC10225044 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Rat sarcoma (RAS), as a frequently mutated oncogene, has been studied as an attractive target for treating RAS-driven cancers for over four decades. However, it is until the recent success of kirsten-RAS (KRAS)G12C inhibitor that RAS gets rid of the title "undruggable". It is worth noting that the therapeutic effect of KRASG12C inhibitors on different RAS allelic mutations or even different cancers with KRASG12C varies significantly. Thus, deep understanding of the characteristics of each allelic RAS mutation will be a prerequisite for developing new RAS inhibitors. In this review, the structural and biochemical features of different RAS mutations are summarized and compared. Besides, the pathological characteristics and treatment responses of different cancers carrying RAS mutations are listed based on clinical reports. In addition, the development of RAS inhibitors, either direct or indirect, that target the downstream components in RAS pathway is summarized as well. Hopefully, this review will broaden our knowledge on RAS-targeting strategies and trigger more intensive studies on exploiting new RAS allele-specific inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cen Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Danyang Ye
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Hongliu Yang
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Xu Chen
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Zhijun Su
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
| | - Xia Li
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Mei Ding
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yonggang Liu
- Beijing University of Chinese MedicineBeijingChina
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6
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Schubert L, Mariko ML, Clerc J, Huillard O, Groussin L. MAPK Pathway Inhibitors in Thyroid Cancer: Preclinical and Clinical Data. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030710. [PMID: 36765665 PMCID: PMC9913385 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer, with a good prognosis in most cases. However, some cancers of follicular origin are metastatic or recurrent and eventually become radioiodine refractory thyroid cancers (RAIR-TC). These more aggressive cancers are a clinical concern for which the therapeutic arsenal remains limited. Molecular biology of these tumors has highlighted a hyper-activation of the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK) pathway (RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK), mostly secondary to the BRAFV600E hotspot mutation occurring in about 60% of papillary cancers and 45% of anaplastic cancers. Therapies targeting the different protagonists of this signaling pathway have been tested in preclinical and clinical models: first and second generation RAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors. In clinical practice, dual therapies with a BRAF inhibitor and a MEK inhibitor are being recommended in anaplastic cancers with the BRAFV600E mutation. Concerning RAIR-TC, these inhibitors can be used as anti-proliferative drugs, but their efficacy is inconsistent due to primary or secondary resistance. A specific therapeutic approach in thyroid cancers consists of performing a short-term treatment with these MAPK pathway inhibitors to evaluate their capacity to redifferentiate a refractory tumor, with the aim of retreating the patients by radioactive iodine therapy in case of re-expression of the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS). In this work, we report data from recent preclinical and clinical studies on the efficacy of MAPK pathway inhibitors and their resistance mechanisms. We will also report the different preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated the redifferentiation with these therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Schubert
- Department of Endocrinology, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75014 Paris, France
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Mohamed Lamine Mariko
- Department of Endocrinology, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75014 Paris, France
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Clerc
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Université Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Olivier Huillard
- Institut du Cancer Paris CARPEM, Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Lionel Groussin
- Department of Endocrinology, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, 75014 Paris, France
- Institut Cochin, Inserm U1016, CNRS UMR8104, Université Paris Cité, 75014 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
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7
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Dynamic regulation of RAS and RAS signaling. Biochem J 2023; 480:1-23. [PMID: 36607281 PMCID: PMC9988006 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
RAS proteins regulate most aspects of cellular physiology. They are mutated in 30% of human cancers and 4% of developmental disorders termed Rasopathies. They cycle between active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states. When active, they can interact with a wide range of effectors that control fundamental biochemical and biological processes. Emerging evidence suggests that RAS proteins are not simple on/off switches but sophisticated information processing devices that compute cell fate decisions by integrating external and internal cues. A critical component of this compute function is the dynamic regulation of RAS activation and downstream signaling that allows RAS to produce a rich and nuanced spectrum of biological outputs. We discuss recent findings how the dynamics of RAS and its downstream signaling is regulated. Starting from the structural and biochemical properties of wild-type and mutant RAS proteins and their activation cycle, we examine higher molecular assemblies, effector interactions and downstream signaling outputs, all under the aspect of dynamic regulation. We also consider how computational and mathematical modeling approaches contribute to analyze and understand the pleiotropic functions of RAS in health and disease.
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8
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Tsai JW, Choi JJ, Ouaalam H, Murillo EA, Yeo KK, Vogelzang J, Sousa C, Woods JK, Ligon KL, Warfield SK, Bandopadhayay P, Cooney TM. Integrated response analysis of pediatric low-grade gliomas during and after targeted therapy treatment. Neurooncol Adv 2023; 5:vdac182. [PMID: 36926246 PMCID: PMC10011805 DOI: 10.1093/noajnl/vdac182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) are the most common central nervous system tumor in children, characterized by RAS/MAPK pathway driver alterations. Genomic advances have facilitated the use of molecular targeted therapies, however, their long-term impact on tumor behavior remains critically unanswered. Methods We performed an IRB-approved, retrospective chart and imaging review of pLGGs treated with off-label targeted therapy at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's from 2010 to 2020. Response analysis was performed for BRAFV600E and BRAF fusion/duplication-driven pLGG subsets. Results Fifty-five patients were identified (dabrafenib n = 15, everolimus n = 26, trametinib n = 11, and vemurafenib n = 3). Median duration of targeted therapy was 9.48 months (0.12-58.44). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year EFS from targeted therapy initiation were 62.1%, 38.2%, and 31.8%, respectively. Mean volumetric change for BRAFV600E mutated pLGG on BRAF inhibitors was -54.11%; median time to best volumetric response was 8.28 months with 9 of 12 (75%) objective RAPNO responses. Median time to largest volume post-treatment was 2.86 months (+13.49%); mean volume by the last follow-up was -14.02%. Mean volumetric change for BRAF fusion/duplication pLGG on trametinib was +7.34%; median time to best volumetric response was 6.71 months with 3 of 7 (43%) objective RAPNO responses. Median time to largest volume post-treatment was 2.38 months (+71.86%); mean volume by the last follow-up was +39.41%. Conclusions Our integrated analysis suggests variability in response by pLGG molecular subgroup and targeted therapy, as well as the transience of some tumor growth following targeted therapy cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica W Tsai
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jungwhan John Choi
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hakim Ouaalam
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Efrain Aguilar Murillo
- Department of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology and Neurointervention, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kee Kiat Yeo
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jayne Vogelzang
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Cecilia Sousa
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jared K Woods
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith L Ligon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pratiti Bandopadhayay
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tabitha M Cooney
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Dummer R, Flaherty KT, Robert C, Arance A, de Groot JWB, Garbe C, Gogas HJ, Gutzmer R, Krajsová I, Liszkay G, Loquai C, Mandalà M, Schadendorf D, Yamazaki N, di Pietro A, Cantey-Kiser J, Edwards M, Ascierto PA. COLUMBUS 5-Year Update: A Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial of Encorafenib Plus Binimetinib Versus Vemurafenib or Encorafenib in Patients With BRAF V600-Mutant Melanoma. J Clin Oncol 2022; 40:4178-4188. [PMID: 35862871 PMCID: PMC9916040 DOI: 10.1200/jco.21.02659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Combination treatment with BRAF and MEK inhibitors has demonstrated benefits on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and is a standard of care for the treatment of advanced BRAF V600-mutant melanoma. Here, we report the 5-year update from the COLUMBUS trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01909453). METHODS Patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic BRAF V600-mutant melanoma, untreated or progressed after first-line immunotherapy, were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to encorafenib 450 mg once daily plus binimetinib 45 mg twice daily, vemurafenib 960 mg twice daily, or encorafenib 300 mg once daily. An updated analysis was conducted 65 months after the last patient was randomly assigned. RESULTS Five hundred seventy-seven patients were randomly assigned: 192 to encorafenib plus binimetinib, 191 to vemurafenib, and 194 to encorafenib. The 5-year PFS and OS rates with encorafenib plus binimetinib were 23% and 35% overall and 31% and 45% in those with normal lactate dehydrogenase levels, respectively. In comparison, the 5-year PFS and OS rates with vemurafenib were 10% and 21% overall and 12% and 28% in those with normal lactate dehydrogenase levels, respectively. The median duration of response with encorafenib plus binimetinib was 18.6 months, with disease control achieved in 92.2% of patients. In comparison, the median duration of response with vemurafenib was 12.3 months, with disease control achieved in 81.2% of patients. Long-term follow-up showed no new safety concerns, and results were consistent with the known tolerability profile of encorafenib plus binimetinib. Interactive visualization of the data presented in this article is available at COLUMBUS dashboard. CONCLUSION In this 5-year update of part 1 of the COLUMBUS trial, encorafenib plus binimetinib treatment demonstrated continued long-term benefits and a consistent safety profile in patients with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Caroline Robert
- Gustave Roussy and Paris-Saclay University, Villejuif, France
| | - Ana Arance
- Hospital Clinic of Barcelona and IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Claus Garbe
- University Hospital Tubingen, Tubingen, Germany
| | - Helen J Gogas
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ralf Gutzmer
- Hannover Medical School, Hannover, and Ruhr-University Bochum, Minden Campus, Germany
| | | | | | - Carmen Loquai
- University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Schadendorf
- University Hospital Essen, West German Cancer Center and German Cancer Consortium, Partner Site Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Paolo A Ascierto
- Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Napoli, Italy
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10
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Yamasaki H, Uematsu Y, Okano K, Ichikawa M, Tei M, Hirabayashi M, Uchida K, Ono K, Hirao H. Establishment and characterization of urothelial carcinoma cell lines with and without BRAF mutation (V595E) in dogs. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim 2022; 58:898-911. [PMID: 36477686 PMCID: PMC9780145 DOI: 10.1007/s11626-022-00736-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Each 5 urothelial carcinoma (UC) cell lines with and without the v-Raf murine sarcoma virus oncogene homolog B (BRAF) gene mutation (V595E) were established and examined V595E-related tumorigenic characteristics in dogs. No typical morphological features were observed in cloned cells with and without V595E. The cell proliferation of both cloned cells showed logarithmic growth curve and those doubling time were 24.9 ± 4.1 h in V595E ( +) and 29.3 ± 11.3 h in V595E ( -). On the growth curve of xenotransplanted tumor in severe combined immunodeficiency mice, 3 out of 5 V595E ( +) and 2 out of 5 V595E ( -) cloned cells revealed gradually and remarkably increasing curve, indicating clearly tumorigenicity. The xenotransplanted tumors with V595E ( +) showed typical features of UC, such as solid proliferation of pleomorphic tumor cells, formation of papillary structure, and glandular structure. Additionally, various vascular formation was observed, probably indicating an advanced growth phase of UC. In mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, cytoplasmic phosphorylated-BRAF (pBRAF) and cytoplasmic and nuclear phosphorylated-ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) were detected in all 4 tumors with V595E ( +), whereas only cytoplasmic and nuclear pERK1/2 was detected in tumors with V595E ( -). Since V595E can directly activate MAPK signaling pathway, coincidence of V595E with pBRAF (phosphor Thr598/Ser601) indicates acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. These established UC cell lines, especially V595E ( +) cell lines, are useful tool for understanding pathophysiological states and controlling therapeutic manners of UC in dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Yamasaki
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan
| | - Yosuke Uematsu
- Canine-Lab, 3-5-2 Ueno, Taito-Ku, Tokyo, 110-0005, Japan
| | - Kumiko Okano
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan
| | - Mika Ichikawa
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan
| | - Meina Tei
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan
| | - Miyuki Hirabayashi
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Uchida
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kenichiro Ono
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan.
| | - Hidehiro Hirao
- Japan Animal Referral Medical Center, 2-5-8 Kuji, Takatsu-Ku, Kawasaki-Shi, Kanagawa, 213-0032, Japan
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11
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Information Fragmentation, Encryption and Information Flow in Complex Biological Networks. ENTROPY 2022; 24:e24050735. [PMID: 35626617 PMCID: PMC9141881 DOI: 10.3390/e24050735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Assessing where and how information is stored in biological networks (such as neuronal and genetic networks) is a central task both in neuroscience and in molecular genetics, but most available tools focus on the network’s structure as opposed to its function. Here, we introduce a new information-theoretic tool—information fragmentation analysis—that, given full phenotypic data, allows us to localize information in complex networks, determine how fragmented (across multiple nodes of the network) the information is, and assess the level of encryption of that information. Using information fragmentation matrices we can also create information flow graphs that illustrate how information propagates through these networks. We illustrate the use of this tool by analyzing how artificial brains that evolved in silico solve particular tasks, and show how information fragmentation analysis provides deeper insights into how these brains process information and “think”. The measures of information fragmentation and encryption that result from our methods also quantify complexity of information processing in these networks and how this processing complexity differs between primary exposure to sensory data (early in the lifetime) and later routine processing.
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12
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Kim H, Jeong M, Na DH, Ryu SH, Jeong EI, Jung K, Kang J, Lee HJ, Sim T, Yu DY, Yu HC, Cho BH, Jung YK. AK2 is an AMP-sensing negative regulator of BRAF in tumorigenesis. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:469. [PMID: 35585049 PMCID: PMC9117275 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04921-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The RAS-BRAF signaling is a major pathway of cell proliferation and their mutations are frequently found in human cancers. Adenylate kinase 2 (AK2), which modulates balance of adenine nucleotide pool, has been implicated in cell death and cell proliferation independently of its enzyme activity. Recently, the role of AK2 in tumorigenesis was in part elucidated in some cancer types including lung adenocarcinoma and breast cancer, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Here, we show that AK2 is a BRAF-suppressor. In in vitro assays and cell model, AK2 interacted with BRAF and inhibited BRAF activity and downstream ERK phosphorylation. Energy-deprived conditions in cell model and the addition of AMP to cell lysates strengthened the AK2-BRAF interaction, suggesting that AK2 is involved in the regulation of BRAF activity in response to cell metabolic state. AMP facilitated the AK2-BRAF complex formation through binding to AK2. In a panel of HCC cell lines, AK2 expression was inversely correlated with ERK/MAPK activation, and AK2-knockdown or -knockout increased BRAF activity and promoted cell proliferation. Tumors from HCC patients showed low-AK2 protein expression and increased ERK activation compared to non-tumor tissues and the downregulation of AK2 was also verified by two microarray datasets (TCGA-LIHC and GSE14520). Moreover, AK2/BRAF interaction was abrogated by RAS activation in in vitro assay and cell model and in a mouse model of HRASG12V-driven HCC, and AK2 ablation promoted tumor growth and BRAF activity. AK2 also bound to BRAF inhibitor-insensitive BRAF mutants and attenuated their activities. These findings indicate that AK2 monitoring cellular AMP levels is indeed a negative regulator of BRAF, linking the metabolic status to tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjoo Kim
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Muhah Jeong
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Do-Hyeong Na
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Shin-Hyeon Ryu
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Eun Il Jeong
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Kwangmin Jung
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Jaemin Kang
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
| | - Ho-June Lee
- grid.418158.10000 0004 0534 4718Departments of Discovery Oncology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080 USA
| | - Taebo Sim
- grid.35541.360000000121053345Chemical Kinomics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, 02792 Korea
| | - Dae-Yeul Yu
- grid.249967.70000 0004 0636 3099Aging Intervention Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Hee Chul Yu
- grid.411545.00000 0004 0470 4320Department of Surgery, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, 561-180 Korea
| | - Baik-Hwan Cho
- grid.411545.00000 0004 0470 4320Department of Surgery, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, 561-180 Korea
| | - Yong-Keun Jung
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905School of Biological Science, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826 Korea
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13
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Kilburn R, Gerdis SA, She YM, Snedden WA, Plaxton WC. Autophosphorylation Inhibits RcCDPK1, a Dual-Specificity Kinase that Phosphorylates Bacterial-Type Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase in Castor Oil Seeds. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 63:683-698. [PMID: 35246690 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) is a tightly regulated enzyme that plays a crucial anaplerotic role in central plant metabolism. Bacterial-type PEPC (BTPC) of developing castor oil seeds (COS) is highly expressed as a catalytic and regulatory subunit of a novel Class-2 PEPC heteromeric complex. Ricinus communis Ca2+-dependent protein kinase-1 (RcCDPK1) catalyzes in vivo inhibitory phosphorylation of COS BTPC at Ser451. Autokinase activity of recombinant RcCDPK1 was detected and 42 autophosphorylated Ser, Thr or Tyr residues were mapped via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Prior autophosphorylation markedly attenuated the ability of RcCDPK1 to transphosphorylate its BTPC substrate at Ser451. However, fully dephosphorylated RcCDPK1 rapidly autophosphorylated during the initial stages of a BTPC transphosphorylation assay. This suggests that Ca2+-dependent binding of dephospho-RcCDPK1 to BTPC may trigger a structural change that leads to rapid autophosphorylation and subsequent substrate transphosphorylation. Tyr30 was identified as an autophosphorylation site via LC-MS/MS and immunoblotting with a phosphosite-specific antibody. Tyr30 occurs at the junction of RcCDPK1's N-terminal variable (NTVD) and catalytic domains and is widely conserved in plant and protist CDPKs. Interestingly, a reduced rate and extent of BTPC transphosphorylation occurred with a RcCDPK1Y30F mutant. Prior research demonstrated that RcCDPK1's NTVD is essential for its Ca2+-dependent autophosphorylation or BTPC transphosphorylation activities but plays no role in target recognition. We propose that Tyr30 autophosphorylation facilitates a Ca2+-dependent interaction between the NTVD and Ca2+-activation domain that primes RcCDPK1 for transphosphorylating BTPC at Ser451. Our results provide insights into links between the post-translational control of COS anaplerosis, Ca2+-dependent signaling and the biological significance of RcCDPK1 autophosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Kilburn
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Suzanne A Gerdis
- Ottawa Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A OC6, Canada
| | - Yi-Min She
- Centre for Biologics Evaluation, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A OK9, Canada
| | - Wayne A Snedden
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - William C Plaxton
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
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14
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Khan PS, Rajesh P, Rajendra P, Chaskar MG, Rohidas A, Jaiprakash S. Recent advances in B-RAF inhibitors as anticancer agents. Bioorg Chem 2022; 120:105597. [PMID: 35033817 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The significance of B-RAF in the promotion of cell proliferation and motility was explored by the researchers in the past. However, in 2002, several researchers found that mutation in B-RAF leads to cancer. Extensive research on B-RAF mutations suggested B-RAF V600E mutation as a critical predictive, prognostic and diagnostic biomarker in numerous cancers such as melanoma, thyroid, and colorectal cancers. Based on the significance of B-RAF kinase and associated mutation, the present review will give a brief overview about structure and functions of B-RAF enzyme, its role in different types of cancer, available drugs in the market for B-RAF inhibition, chemical classification and SAR studies of reported investigational B-RAF inhibitors in patented and non-patented literature during last decade. The SAR provided for all the reported inhibitors will help researchers to gain knowledge about the possible structural features required for selective B-RAF inhibition. This insightful analysis of B-RAF will certainly help researchers to develop novel anticancer agents in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pathan Shahebaaz Khan
- Y. B. Chavan College of Pharmacy, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Rauza Baugh, Aurangabad, MS 431001, India
| | - Patil Rajesh
- Sinhgad Technical Education Society's, Smt. Kashibai Navale College of Pharmacy, Kondhwa (Bk), Pune, India
| | - Patil Rajendra
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, M.S., India
| | - Manohar G Chaskar
- Prof Ramkrishna More College, Akurdi, Pune 411044, Maharashtra, India
| | - Arote Rohidas
- Department of Molecular Genetics, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul. Republic of Korea
| | - Sangshetti Jaiprakash
- Y. B. Chavan College of Pharmacy, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Rauza Baugh, Aurangabad, MS 431001, India.
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15
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Errington TM, Denis A, Allison AB, Araiza R, Aza-Blanc P, Bower LR, Campos J, Chu H, Denson S, Donham C, Harr K, Haven B, Iorns E, Kwok J, McDonald E, Pelech S, Perfito N, Pike A, Sampey D, Settles M, Scott DA, Sharma V, Tolentino T, Trinh A, Tsui R, Willis B, Wood J, Young L. Experiments from unfinished Registered Reports in the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology. eLife 2021; 10:73430. [PMID: 34874009 PMCID: PMC8651290 DOI: 10.7554/elife.73430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
As part of the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology, we published Registered Reports that described how we intended to replicate selected experiments from 29 high-impact preclinical cancer biology papers published between 2010 and 2012. Replication experiments were completed and Replication Studies reporting the results were submitted for 18 papers, of which 17 were accepted and published by eLife with the rejected paper posted as a preprint. Here, we report the status and outcomes obtained for the remaining 11 papers. Four papers initiated experimental work but were stopped without any experimental outcomes. Two papers resulted in incomplete outcomes due to unanticipated challenges when conducting the experiments. For the remaining five papers only some of the experiments were completed with the other experiments incomplete due to mundane technical or unanticipated methodological challenges. The experiments from these papers, along with the other experiments attempted as part of the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology, provides evidence about the challenges of repeating preclinical cancer biology experiments and the replicability of the completed experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne B Allison
- Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, United States
| | - Renee Araiza
- University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | | | | | | | - Heidi Chu
- Applied Biological Materials, Richmond, Canada
| | - Sarah Denson
- University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | | | - Kaitlyn Harr
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, United States
| | | | | | - Jennie Kwok
- Applied Biological Materials, Richmond, Canada
| | - Elysia McDonald
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Steven Pelech
- Kinexus Bioinformatics, Vancouver, Canada.,University of British Columbia, Vancouver, United States
| | | | - Amanda Pike
- Applied Biological Materials, Richmond, Canada
| | | | | | - David A Scott
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Joshua Wood
- University of California, Davis, Davis, United States
| | - Lisa Young
- Applied Biological Materials, Richmond, Canada
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16
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Escuin-Ordinas H, Liu Y, Sun L, Hugo W, Dimatteo R, Huang RR, Krystofinski P, Azhdam A, Lee J, Comin-Anduix B, Cochran AJ, Lo RS, Segura T, Scumpia PO, Ribas A. Wound healing with topical BRAF inhibitor therapy in a diabetic model suggests tissue regenerative effects. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252597. [PMID: 34161353 PMCID: PMC8221471 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wound healing is a multi-step process to rapidly restore the barrier function. This process is often impaired in diabetic patients resulting in chronic wounds and amputation. We previously found that paradoxical activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway via topical administration of the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib accelerates wound healing by activating keratinocyte proliferation and reepithelialization pathways in healthy mice. Herein, we investigated whether this wound healing acceleration also occurs in impaired diabetic wounds and found that topical vemurafenib not only improves wound healing in a murine diabetic wound model but unexpectedly promotes hair follicle regeneration. Hair follicles expressing Sox-9 and K15 surrounded by CD34+ stroma were found in wounds of diabetic and non-diabetic mice, and their formation can be prevented by blocking downstream MEK signaling. Thus, topically applied BRAF inhibitors may accelerate wound healing, and promote the restoration of improved skin architecture in both normal and impaired wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Escuin-Ordinas
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AR); (HEO)
| | - Yining Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Lu Sun
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Willy Hugo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Dimatteo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Rong Rong Huang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Paige Krystofinski
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ariel Azhdam
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jordan Lee
- Department of Dermatology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System-West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Begoña Comin-Anduix
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Alistair J. Cochran
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Roger S. Lo
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Tatiana Segura
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Philip O. Scumpia
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Dermatology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System-West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AR); (HEO)
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17
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Morgan CW, Dale IL, Thomas AP, Hunt J, Chin JW. Selective CRAF Inhibition Elicits Transactivation. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:4600-4606. [PMID: 33750116 PMCID: PMC8041278 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c11958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Discovering molecules that regulate
closely related protein isoforms
is challenging, and in many cases the consequences of isoform-specific
pharmacological regulation remains unknown. RAF isoforms are commonly
mutated oncogenes that serve as effector kinases in MAP kinase signaling.
BRAF/CRAF heterodimers are believed to be the primary RAF signaling
species, and many RAF inhibitors lead to a “paradoxical activation”
of RAF kinase activity through transactivation of the CRAF protomer;
this leads to resistance mechanisms and secondary tumors. It has been
hypothesized that CRAF-selective inhibition might bypass paradoxical
activation, but no CRAF-selective inhibitor has been reported and
the consequences of pharmacologically inhibiting CRAF have remained
unknown. Here, we use bio-orthogonal ligand tethering (BOLT) to selectively
target inhibitors to CRAF. Our results suggest that selective CRAF
inhibition promotes paradoxical activation and exemplify how BOLT
may be used to triage potential targets for drug discovery before
any target-selective small molecules are known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Morgan
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Ian L Dale
- Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew P Thomas
- Medicinal Chemistry, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, United Kingdom
| | - James Hunt
- Antibody Discovery & Protein Engineering, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB21 6GH, United Kingdom
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
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18
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Higuchi M, Ishiyama K, Maruoka M, Kanamori R, Takaori-Kondo A, Watanabe N. Paradoxical activation of c-Src as a drug-resistant mechanism. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108876. [PMID: 33761359 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ATP-competitive inhibitors have been developed as promising anti-cancer agents. However, drug-resistance frequently occurs, and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we show that the activation of c-Src and its downstream phosphorylation cascade can be paradoxically induced by Src-targeted and RTK-targeted kinase inhibitors. We reveal that inhibitor binding induces a conformational change in c-Src, leading to the association of the active form c-Src with focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Reduction of the inhibitor concentration results in the dissociation of inhibitors from the c-Src-FAK complex, which allows c-Src to phosphorylate FAK and initiate FAK-Grb2-mediated Erk signaling. Furthermore, a drug-resistant mutation in c-Src, which reduces the affinity of inhibitors for c-Src, converts Src inhibitors into facilitators of cell proliferation by enhancing the phosphorylation of FAK and Erk in c-Src-mutated cells. Our data thus reveal paradoxical enhancement of cell growth evoked by target-based kinase inhibitors, providing potentially important clues for the future development of effective and safe cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makio Higuchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kenichi Ishiyama
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masahiro Maruoka
- Laboratory of Single-Molecule Cell Biology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Life Sciences, Sendai, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Kanamori
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akifumi Takaori-Kondo
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Naoki Watanabe
- Department of Pharmacology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Laboratory of Single-Molecule Cell Biology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto, Japan.
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19
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Combination of Dabrafenib and Trametinib for the Treatment of Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma Harboring BRAF V600E Mutation. Case Rep Hematol 2020; 2020:8894031. [PMID: 33123389 PMCID: PMC7584966 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8894031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Revised: 09/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell neoplasia characterized by relapsed and/or refractory (R/R) disease course, which poses a major therapeutic challenge. New therapies, including BRAF V600E mutation targeting, may become a new treatment option for R/R MM. In combination with mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (MEKi), BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) could provide better tailored clinical management, although experience in this field is lacking. To this date, there is only one case describing R/R MM treatment with BRAFi vemurafenib and MEKi cobimetinib. This is the first case presenting a R/R MM patient treated with BRAFi dabrafenib and MEKi trametinib.
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20
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Liau NPD, Venkatanarayan A, Quinn JG, Phung W, Malek S, Hymowitz SG, Sudhamsu J. Dimerization Induced by C-Terminal 14-3-3 Binding Is Sufficient for BRAF Kinase Activation. Biochemistry 2020; 59:3982-3992. [PMID: 32970425 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The Ras-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling axis, commonly mutated in human cancers, is highly regulated to prevent aberrant signaling in healthy cells. One of the pathway modulators, 14-3-3, a constitutive dimer, induces RAF dimerization and activation by binding to a phosphorylated motif C-terminal to the RAF kinase domain. Recent work has suggested that a C-terminal "DTS" region in BRAF is necessary for this 14-3-3-mediated activation. We show that the catalytic activity and ATP binding affinity of the BRAF:14-3-3 complex is insensitive to the presence or absence of the DTS, while the ATP sites of both BRAF molecules are identical and available for binding. We also present a crystal structure of the apo BRAF:14-3-3 complex showing that the DTS is not required to attain the catalytically active conformation of BRAF. Rather, BRAF dimerization induced by 14-3-3 is the key step in activation, allowing the active BRAF:14-3-3 tetramer to achieve catalytic activity comparable to the constitutively active oncogenic BRAF V600E mutant.
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21
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Abstract
Dabrafenib is a potent and selective inhibitor of BRAF-mutant kinase that is approved, as monotherapy or in combination with trametinib (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor), for unresectable or metastatic BRAF-mutated melanoma, advanced non-small cell lung cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer harbouring the BRAFV600E mutation. The recommended dose of dabrafenib is 150 mg twice daily (bid) under fasted conditions. After single oral administration of the recommended dose, the absolute oral bioavailability (F) of dabrafenib is 95%. Dabrafenib shows a time-dependent increase in apparent clearance (CL/F) following multiple doses, which is likely due to induction of its own metabolism through cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. Therefore, steady state is reached only after 14 days of daily dose administration. Moreover, the extent of this auto-induction process is dependent on the dose, which explains why dabrafenib systemic exposure at steady state increases less than dose proportionally over the dose range of 75-300 mg bid. The main elimination route of dabrafenib is the oxidative metabolism via CYP3A4/2C8 and biliary excretion. Among the three major metabolites identified, hydroxy-dabrafenib appears to contribute to the pharmacological activity. Age, sex and body weight did not have any clinically significant influence on plasma exposure to dabrafenib. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild renal or hepatic impairment, whereas the impacts of severe impairment on dabrafenib pharmacokinetics remain unknown. Considering that dabrafenib is a substrate of CYP3A4/2C8 and is a CYP3A4/2B6/2C inducer, drug-drug interactions are expected with dabrafenib. The relationship between clinical outcomes and plasma exposure to dabrafenib and hydroxy-dabrafenib should be investigated more deeply.
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22
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Stern JL, Hibshman G, Hu K, Ferrara SE, Costello JC, Kim W, Tamayo P, Cech TR, Huang FW. Mesenchymal and MAPK Expression Signatures Associate with Telomerase Promoter Mutations in Multiple Cancers. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:1050-1062. [PMID: 32276990 PMCID: PMC8020009 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-1244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In a substantial fraction of cancers TERT promoter (TERTp) mutations drive expression of the catalytic subunit of telomerase, contributing to their proliferative immortality. We conducted a pan-cancer analysis of cell lines and find a TERTp mutation expression signature dominated by epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and MAPK signaling. These data indicate that TERTp mutants are likely to generate distinctive tumor microenvironments and intercellular interactions. Analysis of high-throughput screening tests of 546 small molecules on cell line growth indicated that TERTp mutants displayed heightened sensitivity to specific drugs, including RAS pathway inhibitors, and we found that inhibition of MEK1 and 2, key RAS/MAPK pathway effectors, inhibited TERT mRNA expression. Consistent with an enrichment of mesenchymal states in TERTp mutants, cell lines and some patient tumors displayed low expression of the central adherens junction protein E-cadherin, and we provide evidence that its expression in these cells is regulated by MEK1/2. Several mesenchymal transcription factors displayed elevated expression in TERTp mutants including ZEB1 and 2, TWIST1 and 2, and SNAI1. Of note, the developmental transcription factor SNAI2/SLUG was conspicuously elevated in a significant majority of TERTp-mutant cell lines, and knock-down experiments suggest that it promotes TERT expression. IMPLICATIONS: Cancers harboring TERT promoter mutations are often more lethal, but the basis for this higher mortality remains unknown. Our study identifies that TERTp mutants, as a class, associate with a distinct gene and protein expression signature likely to impact their biological and clinical behavior and provide new directions for investigating treatment approaches for these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh Lewis Stern
- BioFrontiers Institute and the Department of Biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Grace Hibshman
- BioFrontiers Institute and the Department of Biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of
| | - Kevin Hu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Helen Diller Family Cancer Center; Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, Institute of Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sarah E Ferrara
- University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - James C Costello
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Comprehensive Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - William Kim
- Division of Medical Genetics and Center for Cancer Target Discovery and Development (CTD), Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Pablo Tamayo
- Division of Medical Genetics and Center for Cancer Target Discovery and Development (CTD), Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California.
| | - Thomas R Cech
- BioFrontiers Institute and the Department of Biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of
| | - Franklin W Huang
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Helen Diller Family Cancer Center; Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, Institute of Human Genetics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
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Targeting mitochondria in melanoma: Interplay between MAPK signaling pathway and mitochondrial dynamics. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 178:114104. [PMID: 32562785 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma is a malignant proliferative disease originated in melanocytes, characterized by high metastatic activity and by the activation of oncogenes, such as B-RAF (40-60% of cases). Recent studies have shown that vemurafenib (a MAPK inhibitor) promoted disturbance of mitochondrial bioenergetics, although underlying mechanisms are not fully comprehended. Here we showed that MAPK inhibition by vemurafenib in B-RAFV600E-mutated human melanoma culminated in the inhibition of DRP1 phosphorylation, associated to a large mitochondrial network remodeling to the hyperfused phenotype, and increased oxidative phosphorylation capacity. Such alterations may be associated to melanoma resistance to vemurafenib, since the impairment of oxidative phosphorylation increased the vemurafenib cytotoxicity. These results point to the potential of mitochondrial dynamics as a targetable pathway in melanoma.
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24
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Degirmenci U, Wang M, Hu J. Targeting Aberrant RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK Signaling for Cancer Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:E198. [PMID: 31941155 PMCID: PMC7017232 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 296] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) signaling cascade is essential for cell inter- and intra-cellular communication, which regulates fundamental cell functions such as growth, survival, and differentiation. The MAPK pathway also integrates signals from complex intracellular networks in performing cellular functions. Despite the initial discovery of the core elements of the MAPK pathways nearly four decades ago, additional findings continue to make a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of this pathway challenging. Considerable effort has been focused on the regulation of RAF, especially after the discovery of drug resistance and paradoxical activation upon inhibitor binding to the kinase. RAF activity is regulated by phosphorylation and conformation-dependent regulation, including auto-inhibition and dimerization. In this review, we summarize the recent major findings in the study of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling cascade, particularly with respect to the impact on clinical cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ufuk Degirmenci
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore 169610, Singapore
| | - Mei Wang
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
| | - Jiancheng Hu
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore 169610, Singapore
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore 169857, Singapore
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25
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Cope NJ, Novak B, Liu Z, Cavallo M, Gunderwala AY, Connolly M, Wang Z. Analyses of the oncogenic BRAF D594G variant reveal a kinase-independent function of BRAF in activating MAPK signaling. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2407-2420. [PMID: 31929109 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Class 3 mutations in B-Raf proto-oncogene, Ser/Thr kinase (BRAF), that result in kinase-impaired or kinase-dead BRAF have the highest mutation frequency in BRAF gene in lung adenocarcinoma. Several studies have reported that kinase-dead BRAF variants amplify mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling by dimerizing with and activating WT C-Raf proto-oncogene, Ser/Thr kinase (CRAF). However, the structural and functional principles underlying their activation remain elusive. Herein, using cell biology and various biochemical approaches, we established that variant BRAFD594G, a kinase-dead representative of class 3 mutation-derived BRAF variants, has a higher dimerization potential as compared with WT BRAF. Molecular dynamics simulations uncovered that the D594G substitution orients the αC-helix toward the IN position and extends the activation loop within the kinase domain, shifting the equilibrium toward the active, dimeric conformation, thus priming BRAFD594G as an effective allosteric activator of CRAF. We found that B/CRAF heterodimers are the most thermodynamically stable RAF dimers, suggesting that RAF heterodimers, and not homodimers, are the major players in determining the amplitude of MAPK signaling in cells. Additionally, we show that BRAFD594G:CRAF heterodimers bypass autoinhibitory P-loop phosphorylation, which might contribute to longer duration of MAPK pathway signaling in cancer cells. Last, we propose that the dimer interface of the BRAFD594G:CRAF heterodimer may represent a promising target in the design of novel anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Cope
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Maria Cavallo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Amber Y Gunderwala
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Matthew Connolly
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
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26
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Ascierto PA, Dummer R, Gogas HJ, Flaherty KT, Arance A, Mandala M, Liszkay G, Garbe C, Schadendorf D, Krajsova I, Gutzmer R, de Groot JWB, Loquai C, Gollerkeri A, Pickard MD, Robert C. Update on tolerability and overall survival in COLUMBUS: landmark analysis of a randomised phase 3 trial of encorafenib plus binimetinib vs vemurafenib or encorafenib in patients with BRAF V600-mutant melanoma. Eur J Cancer 2020; 126:33-44. [PMID: 31901705 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2019.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND BRAF/MEK inhibitor combinations are established treatments for BRAF V600-mutant melanoma based on demonstrated benefits on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Here, we report an updated analysis of the COLUMBUS (COmbined LGX818 [encorafenib] Used with MEK162 [binimetinib] in BRAF mutant Unresectable Skin cancer) trial with long-term follow-up. METHODS In part 1 of the COLUMBUS trial, 577 patients with advanced/metastatic BRAF V600-mutant melanoma, untreated or progressed after first-line immunotherapy, were randomised 1:1:1 to 450 mg of encorafenib QD + 45 mg of binimetinib BID (COMBO450) vs 960 mg of vemurafenib BID (VEM) or 300 mg of encorafenib ENCO QD (ENCO300). An updated analysis was conducted that included PFS, OS, objective response rate, safety and tolerability and analyses of results by prognostic subgroups. RESULTS At data cutoff, there were 116, 113 and 138 deaths in the COMBO450, ENCO300 and VEM treatment arms, respectively. The median OS was 33.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.4-39.2) for COMBO450, 23.5 months (95% CI, 19.6-33.6) for ENCO300 and 16.9 months (95% CI, 14.0-24.5) for VEM. Compared with VEM, COMBO450 decreased the risk of death by 39% (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.48-0.79). The updated median PFS for COMBO450 was 14.9 months (95% CI, 11.0-20.2), ENCO300 was 9.6 months (95% CI, 7.4-14.8) and VEM was 7.3 months (95% CI, 5.6-7.9). PFS was longer for COMBO450 vs VEM (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.39-0.67). Landmark OS and PFS results show consistent results for each year analysed. Subgroups all favoured COMBO450 vs VEM. CONCLUSIONS Updated PFS and OS results for COMBO450 from the COLUMBUS trial demonstrate a long-term benefit in patients with advanced BRAF V600-mutated melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo A Ascierto
- Melanoma Unit, Cancer Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapies, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy.
| | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zürich Skin Cancer Center and University Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Helen J Gogas
- Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laikon Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Ana Arance
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Mandala
- Department of Oncology and Haematology, Papa Giovanni XXIII Cancer Center Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Gabriella Liszkay
- Department of Dermatology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Claus Garbe
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivana Krajsova
- Department of Dermato-oncology, University Hospital Prague and Charles University First Medical Faculty, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ralf Gutzmer
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Skin Cancer Center Hannover, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Carmen Loquai
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | - Caroline Robert
- Service of Dermatology, Department of Medicine and Paris-Sud University, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
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27
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Cope N, Novak B, Candelora C, Wong K, Cavallo M, Gunderwala A, Liu Z, Li Y, Wang Z. Biochemical Characterization of Full-Length Oncogenic BRAF V600E together with Molecular Dynamics Simulations Provide Insight into the Activation and Inhibition Mechanisms of RAF Kinases. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2850-2861. [PMID: 31152574 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The most prevalent BRAF mutation, V600E, occurs frequently in melanoma and other cancers. Although extensive progress has been made toward understanding the biology of RAF kinases, little in vitro characterization of full-length BRAFV600E is available. Herein, we show the successful purification of active, full-length BRAFV600E from mammalian cells for in vitro experiments. Our biochemical characterization of intact BRAFV600E together with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the BRAF kinase domain and cell-based assays demonstrate that BRAFV600E has several unique features that contribute to its tumorigenesis. Firstly, steady-state kinetic analyses reveal that purified BRAFV600E is more active than fully activated wild-type BRAF; this is consistent with the notion that elevated signaling output is necessary for transformation. Secondly, BRAFV600E has a higher potential to form oligomers, despite the fact that the V600E substitution confers constitutive kinase activation independent of an intact side-to-side dimer interface. Thirdly, BRAFV600E bypasses inhibitory P-loop phosphorylation to enforce the necessary elevated signaling output for tumorigenesis. Together, these results provide new insight into the biochemical properties of BRAFV600E , complementing the understanding of BRAF regulation under normal and disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cope
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Christine Candelora
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kenneth Wong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Maria Cavallo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Amber Gunderwala
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yana Li
- Eukaryotic Tissue Culture Facility, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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28
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Röck R, Mayrhofer JE, Torres-Quesada O, Enzler F, Raffeiner A, Raffeiner P, Feichtner A, Huber RG, Koide S, Taylor SS, Troppmair J, Stefan E. BRAF inhibitors promote intermediate BRAF(V600E) conformations and binary interactions with activated RAS. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav8463. [PMID: 31453322 PMCID: PMC6693913 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav8463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic BRAF mutations initiate tumor formation by unleashing the autoinhibited kinase conformation and promoting RAS-decoupled proliferative RAF-MEK-ERK signaling. We have engineered luciferase-based biosensors to systematically track full-length BRAF conformations and interactions affected by tumorigenic kinase mutations and GTP loading of RAS. Binding of structurally diverse αC-helix-OUT BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) showed differences in specificity and efficacy by shifting patient mutation-containing BRAF reporters from the definitive opened to more closed conformations. Unexpectedly, BRAFi engagement with the catalytic pocket of V600E-mutated BRAF stabilized an intermediate and inactive kinase conformation that enhanced binary RAS:RAF interactions, also independently of RAF dimerization in melanoma cells. We present evidence that the interference with RAS interactions and nanoclustering antagonizes the sequential formation of drug-induced RAS:RAF tetramers. This suggests a previously unappreciated allosteric effect of anticancer drug-driven intramolecular communication between the kinase and RAS-binding domains of mutated BRAF, which may further promote paradoxical kinase activation and drug resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Röck
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Johanna E. Mayrhofer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Omar Torres-Quesada
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Florian Enzler
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andrea Raffeiner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Philipp Raffeiner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Andreas Feichtner
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Roland G. Huber
- Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138671, Singapore
| | - Shohei Koide
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine and Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Susan S. Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jakob Troppmair
- Daniel Swarovski Research Laboratory, Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Innrain 66, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Eduard Stefan
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center for Molecular Biosciences, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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29
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Terrell EM, Morrison DK. Ras-Mediated Activation of the Raf Family Kinases. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2019; 9:cshperspect.a033746. [PMID: 29358316 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a033746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade comprised of the Raf, MEK, and ERK protein kinases constitutes a key effector cascade used by the Ras GTPases to relay signals regulating cell growth, survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Of the ERK cascade components, the regulation of the Raf kinases is by far the most complex, involving changes in subcellular localization, protein and lipid interactions, as well as alterations in the Raf phosphorylation state. The Raf kinases interact directly with active, membrane-localized Ras, and this interaction is often the first step in the Raf activation process, which ultimately results in ERK activation and the downstream phosphorylation of cellular targets that will specify a particular biological response. Here, we will examine our current understanding of how Ras promotes Raf activation, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the Raf activation/inactivation cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Terrell
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland 21702
| | - Deborah K Morrison
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, Maryland 21702
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30
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Sun J, Zager JS, Eroglu Z. Encorafenib/binimetinib for the treatment of BRAF-mutant advanced, unresectable, or metastatic melanoma: design, development, and potential place in therapy. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:9081-9089. [PMID: 30588020 PMCID: PMC6299465 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s171693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Major advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of melanoma have led to a new era of melanoma treatment with targeted therapy and immunotherapies. Since 2011, four new classes of medications with unique mechanisms of action have been approved, which allow melanoma to be treated at many different stages in its development. These include the checkpoint inhibitors anti-PD1/PDL-1 and anti-CTLA4, as well as BRAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors. The latter two were developed to directly inhibit key components in the MAP kinase pathway with significant breakthrough in the treatment of metastatic and unresectable melanoma. In this review, we discuss the development of targeted therapy of melanoma up to the latest agents encorafenib and binimetinib, including mechanisms of action, adverse effects, and the latest data on treatment response. Current ongoing trials will continue to elucidate these medications and their ultimate impact on melanoma therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Sun
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA,
| | - Jonathan S Zager
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA,
| | - Zeynep Eroglu
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA,
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31
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32
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Cope N, Candelora C, Wong K, Kumar S, Nan H, Grasso M, Novak B, Li Y, Marmorstein R, Wang Z. Mechanism of BRAF Activation through Biochemical Characterization of the Recombinant Full-Length Protein. Chembiochem 2018; 19:1988-1997. [PMID: 29992710 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BRAF kinase plays an important role in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and harbors activating mutations in about half of melanomas and in a smaller percentage in many other cancers. Despite its importance, few in vitro studies have been performed to characterize the biochemical properties of full-length BRAF. Herein, a strategy to generate an active, intact form of BRAF protein suitable for in vitro enzyme kinetics is described. It is shown that purified, intact BRAF protein autophosphorylates the kinase activation loop and this can be enhanced by binding the MEK protein substrate through an allosteric mechanism. These studies provide in vitro evidence that BRAF selectively binds to active RAS and that the BRAF/CRAF heterodimer is the most active form, relative to their respective homodimers. Full-length BRAF analysis with small-molecule BRAF inhibitors shows that two drugs, dabrafenib and vemurafenib, can modestly enhance kinase activity of BRAF at low concentration. Taken together, this characterization of intact BRAF contributes to a framework for understanding its role in cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cope
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Christine Candelora
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Kenneth Wong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Sujeet Kumar
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Haihan Nan
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Michael Grasso
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Yana Li
- Eukaryotic Tissue Culture Facility, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
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33
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Steinberg SF. Post-translational modifications at the ATP-positioning G-loop that regulate protein kinase activity. Pharmacol Res 2018; 135:181-187. [PMID: 30048755 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases are a superfamily of enzymes that control a wide range of cellular functions. These enzymes share a highly conserved catalytic core that folds into a similar bilobar three-dimensional structure. One highly conserved region in the protein kinase core is the glycine-rich loop (or G-loop), a highly flexible loop that is characterized by a consensus GxGxxG sequence. The G-loop points toward the catalytic cleft and functions to bind and position ATP for phosphotransfer. Of note, in many protein kinases, the second and third glycine residues in the G-loop triad flank residues that can be targets for phosphorylation (Ser, Thr, or Tyr) or other post-translational modifications (ubiquitination, acetylation, O-GlcNAcylation, oxidation). There is considerable evidence that cyclin-dependent kinases are held inactive through inhibitory phosphorylation of the conserved Thr/Tyr residues in this position of the G-loop and that dephosphorylation by cellular phosphatases is required for CDK activation and progression through the cell cycle. This review summarizes literature that identifies residues in or adjacent to the G-loop in other protein kinases that are targets for functionally important post-translational modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan F Steinberg
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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34
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Kidger AM, Sipthorp J, Cook SJ. ERK1/2 inhibitors: New weapons to inhibit the RAS-regulated RAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway. Pharmacol Ther 2018; 187:45-60. [PMID: 29454854 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The RAS-regulated RAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signalling pathway is de-regulated in a variety of cancers due to mutations in receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), negative regulators of RAS (such as NF1) and core pathway components themselves (RAS, BRAF, CRAF, MEK1 or MEK2). This has driven the development of a variety of pharmaceutical agents to inhibit RAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signalling in cancer and both RAF and MEK inhibitors are now approved and used in the clinic. There is now much interest in targeting at the level of ERK1/2 for a variety of reasons. First, since the pathway is linear from RAF-to-MEK-to-ERK then ERK1/2 are validated as targets per se. Second, innate resistance to RAF or MEK inhibitors involves relief of negative feedback and pathway re-activation with all signalling going through ERK1/2, validating the use of ERK inhibitors with RAF or MEK inhibitors as an up-front combination. Third, long-term acquired resistance to RAF or MEK inhibitors involves a variety of mechanisms (KRAS or BRAF amplification, MEK mutation, etc.) which re-instate ERK activity, validating the use of ERK inhibitors to forestall acquired resistance to RAF or MEK inhibitors. The first potent highly selective ERK1/2 inhibitors have now been developed and are entering clinical trials. They have one of three discrete mechanisms of action - catalytic, "dual mechanism" or covalent - which could have profound consequences for how cells respond and adapt. In this review we describe the validation of ERK1/2 as anti-cancer drug targets, consider the mechanism of action of new ERK1/2 inhibitors and how this may impact on their efficacy, anticipate factors that will determine how tumour cells respond and adapt to ERK1/2 inhibitors and consider ERK1/2 inhibitor drug combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Kidger
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, England, United Kingdom.
| | - James Sipthorp
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, England, United Kingdom
| | - Simon J Cook
- Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, England, United Kingdom.
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35
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Molnár E, Rittler D, Baranyi M, Grusch M, Berger W, Döme B, Tóvári J, Aigner C, Tímár J, Garay T, Hegedűs B. Pan-RAF and MEK vertical inhibition enhances therapeutic response in non-V600 BRAF mutant cells. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:542. [PMID: 29739364 PMCID: PMC5941622 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4455-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, there are no available targeted therapy options for non-V600 BRAF mutated tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of RAF and MEK concurrent inhibition on tumor growth, migration, signaling and apoptosis induction in preclinical models of non-V600 BRAF mutant tumor cell lines. METHODS Six BRAF mutated human tumor cell lines CRL5885 (G466 V), WM3629 (D594G), WM3670 (G469E), MDAMB231 (G464 V), CRL5922 (L597 V) and A375 (V600E as control) were investigated. Pan-RAF inhibitor (sorafenib or AZ628) and MEK inhibitor (selumetinib) or their combination were used in in vitro viability, video microscopy, immunoblot, cell cycle and TUNEL assays. The in vivo effects of the drugs were assessed in an orthotopic NSG mouse breast cancer model. RESULTS All cell lines showed a significant growth inhibition with synergism in the sorafenib/AZ628 and selumetinib combination. Combination treatment resulted in higher Erk1/2 inhibition and in increased induction of apoptosis when compared to single agent treatments. However, single selumetinib treatment could cause adverse therapeutic effects, like increased cell migration in certain cells, selumetinib and sorafenib combination treatment lowered migratory capacity in all the cell lines. Importantly, combination resulted in significantly increased tumor growth inhibition in orthotropic xenografts of MDAMB231 cells when compared to sorafenib - but not to selumetinib - treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggests that combined blocking of RAF and MEK may achieve increased therapeutic response in non-V600 BRAF mutant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eszter Molnár
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary
| | - Dominika Rittler
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary
| | - Marcell Baranyi
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary
| | - Michael Grusch
- Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Berger
- Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Balázs Döme
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria.,National Korányi Institute of TB and Pulmonology, Budapest, 1085, Hungary.,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Semmelweis University-National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, 1122, Hungary
| | - József Tóvári
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, 1122, Hungary
| | - Clemens Aigner
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruhrlandklinik, University Duisburg-Essen, 45239, Essen, Germany
| | - József Tímár
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary.,HAS-SE Molecular Oncology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1051, Hungary
| | - Tamás Garay
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary.,HAS-SE Molecular Oncology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1051, Hungary.,HAS Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1051, Hungary
| | - Balázs Hegedűs
- 2nd Department of Pathology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, 1091, Hungary. .,Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruhrlandklinik, University Duisburg-Essen, 45239, Essen, Germany. .,HAS-SE Molecular Oncology Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1051, Hungary.
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36
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Design and discovery of thioether and nicotinamide containing sorafenib analogues as multikinase inhibitors targeting B-Raf, B-RafV600E and VEGFR-2. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:2381-2391. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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37
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Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive of the skin cancers, with historically high rates of morbidity and mortality due to its resistance to traditional cytotoxic therapies. Recently, however, breakthroughs in new therapies have dramatically changed clinical outcomes of this disease. These advances emerged from an improved understanding of tumor oncogenesis and the interacting tumor microenvironment. Small molecules that target the oncogenic mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, specifically the tyrosine kinase BRAF and its downstream signaling partner MEK, have demonstrated an improved overall survival and progression-free survival for BRAF-mutant melanoma. Additionally, manipulation of tumor immune surveillance by inhibitors of the immune suppressive programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) pathways have recently demonstrated durable responses in various cancers by promoting an anti-tumor immune response. Application of these targeted and immune-modulatory therapies has shown promising outcomes in melanoma. Combinations of these therapies may hold promise to enhance responses further. In this review, we will discuss the current targeted therapies and immunotherapies, and review the results of combination studies and speculate on future treatment paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Y Zhou
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Douglas B Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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38
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Abstract
The mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-related kinase (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway serves an integral role in growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and survival of all mammalian cells. Aberrant signaling of this pathway is often observed in several types of hematologic and solid malignancies. The most frequent insult to this signaling cascade, leading to its constitutive activation, is to the serine/threonine kinase rapidly accelerating fibrosarcoma (RAF). Considering this, the development and approval of various small-molecule inhibitors targeting the MAPK/ERK pathway has become a mainstay of treatment as either mono- or combination therapy in these cancers. Although effective initially, a major clinical barrier with these inhibitors is the relapse of patients due to drug resistance. Knowledge of the mechanisms of resistance to these drugs is still premature, highlighting the need for a more in-depth understanding of how patients become insensitive to these pharmacologic interventions. Herein, we will succinctly summarize the milestones in the approval of select MAPK/ERK pathway inhibitors, their use in patients, and major modes of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaquelyn N Sanchez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ton Wang
- Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mark S Cohen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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39
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Type II RAF inhibitor causes superior ERK pathway suppression compared to type I RAF inhibitor in cells expressing different BRAF mutant types recurrently found in lung cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 9:16110-16123. [PMID: 29662630 PMCID: PMC5882321 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A large fraction of somatic driver BRAF mutations in lung cancer are non-V600 and impaired-kinase. Non-V600 BRAF mutations predict sensitivity to combination of a type I RAF inhibitor, Dabrafenib, and a MEK inhibitor, Trametinib. Singly, Dabrafenib only weakly suppresses mutant BRAF-induced ERK signaling and can induce ERK paradoxical activation in CRAF-overexpressing cells. The present study compared the effects of Dabrafenib and a type II RAF inhibitor, AZ628, on ERK activity in HEK293T cells expressing several tumor-derived BRAF mutants, and in a non-V600 and impaired-kinase BRAF-mutant lung cancer cell line (H1666). Unlike Dabrafenib, AZ628 did not induce paradoxical ERK activation in CRAF-overexpressing cells and BRAF-mutant cells overexpressing CRAF were more responsive to AZ628 compared to Dabrafenib in terms of ERK inhibition. AZ628 inhibited ERK more effectively than Dabrafenib in both H1666 cells and HEK293T cells co-expressing several different BRAF-mutants with CRAF. Similarly, AZ628 plus Trametinib had better MEK-inhibitory and pro-apoptotic effects in H1666 cells than Dabrafenib plus Trametinib. Moreover, prolonged treatment of H1666 cells with AZ628 plus Trametinib produced greater inhibition of cell growth than Dabrafenib plus Trametinib. These results indicate that AZ628 has greater potential than Dabrafenib, both as a single agent and combined with Trametinib, for the treatment of non-V600 BRAF mutant lung cancer.
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40
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LY3009120, a panRAF inhibitor, has significant anti-tumor activity in BRAF and KRAS mutant preclinical models of colorectal cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 8:9251-9266. [PMID: 27999210 PMCID: PMC5354729 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.14002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Activating mutations in the KRAS and BRAF genes, leading to hyperactivation of the RAS/RAF/MAPK oncogenic signaling cascade, are common in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). While selective BRAF inhibitors are efficacious in BRAFmut melanoma, they have limited efficacy in BRAFmut CRC patients. In a RASmut background, selective BRAF inhibitors are contraindicated due to paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway through potentiation of CRAF kinase activity. A way to overcome such paradoxical activation is through concurrent inhibition of the kinase activity of both RAF isoforms. Here, we further examined the effects of LY3009120, a panRAF and RAF dimer inhibitor, in human models of CRC with various mutational backgrounds. We demonstrate that LY3009120 induced anti-proliferative effects in BRAFmut and KRASmut CRC cell lines through G1-cell cycle arrest. The anti-proliferative effects of LY3009120 in KRASmut CRC cell lines phenocopied molecular inhibition of RAF isoforms by simultaneous siRNA-mediated knockdown of ARAF, BRAF and CRAF. Additionally, LY3009120 displayed significant activity in in vivo BRAFmut and KRASmut CRC xenograft models. Examination of potential resistance to LY3009120 demonstrated RAF-independent ERK and AKT activation in the KRASmut CRC cell line HCT 116. These findings describe the preclinical activity of a panRAF inhibitor in a BRAFmut and KRASmut CRC setting.
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogos Agianian
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
| | - Evripidis Gavathiotis
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, United States
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42
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Rocca S, Carrà G, Poggio P, Morotti A, Brancaccio M. Targeting few to help hundreds: JAK, MAPK and ROCK pathways as druggable targets in atypical chronic myeloid leukemia. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:40. [PMID: 29455651 PMCID: PMC5817721 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0774-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (aCML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by neutrophilic leukocytosis and dysgranulopoiesis. From a genetic point of view, aCML shows a heterogeneous mutational landscape with mutations affecting signal transduction proteins but also broad genetic modifiers and chromatin remodelers, making difficult to understand the molecular mechanisms causing the onset of the disease. The JAK-STAT, MAPK and ROCK pathways are known to be responsible for myeloproliferation in physiological conditions and to be aberrantly activated in myeloproliferative diseases. Furthermore, experimental evidences suggest the efficacy of inhibitors targeting these pathways in repressing myeloproliferation, opening the way to deep clinical investigations. However, the activation status of these pathways is rarely analyzed when genetic mutations do not occur in a component of the signaling cascade. Given that mutations in functionally unrelated genes give rise to the same pathology, it is tempting to speculate that alteration in the few signaling pathways mentioned above might be a common feature of pathological myeloproliferation. If so, targeted therapy would be an option to be considered for aCML patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Rocca
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Giovanna Carrà
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, 10043, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Pietro Poggio
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Morotti
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Torino, 10043, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Mara Brancaccio
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, 10126, Torino, Italy.
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43
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Chen M, Wan L, Zhang J, Zhang J, Mendez L, Clohessy JG, Berry K, Victor J, Yin Q, Zhu Y, Wei W, Pandolfi PP. Deregulated PP1α phosphatase activity towards MAPK activation is antagonized by a tumor suppressive failsafe mechanism. Nat Commun 2018; 9:159. [PMID: 29335436 PMCID: PMC5768788 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02272-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is frequently aberrantly activated in advanced cancers, including metastatic prostate cancer (CaP). However, activating mutations or gene rearrangements among MAPK signaling components, such as Ras and Raf, are not always observed in cancers with hyperactivated MAPK. The mechanisms underlying MAPK activation in these cancers remain largely elusive. Here we discover that genomic amplification of the PPP1CA gene is highly enriched in metastatic human CaP. We further identify an S6K/PP1α/B-Raf signaling pathway leading to activation of MAPK signaling that is antagonized by the PML tumor suppressor. Mechanistically, we find that PP1α acts as a B-Raf activating phosphatase and that PML suppresses MAPK activation by sequestering PP1α into PML nuclear bodies, hence repressing S6K-dependent PP1α phosphorylation, 14-3-3 binding and cytoplasmic accumulation. Our findings therefore reveal a PP1α/PML molecular network that is genetically altered in human cancer towards aberrant MAPK activation, with important therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Chen
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Lixin Wan
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Jiangwen Zhang
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Jinfang Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lourdes Mendez
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - John G Clohessy
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Kelsey Berry
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Joshua Victor
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Qing Yin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Yuan Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Pier Paolo Pandolfi
- Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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44
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Eisenhardt AE, Sprenger A, Röring M, Herr R, Weinberg F, Köhler M, Braun S, Orth J, Diedrich B, Lanner U, Tscherwinski N, Schuster S, Dumaz N, Schmidt E, Baumeister R, Schlosser A, Dengjel J, Brummer T. Phospho-proteomic analyses of B-Raf protein complexes reveal new regulatory principles. Oncotarget 2018; 7:26628-52. [PMID: 27034005 PMCID: PMC5042004 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
B-Raf represents a critical physiological regulator of the Ras/RAF/MEK/ERK-pathway and a pharmacological target of growing clinical relevance, in particular in oncology. To understand how B-Raf itself is regulated, we combined mass spectrometry with genetic approaches to map its interactome in MCF-10A cells as well as in B-Raf deficient murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and B-Raf/Raf-1 double deficient DT40 lymphoma cells complemented with wildtype or mutant B-Raf expression vectors. Using a multi-protease digestion approach, we identified a novel ubiquitination site and provide a detailed B-Raf phospho-map. Importantly, we identify two evolutionary conserved phosphorylation clusters around T401 and S419 in the B-Raf hinge region. SILAC labelling and genetic/biochemical follow-up revealed that these clusters are phosphorylated in the contexts of oncogenic Ras, sorafenib induced Raf dimerization and in the background of the V600E mutation. We further show that the vemurafenib sensitive phosphorylation of the T401 cluster occurs in trans within a Raf dimer. Substitution of the Ser/Thr-residues of this cluster by alanine residues enhances the transforming potential of B-Raf, indicating that these phosphorylation sites suppress its signaling output. Moreover, several B-Raf phosphorylation sites, including T401 and S419, are somatically mutated in tumors, further illustrating the importance of phosphorylation for the regulation of this kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja E Eisenhardt
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Adrian Sprenger
- Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,INSERM U976 and Universitéi Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Michael Röring
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), ALU, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ricarda Herr
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Florian Weinberg
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martin Köhler
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), ALU, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Braun
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Joachim Orth
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Britta Diedrich
- Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University Medical Centre, ALU, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Lanner
- Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Natalja Tscherwinski
- Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Schuster
- Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nicolas Dumaz
- INSERM U976 and Universitéi Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Enrico Schmidt
- Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Baumeister
- Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies BIOSS, ALU, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlosser
- Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörn Dengjel
- Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Dermatology, University Medical Centre, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies BIOSS, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Tilman Brummer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Cell Research (IMMZ), Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University (ALU), Freiburg, Germany.,Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), Freiburg, Germany.,Centre for Biological Signalling Studies BIOSS, ALU, Freiburg, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Freiburg, Germany
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45
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Abstract
The discovery that a subset of human tumours is dependent on mutationally deregulated BRAF kinase intensified the development of RAF inhibitors to be used as potential therapeutics. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved second-generation RAF inhibitors vemurafenib and dabrafenib have elicited remarkable responses and improved survival of patients with BRAF-V600E/K melanoma, but their effectiveness is limited by resistance. Beyond melanoma, current clinical RAF inhibitors show modest efficacy when used for colorectal and thyroid BRAF-V600E tumours or for tumours harbouring BRAF alterations other than the V600 mutation. Accumulated experimental and clinical evidence indicates that the complex biochemical mechanisms of RAF kinase signalling account both for the effectiveness of RAF inhibitors and for the various mechanisms of tumour resistance to them. Recently, a number of next-generation RAF inhibitors, with diverse structural and biochemical properties, have entered preclinical and clinical development. In this Review, we discuss the current understanding of RAF kinase regulation, mechanisms of inhibitor action and related clinical resistance to these drugs. The recent elucidation of critical structural and biochemical aspects of RAF inhibitor action, combined with the availability of a number of structurally diverse RAF inhibitors currently in preclinical and clinical development, will enable the design of more effective RAF inhibitors and RAF-inhibitor-based therapeutic strategies, tailored to different clinical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoi Karoulia
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Department of Dermatology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Evripidis Gavathiotis
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Poulikos I Poulikakos
- Department of Oncological Sciences and Department of Dermatology, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
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46
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RAF inhibitors promote RAS-RAF interaction by allosterically disrupting RAF autoinhibition. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1211. [PMID: 29084939 PMCID: PMC5662619 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01274-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
First-generation RAF inhibitors paradoxically induce ERK signaling in normal and tumor cells exhibiting RAS activity. Compound-induced RAF dimerization through stabilization of the RAF ON/active state by inhibitors has emerged as a critical contributing factor. RAF inhibitors also enhance RAS−RAF association. Although this event is thought to play a key role in priming RAF activation, the underlying mechanism is not known. Here we report that RAF inhibitors induce the disruption of intramolecular interactions between the kinase domain and its N-terminal regulatory region independently of RAS activity. This provides a molecular basis to explain the induction of RAS−RAF association by RAF inhibitors, as well as the co-operativity observed between RAS activity and RAF kinase inhibitors in driving RAF activation. Profiling of second-generation RAF inhibitors confirmed their improved mode of action, but also revealed liabilities that allowed us to discern two properties of an ideal RAF inhibitor: high-binding affinity to all RAF paralogs and maintenance of the OFF/autoinhibited state of the enzyme. RAF family kinases transmit signals from activated RAS at the plasma membrane to downstream kinases to control cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. Here the authors shed light on the molecular mechanisms whereby small molecule RAF inhibitors induce RAS-RAF association and paradoxical RAF activation.
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47
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Abstract
Protein kinase inhibitors have become increasingly important therapeutic drugs for the treatment of human diseases; however, resistance and off-target effects can limit their use. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Ross et al. (2017) reveal a novel off-target mechanism where the Src kinase inhibitor SU6656 paradoxically primes AMPK for phosphorylation and activation by the upstream kinase LKB1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John W Scott
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
| | - Bruce E Kemp
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia.
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48
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Delord JP, Robert C, Nyakas M, McArthur GA, Kudchakar R, Mahipal A, Yamada Y, Sullivan R, Arance A, Kefford RF, Carlino MS, Hidalgo M, Gomez-Roca C, Michel D, Seroutou A, Aslanis V, Caponigro G, Stuart DD, Moutouh-de Parseval L, Demuth T, Dummer R. Phase I Dose-Escalation and -Expansion Study of the BRAF Inhibitor Encorafenib (LGX818) in Metastatic BRAF-Mutant Melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 2017; 23:5339-5348. [PMID: 28611198 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-16-2923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Encorafenib, a selective BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi), has a pharmacologic profile that is distinct from that of other clinically active BRAFis. We evaluated encorafenib in a phase I study in patients with BRAFi treatment-naïve and pretreated BRAF-mutant melanoma.Experimental Design: The pharmacologic activity of encorafenib was first characterized preclinically. Encorafenib monotherapy was then tested across a range of once-daily (50-700 mg) or twice-daily (75-150 mg) regimens in a phase I, open-label, dose-escalation and -expansion study in adult patients with histologically confirmed advanced/metastatic BRAF-mutant melanoma. Study objectives were to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and/or recommended phase II dose (RP2D), characterize the safety and tolerability and pharmacokinetic profile, and assess the preliminary antitumor activity of encorafenib.Results: Preclinical data demonstrated that encorafenib inhibited BRAF V600E kinase activity with a prolonged off-rate and suppressed proliferation and tumor growth of BRAF V600E-mutant melanoma models. In the dose-escalation phase, 54 patients (29 BRAFi-pretreated and 25 BRAFi-naïve) were enrolled. Seven patients in the dose-determining set experienced dose-limiting toxicities. Encorafenib at a dose of 300 mg once daily was declared the RP2D. In the expansion phase, the most common all-cause adverse events were nausea (66%), myalgia (63%), and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (54%). In BRAFi-naïve patients, the overall response rate (ORR) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were 60% and 12.4 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.4-not reached (NR)]. In BRAFi-pretreated patients, the ORR and mPFS were 22% and 1.9 months (95% CI, 0.9-3.7).Conclusions: Once-daily dosing of single-agent encorafenib had a distinct tolerability profile and showed varying antitumor activity across BRAFi-pretreated and BRAFi-naïve patients with advanced/metastatic melanoma. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5339-48. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Grant A McArthur
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Amit Mahipal
- Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | | | - Ryan Sullivan
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ana Arance
- Department of Medical Oncology and Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Richard F Kefford
- Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead Hospital, Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matteo S Carlino
- Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead Hospital, Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manuel Hidalgo
- Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) and Centro Integral Oncologico Clara Campal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Darrin D Stuart
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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49
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Sun Y, Alberta JA, Pilarz C, Calligaris D, Chadwick EJ, Ramkissoon SH, Ramkissoon LA, Garcia VM, Mazzola E, Goumnerova L, Kane M, Yao Z, Kieran MW, Ligon KL, Hahn WC, Garraway LA, Rosen N, Gray NS, Agar NY, Buhrlage SJ, Segal RA, Stiles CD. A brain-penetrant RAF dimer antagonist for the noncanonical BRAF oncoprotein of pediatric low-grade astrocytomas. Neuro Oncol 2017; 19:774-785. [PMID: 28082416 PMCID: PMC5464455 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/now261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Activating mutations or structural rearrangements in BRAF are identified in roughly 75% of all pediatric low-grade astrocytomas (PLGAs). However, first-generation RAF inhibitors approved for adult melanoma have poor blood-brain penetrance and are only effective on tumors that express the canonical BRAFV600E oncoprotein, which functions as a monomer. These drugs (type I antagonists that target the "DFG-in" conformation of the kinase) fail to block signaling via KIAA1549:BRAF, a truncation/fusion BRAF oncoprotein which functions as a dimer and is found in the most common form of PLGA. Methods A panel of small molecule RAF inhibitors (including type II inhibitors, targeting the "DFG-out" conformation of the kinase) was screened for drugs showing efficacy on murine models of PLGA and on authentic human PLGA cells expressing KIAA1549:BRAF. Results We identify a type II RAF inhibitor that serves as an equipotent antagonist of BRAFV600E, KIAA1549:BRAF, and other noncanonical BRAF oncoproteins that function as dimers. This drug (MLN2480, also known as TAK-580) has good brain penetrance and is active on authentic human PLGA cells in brain organotypic cultures. Conclusion MLN2480 may be an effective therapeutic for BRAF mutant pediatric astrocytomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Sun
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John A Alberta
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Catherine Pilarz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Calligaris
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emily J Chadwick
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shakti H Ramkissoon
- Center for Molecular Oncologic Pathology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lori A Ramkissoon
- Center for Molecular Oncologic Pathology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Veronica Matia Garcia
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emanuele Mazzola
- Department of Biostatistics & Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Liliana Goumnerova
- Department of Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael Kane
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhan Yao
- Program in Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, and Center for Mechanism Based Therapeutics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - Mark W Kieran
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith L Ligon
- Center for Molecular Oncologic Pathology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - William C Hahn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Levi A Garraway
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Neal Rosen
- Program in Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, and Center for Mechanism Based Therapeutics Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathalie Y Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sara J Buhrlage
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rosalind A Segal
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charles D Stiles
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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50
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Lim SY, Menzies AM, Rizos H. Mechanisms and strategies to overcome resistance to molecularly targeted therapy for melanoma. Cancer 2017; 123:2118-2129. [DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Su Yin Lim
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Alexander M. Menzies
- Melanoma Institute Australia; Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Sydney Medical School; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Royal North Shore Hospital; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Helen Rizos
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Macquarie University; Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia; Sydney New South Wales Australia
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