1
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Brito TLD, Edson EA, Dias Florêncio KG, Machado-Neto JA, Garnique ADMB, Mesquita Luiz JP, Cunha FDQ, Alves-Filho JC, Haygood M, Wilke DV. Tartrolon D induces immunogenic cell death in melanoma. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 400:111177. [PMID: 39097071 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.111177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Tartrolon D (TRL) is produced by Teredinibacter turnerae, a symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) induction contributes to a better and longer-lasting response to anticancer treatment. Tumor cells undergoing ICD trigger activation of the immune system, as a vaccine. AIMS This study aimed to evaluate ICD induction by TRL. MAIN METHODS Cell viability was evaluated by SRB assay. Cell stress, cell death, ICD features and antigen-presenting molecules were evaluated by flow cytometry and immunoblot. KEY FINDINGS TRL showed antiproliferative activity on 7 tumor cell lines (L929, HCT 116, B16-F10, WM293A, SK-MEL-28, PC-3M, and MCF-7) and a non-tumor cell (HEK293A), with an inhibition concentration mean (IC50) ranging from 0.03 μM to 13 μM. Metastatic melanomas, SK-MEL-28, B16-F10, and WM293A, were more sensitive cell lines, with IC50 ranging from 0.07 to 1.2 μM. TRL induced apoptosis along with autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress and release of typical damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) of ICD such calreticulin, ERp57, and HSP70 exposure, and HMGB1 release. Additionally, melanoma B16-F10 exposed to TRL increased expression of antigen-presenting molecules MHC II and CD1d and induced activation of splenocytes of C57BL/6 mice. SIGNIFICANCE In spite of recent advances provided by target therapy and immunotherapy, advanced metastatic melanoma is incurable for more than half of patients. ICD inducers yield better and long-lasting responses to anticancer treatment. Our findings shed light on an anticancer candidate of marine origin that induces ICD in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Lima de Brito
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Brazil.
| | - Evelline Araújo Edson
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Brazil.
| | - Katharine Gurgel Dias Florêncio
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Brazil.
| | | | | | - João Paulo Mesquita Luiz
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Fernando de Queiroz Cunha
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - José Carlos Alves-Filho
- Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CRID), Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | | | - Diego Veras Wilke
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Brazil.
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2
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Mudedla S, Lee H, Kim JJ, Jang SH, Doddareddy MR, Sanam SY, Gundabathula R, Park JJ, Wu S. Molecular Dynamics Simulation on the Suppression Mechanism of Phosphorylation to Ser222 by Allosteric Inhibitors Targeting MEK1/2 Kinase. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:31946-31956. [PMID: 39072081 PMCID: PMC11270731 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c03615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Allosteric inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MEK1) reveal distinct interactions with MEK1 activation loop residues. The structural analyses will determine whether, and how, distinct inhibitors suppress the phosphorylation of MEK1 and may guide future therapeutic development. In this study, we explored the suppression mechanism of the phosphorylation process in the presence of MEK allosteric inhibitors, such as selumetinib, trametinib, cobimetinib, and CH5126766, by employing molecular dynamics simulations accompanied by principal component analysis. The simulations of wildtype MEK1 show that Ser222 can come close to γ-phosphate but not Ser218. We have found the conformation where Ser222 is within 5 Å of distance, which makes Ser222 accessible for γ-phosphate. The conformation analysis from the simulations of MEK1 in the presence of allosteric inhibitors reveals that the inhibitor restricts the flexibility of Ser222 through strong interactions with the activation loop, Lys97, and water mediates interactions with amino acids in the vicinity. The results reveal that all the inhibitors act as screeners between the activation loop and Mg-ATP and restricting the flexibility of the activation loop through strong interaction causes the suppression of the phosphorylation process of MEK1. The results conclude that a strong interaction of allosteric inhibitors with the activation loop restricts the movement of Ser222 toward Mg-ATP, which could be the dominant factor for the suppression of phosphorylation in MEK1. This research will provide novel insights to design effective anticancer therapeutics for targeting MEK1 in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathish
K. Mudedla
- PharmCADD,
224, Engineering Building 7, Sinseon-Ro 365, Namgu, Busan 48548, Korea
| | - Hayoung Lee
- Drug
Discovery Division, ISU Abxis, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488, Korea
| | - Jeom Ji Kim
- Drug
Discovery Division, ISU Abxis, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488, Korea
| | - Seong Hun Jang
- PharmCADD,
224, Engineering Building 7, Sinseon-Ro 365, Namgu, Busan 48548, Korea
| | | | - Swetha Y. Sanam
- PharmCADD,
224, Engineering Building 7, Sinseon-Ro 365, Namgu, Busan 48548, Korea
| | - Rochish Gundabathula
- PharmCADD,
224, Engineering Building 7, Sinseon-Ro 365, Namgu, Busan 48548, Korea
| | - Jang-June Park
- Drug
Discovery Division, ISU Abxis, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13488, Korea
| | - Sangwook Wu
- PharmCADD,
224, Engineering Building 7, Sinseon-Ro 365, Namgu, Busan 48548, Korea
- Department
of Physics, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Korea
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3
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Zhao K, Zhao Q, Dai X, Wen X, Luo X, Duan Y, Yang Z, Dai Q. Alantolactone enhances the sensitivity of melanoma to MAPK pathway inhibitors by targeting inhibition of STAT3 activation and down-regulating stem cell markers. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:191. [PMID: 38822350 PMCID: PMC11143683 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03371-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (MAPKi) were the first line drugs for advanced melanoma patients with BRAF mutation. Targeted therapies have significant therapeutic effects; however, drug resistance hinders their long-term efficacy. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies against MAPKi resistance is critical. Our previous results showed that MAPKi promote feedback activation of STAT3 signaling in BRAF-mutated cancer cells. Studies have shown that alantolactone inhibited the activation of STAT3 in a variety of tumor cells. Our results confirmed that alantolactone suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting STAT3 feedback activation induced by MAPKi and downregulating the expression of downstream Oct4 and Sox2. The inhibitory effect of alantolactone combined with a MAPKi on melanoma cells was significantly stronger than that on normal cells. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that combination treatment was effective against drug-resistant melanomas. Our research indicates a potential novel combination therapy (alantolactone and MAPKi) for patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Xinqiao Hospital, The Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xinzhi Dai
- The First Clinical Institute, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, 563003, China
| | - Xue Wen
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Xing Luo
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Yi Duan
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China
| | - Zhihui Yang
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, No. 25 Taiping Street, Jiangyang District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
| | - Qiong Dai
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, No. 1, Section 1, Xianglin Road, Matan Long District, Luzhou, Sichuan Province, 646000, China.
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4
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DuBose E, Bevill SM, Mitchell DK, Sciaky N, Golitz BT, Dixon SAH, Rhodes SD, Bear JE, Johnson GL, Angus SP. Neratinib, a pan ERBB/HER inhibitor, restores sensitivity of PTEN-null, BRAFV600E melanoma to BRAF/MEK inhibition. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1191217. [PMID: 38854737 PMCID: PMC11159048 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1191217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Approximately 50% of melanomas harbor an activating BRAFV600E mutation. Standard of care involves a combination of inhibitors targeting mutant BRAF and MEK1/2, the substrate for BRAF in the MAPK pathway. PTEN loss-of-function mutations occur in ~40% of BRAFV600E melanomas, resulting in increased PI3K/AKT activity that enhances resistance to BRAF/MEK combination inhibitor therapy. Methods To compare the response of PTEN null to PTEN wild-type cells in an isogenic background, CRISPR/Cas9 was used to knock out PTEN in a melanoma cell line that harbors a BRAFV600E mutation. RNA sequencing, functional kinome analysis, and drug synergy screening were employed in the context of BRAF/MEK inhibition. Results RNA sequencing and functional kinome analysis revealed that the loss of PTEN led to an induction of FOXD3 and an increase in expression of the FOXD3 target gene, ERBB3/HER3. Inhibition of BRAF and MEK1/2 in PTEN null, BRAFV600E cells dramatically induced the expression of ERBB3/HER3 relative to wild-type cells. A synergy screen of epigenetic modifiers and kinase inhibitors in combination with BRAFi/MEKi revealed that the pan ERBB/HER inhibitor, neratinib, could reverse the resistance observed in PTEN null, BRAFV600E cells. Conclusions The findings indicate that PTEN null BRAFV600E melanoma exhibits increased reliance on ERBB/HER signaling when treated with clinically approved BRAFi/MEKi combinations. Future studies are warranted to test neratinib reversal of BRAFi/MEKi resistance in patient melanomas expressing ERBB3/HER3 in combination with its dimerization partner ERBB2/HER2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan DuBose
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Samantha M. Bevill
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Dana K. Mitchell
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Noah Sciaky
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Brian T. Golitz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Shelley A. H. Dixon
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Steven D. Rhodes
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - James E. Bear
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Gary L. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Steven P. Angus
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Stem Cell Transplant, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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5
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Gadal S, Boyer JA, Roy SF, Outmezguine NA, Sharma M, Li H, Fan N, Chan E, Romin Y, Barlas A, Chang Q, Pancholi P, Timaul NM, Overholtzer M, Yaeger R, Manova-Todorova K, de Stanchina E, Bosenberg M, Rosen N. Tumorigenesis driven by the BRAF V600E oncoprotein requires secondary mutations that overcome its feedback inhibition of migration and invasion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.21.568071. [PMID: 38659913 PMCID: PMC11042182 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BRAFV600E mutation occurs in 46% of melanomas and drives high levels of ERK activity and ERK-dependent proliferation. However, BRAFV600E is insufficient to drive melanoma in GEMM models, and 82% of human benign nevi harbor BRAFV600E mutations. We show here that BRAFV600E inhibits mesenchymal migration by causing feedback inhibition of RAC1 activity. ERK pathway inhibition induces RAC1 activation and restores migration and invasion. In cells with BRAFV600E, mutant RAC1, overexpression of PREX1, PREX2, or PTEN inactivation restore RAC1 activity and cell motility. Together, these lesions occur in 48% of BRAFV600E melanomas. Thus, although BRAFV600E activation of ERK deregulates cell proliferation, it prevents full malignant transformation by causing feedback inhibition of cell migration. Secondary mutations are, therefore, required for tumorigenesis. One mechanism underlying tumor evolution may be the selection of lesions that rescue the deleterious effects of oncogenic drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunyana Gadal
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jacob A. Boyer
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Simon F. Roy
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Noah A. Outmezguine
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Malvika Sharma
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Hongyan Li
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ning Fan
- Molecular Cytology Core, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eric Chan
- Molecular Cytology Core, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Afsar Barlas
- Molecular Cytology Core, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Qing Chang
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Priya Pancholi
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Neilawattie. Merna Timaul
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Rona Yaeger
- Department of Medicine, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Elisa de Stanchina
- Antitumor Assessment Core Facility, Molecular Pharmacology Program, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Marcus Bosenberg
- Department of Dermatology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Neal Rosen
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, NY 10065, USA
- Department of Medicine, MSKCC, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Lead Contact
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6
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Fateeva A, Eddy K, Chen S. Current State of Melanoma Therapy and Next Steps: Battling Therapeutic Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1571. [PMID: 38672652 PMCID: PMC11049326 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16081571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer due to its high propensity to metastasize to distant organs. Significant progress has been made in the last few decades in melanoma therapeutics, most notably in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. These approaches have greatly improved treatment response outcomes; however, they remain limited in their abilities to hinder disease progression due, in part, to the onset of acquired resistance. In parallel, intrinsic resistance to therapy remains an issue to be resolved. In this review, we summarize currently available therapeutic options for melanoma treatment and focus on possible mechanisms that drive therapeutic resistance. A better understanding of therapy resistance will provide improved rational strategies to overcome these obstacles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; (A.F.); (K.E.)
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA
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7
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Hanrahan AJ, Chen Z, Rosen N, Solit DB. BRAF - a tumour-agnostic drug target with lineage-specific dependencies. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:224-247. [PMID: 38278874 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00852-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
In June 2022, the FDA granted Accelerated Approval to the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib in combination with the MEK inhibitor trametinib for the treatment of adult and paediatric patients (≥6 years of age) with unresectable or metastatic BRAFV600E-mutant solid tumours, except for BRAFV600E-mutant colorectal cancers. The histology-agnostic approval of dabrafenib plus trametinib marks the culmination of two decades of research into the landscape of BRAF mutations in human cancers, the biochemical mechanisms underlying BRAF-mediated tumorigenesis, and the clinical development of selective RAF and MEK inhibitors. Although the majority of patients with BRAFV600E-mutant tumours derive clinical benefit from BRAF inhibitor-based combinations, resistance to treatment develops in most. In this Review, we describe the biochemical basis for oncogenic BRAF-induced activation of MAPK signalling and pan-cancer and lineage-specific mechanisms of intrinsic, adaptive and acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. We also discuss novel RAF inhibitors and drug combinations designed to delay the emergence of treatment resistance and/or expand the population of patients with BRAF-mutant cancers who benefit from molecularly targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aphrothiti J Hanrahan
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ziyu Chen
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics & Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neal Rosen
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Solit
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Visser M, Papillon JPN, Luzzio M, LaMarche MJ, Fan J, Michael W, Wang D, Zhang A, Straub C, Mathieu S, Kato M, Palermo M, Chen C, Ramsey T, Joud C, Barrett R, Vattay A, Guo R, Bric A, Chung F, Liang G, Romanowski MJ, Lam J, Thohan S, Atassi F, Wylie A, Cooke VG. Discovery of Darovasertib (NVP-LXS196), a Pan-PKC Inhibitor for the Treatment of Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. J Med Chem 2024; 67:1447-1459. [PMID: 38198520 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in the adult eye. Despite the aggressive local management of primary UM, the development of metastases is common with no effective treatment options for metastatic disease. Genetic analysis of UM samples reveals the presence of mutually exclusive activating mutations in the Gq alpha subunits GNAQ and GNA11. One of the key downstream targets of the constitutively active Gq alpha subunits is the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway. Herein, we describe the discovery of darovasertib (NVP-LXS196), a potent pan-PKC inhibitor with high whole kinome selectivity. The lead series was optimized for kinase and off target selectivity to afford a compound that is rapidly absorbed and well tolerated in preclinical species. LXS196 is being investigated in the clinic as a monotherapy and in combination with other agents for the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM), including primary UM and metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Visser
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julien P N Papillon
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Luzzio
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Matthew J LaMarche
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jianmei Fan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Walter Michael
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - David Wang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alan Zhang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Christopher Straub
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Simon Mathieu
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mitsunori Kato
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mark Palermo
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Christine Chen
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Timothy Ramsey
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Carol Joud
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Rosemary Barrett
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Anthony Vattay
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Ribo Guo
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Anka Bric
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Franklin Chung
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Guiqing Liang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael J Romanowski
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Joni Lam
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Sanjeev Thohan
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Faraj Atassi
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Andrew Wylie
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Vesselina G Cooke
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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9
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Fateeva A, Eddy K, Chen S. Overview of current melanoma therapies. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2023:10.1111/pcmr.13154. [PMID: 38063139 PMCID: PMC11161550 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.13154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and is responsible for the majority of deaths from skin cancer. Therapeutic advances in the last few decades, notably the development of novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies have significantly improved patient outcomes; nonetheless, these options remain limited due to the onset of resistance to treatment modalities and relapse. In this review, we focus on the available therapeutic options, their benefits, and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Fateeva
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kevinn Eddy
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Suzie Chen
- Susan Lehman Cullman Laboratory for Cancer Research, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
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10
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Wang J, Calizo A, Zhang L, Pino JC, Lyu Y, Pollard K, Zhang X, Larsson AT, Conniff E, Llosa NJ, Wood DK, Largaespada DA, Moody SE, Gosline SJ, Hirbe AC, Pratilas CA. CDK4/6 inhibition enhances SHP2 inhibitor efficacy and is dependent upon RB function in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg8876. [PMID: 38000020 PMCID: PMC10672174 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg8876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are highly aggressive soft tissue sarcomas with limited treatment options, and new effective therapeutic strategies are desperately needed. We observe antiproliferative potency of genetic depletion of PTPN11 or pharmacological inhibition using the SHP2 inhibitor (SHP2i) TNO155. Our studies into the signaling response to SHP2i reveal that resistance to TNO155 is partially mediated by reduced RB function, and we therefore test the addition of a CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) to enhance RB activity and improve TNO155 efficacy. In combination, TNO155 attenuates the adaptive response to CDK4/6i, potentiates its antiproliferative effects, and converges on enhancement of RB activity, with greater suppression of cell cycle and inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins, leading to deeper and more durable antitumor activity in in vitro and in vivo patient-derived models of MPNST, relative to either single agent. Overall, our study provides timely evidence to support the clinical advancement of this combination strategy in patients with MPNST and other tumors driven by loss of NF1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawan Wang
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Calizo
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lindy Zhang
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James C. Pino
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yang Lyu
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kai Pollard
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaochun Zhang
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alex T. Larsson
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Eric Conniff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicolas J. Llosa
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David K. Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David A. Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Susan E. Moody
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara J. Gosline
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Angela C. Hirbe
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christine A. Pratilas
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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11
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Bachari A, Nassar N, Telukutla S, Zomer R, Dekiwadia C, Piva TJ, Mantri N. In Vitro Antiproliferative Effect of Cannabis Extract PHEC-66 on Melanoma Cell Lines. Cells 2023; 12:2450. [PMID: 37887294 PMCID: PMC10605078 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. Melanoma is widely recognized to resist advanced cancer treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, and chemotherapy. Numerous studies have shown that various Cannabis sativa extracts exhibit potential anticancer effects against different types of tumours both in vitro and in vivo. This study is the first to report that PHEC-66, a Cannabis sativa extract, displays antiproliferative effects against MM418-C1, MM329 and MM96L melanoma cells. Although these findings suggest that PHEC-66 has promising potential as a pharmacotherapeutic agent for melanoma treatment, further research is necessary to evaluate its safety, efficacy, and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ava Bachari
- The Pangenomics Lab, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (A.B.); (S.T.)
| | - Nazim Nassar
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (N.N.); (T.J.P.)
- Faculty of Health, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia
| | - Srinivasareddy Telukutla
- The Pangenomics Lab, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (A.B.); (S.T.)
| | - Roby Zomer
- MGC Pharmaceuticals Limited, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia;
| | - Chaitali Dekiwadia
- RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
| | - Terrence J. Piva
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (N.N.); (T.J.P.)
| | - Nitin Mantri
- The Pangenomics Lab, School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (A.B.); (S.T.)
- UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
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12
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Patel RP, Somasundram PM, Smith LK, Sheppard KE, McArthur GA. The therapeutic potential of targeting minimal residual disease in melanoma. Clin Transl Med 2023; 13:e1197. [PMID: 36967556 PMCID: PMC10040726 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous melanoma is a lethal form of skin cancer with morbidity and mortality rates highest amongst European, North American and Australasian populations. The developments of targeted therapies (TTs) directed at the oncogene BRAF and its downstream mediator MEK, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic melanoma, improving patient outcomes. However, both TT and ICI have their limitations. Although TTs are associated with high initial response rates, these are typically short‐lived due to resistance. Conversely, although ICIs provide more durable responses, they have lower initial response rates. Due to these distinct yet complementary response profiles, it has been proposed that sequencing ICI with TT could lead to a high frequency of durable responses whilst circumventing the toxicity associated with combined ICI + TT treatment. However, several questions remain unanswered, including the mechanisms underpinning this synergy and the optimal sequencing strategy. The key to determining this is to uncover the biology of each phase of the therapeutic response. Aims and methods In this review, we show that melanoma responds to TT and ICI in three phases: early response, minimal residual disease (MRD) and disease progression. We explore the effects of ICI and TT on melanoma cells and the tumour immune microenvironment, with a particular focus on MRD which is predicted to underpin the development of acquired resistance in the third phase of response. Conclusion In doing so, we provide a new framework which may inform novel therapeutic approaches for melanoma, including optimal sequencing strategies and agents that target MRD, thereby ultimately improving clinical outcomes for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riyaben P Patel
- Cancer Research DivisionPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of OncologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Pretashini M Somasundram
- Faculty of MedicineDentistry and Health Sciences, University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Lorey K. Smith
- Cancer Research DivisionPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of OncologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Karen E. Sheppard
- Cancer Research DivisionPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of OncologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Grant A. McArthur
- Cancer Research DivisionPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of OncologyUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical OncologyPeter MacCallum Cancer CentreMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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13
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Wang J, Calizo A, Zhang L, Pino JC, Lyu Y, Pollard K, Zhang X, Larsson AT, Conniff E, Llosa N, Wood DK, Largaespada DA, Moody SE, Gosline SJ, Hirbe AC, Pratilas CA. CDK4/6 inhibition enhances SHP2 inhibitor efficacy and is dependent upon restoration of RB function in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.02.526674. [PMID: 36778419 PMCID: PMC9915673 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.02.526674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are highly aggressive soft tissue sarcomas with limited treatment options, and novel effective therapeutic strategies are desperately needed. We observe anti-proliferative efficacy of genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition using the clinically available SHP2 inhibitor (SHP2i) TNO155. Our studies into the signaling response to SHP2i reveal that resistance to TNO155 is partially mediated by reduced RB function, and we therefore test the addition of a CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) to enhance RB activity and improve TNO155 efficacy. In combination, TNO155 attenuates the adaptive response to CDK4/6i, potentiates its anti-proliferative effects, and converges on enhancement of RB activity, with greater suppression of cell cycle and inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins, leading to deeper and more durable anti-tumor activity in in vitro and in vivo patient-derived models of MPNST, relative to either single agent. Overall, our study provides timely evidence to support the clinical advancement of this combination strategy in patients with MPNST and other tumors driven by loss of NF1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawan Wang
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Calizo
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lindy Zhang
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - James C. Pino
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yang Lyu
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kai Pollard
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaochun Zhang
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alex T. Larsson
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Eric Conniff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicolas Llosa
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David K. Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David A. Largaespada
- Department of Pediatrics, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota; Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Susan E. Moody
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Angela C. Hirbe
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Christine A. Pratilas
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore, MD, USA
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14
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Pterostilbene-Mediated Inhibition of Cell Proliferation and Cell Death Induction in Amelanotic and Melanotic Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021115. [PMID: 36674631 PMCID: PMC9866175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is one of the fastest-growing cancers worldwide. Treatment of advanced melanoma is very difficult; therefore, there is growing interest in the identification of new therapeutic agents. Pterostilbene is a natural stilbene that has been found to have several pharmacological activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of pterostilbene on the proliferation and apoptosis of human melanoma cells. Proliferation of pterostilbene-treated amelanotic (C32) and melanotic (A2058) melanoma cells was determined by BRDU assay. Flow cytometric analyses were used to determine cell cycle progression, and further molecular investigations were performed using real-time RT-qPCR. The expression of the p21 protein and the DNA fragmentation assay were determined by the ELISA method. The results revealed that pterostilbene reduced the proliferation of both amelanotic and melanotic melanoma cells. Pterostilbene induced apoptosis in amelanotic C32 melanoma cells, and this effect was mediated by an increase in the expression of the BAX, CASP9, and CASP9 genes; induction of caspase 3 activity; and DNA degradation. Pterostilbene did not affect the activation of apoptosis in the A2058 cell line. It may be concluded that pterostilbene has anticancer potential against human melanoma cells; however, more studies are still needed to fully elucidate the effects of pterostilbene on amelanotic and melanotic melanoma cells.
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15
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Di Nunno V, Gatto L, Tosoni A, Bartolini S, Franceschi E. Implications of BRAF V600E mutation in gliomas: Molecular considerations, prognostic value and treatment evolution. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1067252. [PMID: 36686797 PMCID: PMC9846085 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1067252] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gliomas are molecularly heterogeneous brain tumors responsible for the most years of life lost by any cancer. High-grade gliomas have a poor prognosis and despite multimodal treatment including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, exhibit a high recurrence rate. There is a need for new therapeutic approaches based on precision medicine informed by biomarker assessment and BRAF, a key regulator of MAPK signaling pathway, influencing cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and pro-tumorigenic activity, is emerging as a promising molecular target. V600E, is the most frequent BRAF alteration in gliomas, especially in pediatric low-grade astrocytomas, pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, papillary craniopharyngioma, epithelioid glioblastoma and ganglioglioma. The possible application of BRAF-targeted therapy in gliomas is continuously growing and there is preliminary evidence of prolonged disease control obtained by BRAF inhibitors in tumors harboring BRAF V600E mutation. The possibility of introducing targeted therapies into the treatment algorithm represents a paradigm shift for patients with BRAF V600E mutant recurrent high-grade and low-grade glioma and BRAF routine testing should be considered in clinical practice. The focus of this review is to summarize the molecular landscape of BRAF across glioma subtypes and the novel therapeutic strategies for BRAF V600E mutated tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lidia Gatto
- Department of Oncology, AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy,*Correspondence: Lidia Gatto,
| | - Alicia Tosoni
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Bartolini
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Enrico Franceschi
- Nervous System Medical Oncology Department, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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16
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Rubanov A, Berico P, Hernando E. Epigenetic Mechanisms Underlying Melanoma Resistance to Immune and Targeted Therapies. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14235858. [PMID: 36497341 PMCID: PMC9738385 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer reliant on early detection for high likelihood of successful treatment. Solar UV exposure transforms melanocytes into highly mutated tumor cells that metastasize to the liver, lungs, and brain. Even upon resection of the primary tumor, almost thirty percent of patients succumb to melanoma within twenty years. Identification of key melanoma genetic drivers led to the development of pharmacological BRAFV600E and MEK inhibitors, significantly improving metastatic patient outcomes over traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy or pioneering IFN-α and IL-2 immune therapies. Checkpoint blockade inhibitors releasing the immunosuppressive effects of CTLA-4 or PD-1 proved to be even more effective and are the standard first-line treatment. Despite these major improvements, durable responses to immunotherapy and targeted therapy have been hindered by intrinsic or acquired resistance. In addition to gained or selected genetic alterations, cellular plasticity conferred by epigenetic reprogramming is emerging as a driver of therapy resistance. Epigenetic regulation of chromatin accessibility drives gene expression and establishes distinct transcriptional cell states. Here we review how aberrant chromatin, transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation contribute to therapy resistance and discuss how targeting these programs sensitizes melanoma cells to immune and targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Rubanov
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Pietro Berico
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eva Hernando
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence:
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17
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Schulz A, Raetz J, Karitzky PC, Dinter L, Tietze JK, Kolbe I, Käubler T, Renner B, Beissert S, Meier F, Westphal D. Head-to-Head Comparison of BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Combinations Proposes Superiority of Encorafenib Plus Trametinib in Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194930. [PMID: 36230853 PMCID: PMC9564158 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary A decade ago, the diagnosis of metastatic melanoma was mostly a death sentence. This has changed since new therapies became widely available in the clinical setting. In addition to checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors is standard care for BRAF-mutated melanoma, which accounts for almost half of all melanoma cases. The second largest group of melanoma patients, whose tumors harbor a mutation in the NRAS gene, demonstrates only a limited response to targeted therapy with MEK inhibitors. The aim of this investigation was to directly compare all possible BRAF/MEK inhibitor combinations in addition to the currently applied regimens. The analyzed data suggested that the combination of the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib demonstrated the highest anti-tumor activity in both, BRAF- and NRAS-mutated melanoma. This combination is not presently used in patient treatment, and therefore, deserves an opportunity to become part of clinical trials. Abstract BRAFV600 mutations in melanoma are targeted with mutation-specific BRAF inhibitors in combination with MEK inhibitors, which have significantly increased overall survival, but eventually lead to resistance in most cases. Additionally, targeted therapy for patients with NRASmutant melanoma is difficult. Our own studies showed that BRAF inhibitors amplify the effects of MEK inhibitors in NRASmutant melanoma. This study aimed at identifying a BRAF and MEK inhibitor combination with superior anti-tumor activity to the three currently approved combinations. We, thus, assessed anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities of all nine as well as resistance-delaying capabilities of the three approved inhibitor combinations in a head-to-head comparison in vitro. The unconventional combination encorafenib/trametinib displayed the highest activity to suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis, acting in an additive manner in BRAFmutant and in a synergistic manner in NRASmutant melanoma cells. Correlating with current clinical studies of approved inhibitor combinations, encorafenib/binimetinib prolonged the time to resistance most efficiently in BRAFmutant cells. Conversely, NRASmutant cells needed the longest time to establish resistance when treated with dabrafenib/trametinib. Together, our data indicate that the most effective combination might not be currently used in clinical settings and could lead to improved overall responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Schulz
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden–Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jennifer Raetz
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Paula C. Karitzky
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Lisa Dinter
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden–Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Julia K. Tietze
- Clinic and Polyclinic for Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18055 Rostock, Germany
| | - Isabell Kolbe
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Theresa Käubler
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Bertold Renner
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Beissert
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden–Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden–Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center (UCC) Dresden, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Dana Westphal
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden–Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-351-458-82274
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18
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Rukhlenko OS, Halasz M, Rauch N, Zhernovkov V, Prince T, Wynne K, Maher S, Kashdan E, MacLeod K, Carragher NO, Kolch W, Kholodenko BN. Control of cell state transitions. Nature 2022; 609:975-985. [PMID: 36104561 PMCID: PMC9644236 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding cell state transitions and purposefully controlling them is a longstanding challenge in biology. Here we present cell state transition assessment and regulation (cSTAR), an approach for mapping cell states, modelling transitions between them and predicting targeted interventions to convert cell fate decisions. cSTAR uses omics data as input, classifies cell states, and develops a workflow that transforms the input data into mechanistic models that identify a core signalling network, which controls cell fate transitions by influencing whole-cell networks. By integrating signalling and phenotypic data, cSTAR models how cells manoeuvre in Waddington's landscape1 and make decisions about which cell fate to adopt. Notably, cSTAR devises interventions to control the movement of cells in Waddington's landscape. Testing cSTAR in a cellular model of differentiation and proliferation shows a high correlation between quantitative predictions and experimental data. Applying cSTAR to different types of perturbation and omics datasets, including single-cell data, demonstrates its flexibility and scalability and provides new biological insights. The ability of cSTAR to identify targeted perturbations that interconvert cell fates will enable designer approaches for manipulating cellular development pathways and mechanistically underpinned therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleksii S Rukhlenko
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Melinda Halasz
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nora Rauch
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Vadim Zhernovkov
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Thomas Prince
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kieran Wynne
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephanie Maher
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eugene Kashdan
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kenneth MacLeod
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Neil O Carragher
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Walter Kolch
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Boris N Kholodenko
- Systems Biology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA.
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19
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Mohammed NBB, Antonopoulos A, Dell A, Haslam SM, Dimitroff CJ. The pleiotropic role of galectin-3 in melanoma progression: Unraveling the enigma. Adv Cancer Res 2022; 157:157-193. [PMID: 36725108 PMCID: PMC9895887 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.06.001] [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] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Melanoma is a highly aggressive skin cancer with poor outcomes associated with distant metastasis. Intrinsic properties of melanoma cells alongside the crosstalk between melanoma cells and surrounding microenvironment determine the tumor behavior. Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a ß-galactoside-binding lectin, has emerged as a major effector in cancer progression, including melanoma behavior. Data from melanoma models and patient studies reveal that Gal-3 expression is dysregulated, both intracellularly and extracellularly, throughout the stages of melanoma progression. This review summarizes the most recent data and hypotheses on Gal-3 and its tumor-modulating functions, highlighting its role in driving melanoma growth, invasion, and metastatic colonization. It also provides insight into potential Gal-3-targeted strategies for melanoma diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhan B B Mohammed
- Department of Translational Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute at FIU (TGIF), Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States; Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | | | - Anne Dell
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart M Haslam
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Charles J Dimitroff
- Department of Translational Medicine, Translational Glycobiology Institute at FIU (TGIF), Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States.
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20
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Association of Anti-EGFR Antibody and MEK Inhibitor in Gynecological Cancer Harboring RAS Mutation: A Case Series. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063343. [PMID: 35328764 PMCID: PMC8948991 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-grade serous carcinoma represents a minority of serous carcinoma. Although they have better prognosis than high-grade serous carcinoma, they respond poorly to chemotherapy. Thus, it appears necessary to find other treatments such as targeted therapies. Since RAS or RAF mutations occur frequently in low-grade serous carcinoma and lead to constitutively activated MAPK cascade, MEK inhibition should be effective in the treatment of low-grade serous carcinoma. So, we wanted to evaluate the clinical benefit of MEK inhibitors in the management of advanced-stage low-grade serous carcinoma harboring KRAS or NRAS mutation. We report a case series of three women with advanced-stage low-grade serous carcinoma harboring RAS mutation who had stabilization of their disease during several months under targeted therapy combining anti-EGFR antibody and MEK inhibitor. We performed in vitro experiments, confirming the effectiveness of MEK inhibitor on the KRAS-mutated OVCAR-5 cell line, and the constitutively activation of MAPK cascade in RAS-mutated carcinoma. However, it seems that the anti-EGFR antibody does not provide any additional benefit. After whole exome analysis is carried out on the patient with the shortest response, we observed the appearance of RB1 loss-of-function mutation that could be a mechanism of resistance to MEK inhibitors in RAS- of RAF-mutated cancers. The MEK inhibitor is effective in the advanced stages of low-grade serous carcinoma harboring RAS mutation with acceptable tolerance. RB1 loss could be a mechanism of resistance to MEK inhibitors in RAS-mutated low-grade serous carcinoma.
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21
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Candido S, Salemi R, Piccinin S, Falzone L, Libra M. The PIK3CA H1047R Mutation Confers Resistance to BRAF and MEK Inhibitors in A375 Melanoma Cells through the Cross-Activation of MAPK and PI3K-Akt Pathways. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030590. [PMID: 35335966 PMCID: PMC8950976 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The targeting of the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway in melanoma improves the prognosis of patients harbouring the V-Raf Murine Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog B1 (BRAF) mutation. However, a fraction of these patients may experience tumour progression due to resistance to targeted therapy. Mutations affecting the Phosphoinositol-3-Kinase (PI3K)–Akt pathway may favour the onset of drug resistance, suggesting the existence of a crosstalk between the MAPK and PI3K–Akt pathways. We hypothesized that the inhibition of both pathways may be a therapeutic option in resistant melanoma. However, conflicting data have been generated in this context. In this study, three different A375 cell melanoma models either overexpressing or not expressing the wild-type or mutated form of the PhosphatidylInositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-Kinase Catalytic Subunit Alpha (PIK3CA) gene were used to clarify the therapeutic response of melanoma to BRAF, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase 1 (MEK), and PI3K inhibitors in the presence of the PIK3CA H1047R mutation. Our data strongly support the notion that the crosstalk between the MAPK and PI3K–Akt pathways is one of the main mechanisms associated with melanoma development and progression and that the combination of MAPK and PI3K inhibitors may sensitize melanoma cells to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saverio Candido
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (S.C.); (R.S.); (M.L.)
- Research Centre for Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Rossella Salemi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (S.C.); (R.S.); (M.L.)
| | - Sara Piccinin
- Unit of Oncogenetics and Functional Oncogenomics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO Aviano) IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, 33081 Aviano, Italy;
| | - Luca Falzone
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, National Cancer Institute-IRCCS ‘Fondazione G. Pascale’, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-095-478-1278
| | - Massimo Libra
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (S.C.); (R.S.); (M.L.)
- Research Centre for Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cancer, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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22
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Saberian C, Davies MA. Re-thinking therapeutic development for CNS metastatic disease. Exp Dermatol 2022; 31:74-81. [PMID: 34152638 PMCID: PMC11373440 DOI: 10.1111/exd.14413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
There has been unprecedented progress in the development of systemic therapies for patients with metastatic melanoma over the last decade. There is now tremendous potential and momentum to further and markedly reduce the impact of this disease. However, developing more effective treatments for metastases to the CNS remains a critical challenge for patients with melanoma. Melanoma patients with active CNS metastases have largely been excluded from both early-phase and registration trials for all currently approved targeted and immune therapies for this disease. While this exclusion has generally been justified in clinical research due to concerns about poor prognosis, lack of CNS penetration of agents and/or risk of toxicities, recent post-approval trials have shown the feasibility, safety and clinical benefit of clinical investigation in these patients. These trials have also identified key areas for which more effective strategies are needed. In parallel, recent translational and preclinical research has provided insights into novel immune, molecular and metabolic features of melanoma brain metastases that may mediate the aggressive biology and therapeutic resistance of these tumors. Together, these advances suggest the need for new paradigms for therapeutic development for melanoma patients with CNS metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Saberian
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michael A Davies
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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23
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Oxidative Stress-Related Mechanisms in Melanoma and in the Acquired Resistance to Targeted Therapies. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10121942. [PMID: 34943045 PMCID: PMC8750393 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10121942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer with the poorest prognosis, representing the deadliest form of skin cancer. Activating mutations in BRAF are the most frequent genetic alterations, present in approximately 50% of all melanoma cases. The use of specific inhibitors towards mutant BRAF variants and MEK, a downstream signaling target of BRAF in the MAPK pathway, has significantly improved progression-free and overall survival in advanced melanoma patients carrying BRAF mutations. Nevertheless, despite these improvements, resistance still develops within the first year of therapy in around 50% of patients, which is a significant problem in managing BRAF-mutated advanced melanoma. Understanding these mechanisms is one of the mainstreams of the research on BRAFi/MEKi acquired resistance. Both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms have been described. Moreover, in recent years, oxidative stress has emerged as another major force involved in all the phases of melanoma development, from initiation to progression until the onsets of the metastatic phenotype and chemoresistance, and has thus become a target for therapy. In the present review, we discuss the current knowledge on oxidative stress and its signaling in melanoma, as well as the oxidative stress-related mechanisms in the acquired resistance to targeted therapies.
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24
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Slingluff CL, Lewis KD, Andtbacka R, Hyngstrom J, Milhem M, Markovic SN, Bowles T, Hamid O, Hernandez-Aya L, Claveau J, Jang S, Philips P, Holtan SG, Shaheen MF, Curti B, Schmidt W, Butler MO, Paramo J, Lutzky J, Padmanabhan A, Thomas S, Milton D, Pecora A, Sato T, Hsueh E, Badarinath S, Keech J, Kalmadi S, Kumar P, Weber R, Levine E, Berger A, Bar A, Beck JT, Travers JB, Mihalcioiu C, Gastman B, Beitsch P, Rapisuwon S, Glaspy J, McCarron EC, Gupta V, Behl D, Blumenstein B, Peterkin JJ. Multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of seviprotimut-L polyvalent melanoma vaccine in patients with post-resection melanoma at high risk of recurrence. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003272. [PMID: 34599031 PMCID: PMC8488725 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most patients with advanced melanomas relapse after checkpoint blockade therapy. Thus, immunotherapies are needed that can be applied safely early, in the adjuvant setting. Seviprotimut-L is a vaccine containing human melanoma antigens, plus alum. To assess the efficacy of seviprotimut-L, the Melanoma Antigen Vaccine Immunotherapy Study (MAVIS) was initiated as a three-part multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III trial. Results from part B1 are reported here. METHODS Patients with AJCC V.7 stage IIB-III cutaneous melanoma after resection were randomized 2:1, with stage stratification (IIB/C, IIIA, IIIB/C), to seviprotimut-L 40 mcg or placebo. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was the primary endpoint. For an hypothesized HR of 0.625, one-sided alpha of 0.10, and power 80%, target enrollment was 325 patients. RESULTS For randomized patients (n=347), arms were well-balanced, and treatment-emergent adverse events were similar for seviprotimut-L and placebo. For the primary intent-to-treat endpoint of RFS, the estimated HR was 0.881 (95% CI: 0.629 to 1.233), with stratified logrank p=0.46. However, estimated HRs were not uniform over the stage randomized strata, with HRs (95% CIs) for stages IIB/IIC, IIIA, IIIB/IIIC of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.37 to 1.19), 0.72 (95% CI: 0.35 to 1.50), and 1.19 (95% CI: 0.72 to 1.97), respectively. In the stage IIB/IIC stratum, the effect on RFS was greatest for patients <60 years old (HR=0.324 (95% CI: 0.121 to 0.864)) and those with ulcerated primary melanomas (HR=0.493 (95% CI: 0.255 to 0.952)). CONCLUSIONS Seviprotimut-L is very well tolerated. Exploratory efficacy model estimation supports further study in stage IIB/IIC patients, especially younger patients and those with ulcerated melanomas. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01546571.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig L Slingluff
- Department of Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Karl D Lewis
- University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Robert Andtbacka
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Cancer Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - John Hyngstrom
- Huntsman Cancer Institute Cancer Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Mohammed Milhem
- The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | | | - Omid Hamid
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, Santa Monica, California, USA
| | - Leonel Hernandez-Aya
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Joel Claveau
- CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval, Quebec, Québec, Canada
| | - Sekwon Jang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Inova Health System, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Shernan G Holtan
- University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Montaser F Shaheen
- University of Arizona Medical Center - University Campus, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Brendan Curti
- Earle A Chiles Research Institute, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Marcus O Butler
- Princess Margaret Hospital Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan Paramo
- Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA
| | - Jose Lutzky
- Department of Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | - Sajeve Thomas
- MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel Milton
- Investigative Clinical Research of Indiana, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrew Pecora
- Department of Oncology, John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA
| | - Takami Sato
- Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eddy Hsueh
- St. Louis University Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - John Keech
- Multicare Institute for Research and Innovation, Tacoma, Washington, USA
| | - Sujith Kalmadi
- Ironwood Cancer and Research Centers, Chandler, Arizona, USA
| | - Pallavi Kumar
- Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Cancer Institute at Franklin Square, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert Weber
- St. Mary's Hospital and Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Edward Levine
- Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Adam Berger
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anna Bar
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - J Thaddeus Beck
- Department of Medical Oncology, Highlands Oncology Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA
| | | | | | - Brian Gastman
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Suthee Rapisuwon
- Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA,Department of Hematology/Oncology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - John Glaspy
- University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Vinay Gupta
- MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Deepti Behl
- Sutter Institute for Medical Research, Sacramento, California, USA
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25
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Abstract
Technological innovation and rapid reduction in sequencing costs have enabled the genomic profiling of hundreds of cancer-associated genes as a component of routine cancer care. Tumour genomic profiling can refine cancer subtype classification, identify which patients are most likely to benefit from systemic therapies and screen for germline variants that influence heritable cancer risk. Here, we discuss ongoing efforts to enhance the clinical utility of tumour genomic profiling by integrating tumour and germline analyses, characterizing allelic context and identifying mutational signatures that influence therapy response. We also discuss the potential clinical utility of more comprehensive whole-genome and whole-transcriptome sequencing and ultra-sensitive cell-free DNA profiling platforms, which allow for minimally invasive, serial analyses of tumour-derived DNA in blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debyani Chakravarty
- Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Solit
- Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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26
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Distinct Signatures of Genomic Copy Number Variants Define Subgroups of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13051134. [PMID: 33800889 PMCID: PMC7961454 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13051134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer results from genetic changes in cells. These changes are often mutations that alter the DNA sequence of critical genes. However, duplications and deletions in cancer-related genes can also contribute to malignant transformation. In this study we use Nanostring technology to assess DNA copy number changes in samples of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine skin tumor. We were able to identify recurrent amplifications and deletions in cancer-related genes. We also found that MCC tumors grouped into three distinct copy number variant profiles. The first group consisted of tumors with multiple deletions. The second group contained tumors with low levels of genomic structural alterations. The last group comprised tumors containing multiple amplifications. Our study suggests that most MCC tumors are associated with deletions in cancer-related genes or are lacking in copy number changes, whereas a small percentage of tumors are associated with genomic amplifications. Abstract Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Most MCC tumors contain integrated Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA (virus-positive MCC, VP-MCC) and carry a low somatic mutation burden whereas virus-negative MCC (VN-MCC) possess numerous ultraviolet-signature mutations. In contrast to viral oncogenes and sequence mutations, little is known about genomic structural variants in MCC. To identify copy number variants in commonly altered genes, we analyzed genomic DNA from 31 tumor samples using the Nanostring nCounter copy number cancer panel. Unsupervised clustering revealed three tumor groups with distinct genomic structural variant signatures. The first cluster was characterized by multiple recurrent deletions in genes such as RB1 and WT1. The second cluster contained eight VP-MCC and displayed very few structural variations. The final cluster contained one VP-MCC and four VN-MCC with predominantly genomic amplifications in genes like MDM4, SKP2, and KIT and deletions in TP53. Overall, VN-MCC contained more structure variation than VP-MCC but did not cluster separately from VP-MCC. The observation that most MCC tumors demonstrate a deletion-dominated structural group signature, independent of virus status, suggests a shared pathophysiology among most VP-MCC and VN-MCC tumors.
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27
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Schäfer A, Haenig B, Erupathil J, Strickner P, Sabato D, Welford RWD, Klaeylé L, Simon E, Krepler C, Brafford P, Xiao M, Herlyn M, Gstaiger M, Lehembre F, Renz I. Inhibition of endothelin-B receptor signaling synergizes with MAPK pathway inhibitors in BRAF mutated melanoma. Oncogene 2021; 40:1659-1673. [PMID: 33500549 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-01628-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The clinical benefit of MAPK pathway inhibition in melanoma patients carrying BRAF mutations is temporal. After the initial response to treatment, the majority of tumors will develop resistance and patients will relapse. Here we demonstrate that the endothelin-endothelin receptor B (ETBR) signaling pathway confers resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors in BRAF mutated melanoma. MAPK blockade, in addition to being anti-proliferative, induces a phenotypic change which is characterized by increased expression of melanocyte-specific genes including ETBR. In the presence of MAPK inhibitors, activation of ETBR by endothelin enables the sustained proliferation of melanoma cells. In mouse models of melanoma, including patient-derived xenograft models, concurrent inhibition of the MAPK pathway and ETBR signaling resulted in a more effective anti-tumor response compared to MAPK pathway inhibition alone. The combination treatment significantly reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival compared to therapies with MAPK pathway inhibitors alone. The phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that ETBR signaling did not induce resistance towards MAPK pathway inhibitors by restoring MAPK activity, but instead via multiple alternative signaling pathways downstream of the small G proteins GNAq/11. Together these data indicate that a combination of MAPK pathway inhibitors with ETBR antagonists could have a synergistically beneficial effect in melanoma patients with hyperactivated MAPK signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Schäfer
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.,Swiss BioQuant AG, 4153, Reinach, Switzerland
| | - Benedicte Haenig
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Julie Erupathil
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Panja Strickner
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Sabato
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Richard W D Welford
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Lhéanna Klaeylé
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Elise Simon
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.,Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Krepler
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.,Merck, North Wales, PA, 19454, USA
| | - Patricia Brafford
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Min Xiao
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Meenhard Herlyn
- Molecular and Cellular Oncogenesis Program and Melanoma Research Center, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Matthias Gstaiger
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 3, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Francois Lehembre
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Imke Renz
- Drug Discovery Biology, Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Hegenheimermattweg 91, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland.
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28
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Haugh AM, Salama AKS, Johnson DB. Advanced Melanoma: Resistance Mechanisms to Current Therapies. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2021; 35:111-128. [PMID: 33759769 PMCID: PMC7991196 DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2020.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Novel therapeutic agents introduced over the past decade, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies, have revolutionized the management of metastatic melanoma and significantly improved patient outcomes. Although robust and durable responses have been noted in some cases, treatment is often limited by innate or acquired resistance to these agents. This article provides an overview of known and suspected mechanisms involved with acquired resistance to BRAF/MEK inhibitors as well as developing insights into innate and acquired resistance to checkpoint inhibitors in patients with melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Haugh
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 719 Thompson Lane, Suite 20400, Nashville, TN 37204, USA
| | - April K S Salama
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, 20 Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Douglas B Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, 777 PRB, 2220 Pierce Avenue, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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29
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Integrin-Src-YAP1 signaling mediates the melanoma acquired resistance to MAPK and PI3K/mTOR dual targeted therapy. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2020; 1:12. [PMID: 35006410 PMCID: PMC8607431 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-020-00013-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of PI3K/AKT pathway is one of the most recurrent resistant mechanisms for BRAF-targeted therapy, and the combination of MAPK and PI3K/AKT inhibitors becomes one of the most promising regimens for BRAF-targeted relapsed melanoma patients. Although the potent drug efficacy was observed in preclinical experiments and early clinical trials, the dual-drug resistance is inevitable observed. In this study, we systematically explored the mechanisms of dual-drug resistance to MAPKi and PI3K/mTORi in melanoma. With transcriptomic dissection of dual-drug resistant models, we identified that the drug tolerance was mediated by ECM-integrins α3β1 and α11β1 signaling. Upon binding ECM, the integrins activated downstream kinase Src rather than FAK, WNT, or TGFβ. Knockdown of integrins α3, α11, and β1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of dual-drug resistant sublines while with trivial effects on parental cells. Although Src inhibition suppressed the phosphorylation of AKT, c-JUN, and p38, none of inhibitors targeting these kinases reversed the dual-drug resistance in model cells. Notably, Src inhibitor promoted the phosphorylations of LATS1 and YAP1, subsequently, re-localized YAP1 from nucleus to cytosol facilitating further degradation. Both small molecule inhibitors and shRNAs targeting YAP1 or Src overcame the MAPKi and PI3K/mTORi dual-drug resistance. In conclusion, our data not only illuminated an integrin-Src-YAP1 pathway mediated MAPKi and PI3K/mTORi dual-drug resistant mechanism but also provided a potential combinatorial regimen for the drug-relapsed melanoma patients.
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30
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An amino-terminal BRAF deletion accounting for acquired resistance to RAF/EGFR inhibition in colorectal cancer. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2020; 6:mcs.a005140. [PMID: 32669268 PMCID: PMC7476412 DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a005140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Although combination therapy with RAF and EGFR inhibitors has improved the survival outcomes of patients with BRAF-mutated colorectal cancer (CRC), acquired resistance invariably develops. The mechanisms of acquired resistance to RAF inhibitors have been largely attributed to activating mutations in RASgenes, MAP2K mutations, and amplifications in BRAF, RAS genes, and EGFR. In this report, we describe a patient with BRAF-mutated CRC who acquired an amino-terminal BRAF deletion involving the Ras-binding domain (RBD) after treatment with RAF/EGFR inhibitor therapy. Amino-terminal BRAF deletions involving the RBD are a rare mechanism of acquired resistance to RAF inhibitors, particularly in CRC for which there is only one prior report in the literature.
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Liu Y, Zhu J, Guo X, Huang T, Han J, Gao J, Xu D, Han W. How oncogenic mutations activate human MAP kinase 1 (MEK1): a molecular dynamics simulation study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 38:3942-3958. [PMID: 31658877 PMCID: PMC8177546 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1686065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 30% of all types of human cancers possess a constitutively activated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway while MAP kinase 1 (MEK1) is a critical component of this pathway. It has been reported mutations could improve the activity of MEK1 to result in cell proliferation and transformation, which is a known oncogenic event in various cancer types. In this study, eight molecular dynamics simulations, molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA), combined with protein structure network were performed to explore the mechanism that mutations activate MEK1. Protein structure networks and hydrogen bonds analysis demonstrated that active mutations broke the interaction between activation segments (residues 216-222) and C-helix (residues 105-121) in MEK1, leading to it transform inactive form to active form. Moreover, hydrogen bond analysis and MM-PBSA calculation indicated that activating mutations decrease the binding affinity between MEK1 and inhibitor to reduce the inhibitory effect of inhibitors. In addition, some active mutations cause structural changes in the Pro-rich loop (residues 261-268) of MEK1. These changes may stabilize the interaction between the MEK1 mutants and the ligands by increasing the number of exposed hydrophobic residues in the active site of MEK1. Our results may provide useful theoretical evidences for the mechanism underlying the role of human MEK1 in human cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Liu
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingxuan Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guo
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tianci Huang
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiarui Han
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jianjiong Gao
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dong Xu
- Department of Electric Engineering and Computer Science, C.S. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Weiwei Han
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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32
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Nyman E, Stein RR, Jing X, Wang W, Marks B, Zervantonakis IK, Korkut A, Gauthier NP, Sander C. Perturbation biology links temporal protein changes to drug responses in a melanoma cell line. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007909. [PMID: 32667922 PMCID: PMC7384681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells have genetic alterations that often directly affect intracellular protein signaling processes allowing them to bypass control mechanisms for cell death, growth and division. Cancer drugs targeting these alterations often work initially, but resistance is common. Combinations of targeted drugs may overcome or prevent resistance, but their selection requires context-specific knowledge of signaling pathways including complex interactions such as feedback loops and crosstalk. To infer quantitative pathway models, we collected a rich dataset on a melanoma cell line: Following perturbation with 54 drug combinations, we measured 124 (phospho-)protein levels and phenotypic response (cell growth, apoptosis) in a time series from 10 minutes to 67 hours. From these data, we trained time-resolved mathematical models that capture molecular interactions and the coupling of molecular levels to cellular phenotype, which in turn reveal the main direct or indirect molecular responses to each drug. Systematic model simulations identified novel combinations of drugs predicted to reduce the survival of melanoma cells, with partial experimental verification. This particular application of perturbation biology demonstrates the potential impact of combining time-resolved data with modeling for the discovery of new combinations of cancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Nyman
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
- cBio Center, Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, U.S.A.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, Linköping 58185, Sweden
| | - Richard R. Stein
- cBio Center, Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, U.S.A.
| | - Xiaohong Jing
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 U.S.A.
| | - Weiqing Wang
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065 U.S.A.
| | - Benjamin Marks
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
| | | | - Anil Korkut
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 U.S.A.
| | - Nicholas P. Gauthier
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
- cBio Center, Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, U.S.A.
| | - Chris Sander
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, U.S.A.
- cBio Center, Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, U.S.A.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, U.S.A.
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Dianzani C, Monge C, Miglio G, Serpe L, Martina K, Cangemi L, Ferraris C, Mioletti S, Osella S, Gigliotti CL, Boggio E, Clemente N, Dianzani U, Battaglia L. Nanoemulsions as Delivery Systems for Poly-Chemotherapy Aiming at Melanoma Treatment. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12051198. [PMID: 32397484 PMCID: PMC7281359 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Advanced melanoma is characterized by poor outcome. Despite the number of treatments having been increased over the last decade, current pharmacological strategies are only partially effective. Therefore, the improvement of the current systemic therapy is worthy of investigation. Methods: a nanotechnology-based poly-chemotherapy was tested at preclinical level. Temozolomide, rapamycin, and bevacizumab were co-loaded as injectable nanoemulsions for total parenteral nutrition (Intralipid®), due to suitable devices, and preliminarily tested in vitro on human and mouse cell models and in vivo on the B16-F10 melanoma mouse model. Results: Drug combination was efficiently loaded in the liquid lipid matrix of Intralipid®, including bevacizumab monoclonal antibody, leading to a fast internalization in tumour cells. An increased cytotoxicity towards melanoma cells, as well as an improved inhibition of tumour relapse, migration, and angiogenesis were demonstrated in cell models for the Intralipid®-loaded drug combinations. In preliminary in vivo studies, the proposed approach was able to reduce tumour growth significantly, compared to controls. A relevant efficacy towards tumour angiogenesis and mitotic index was determined and immune response was involved. Conclusions: In these preliminary studies, Intralipid® proved to be a safe and versatile poly-chemotherapy delivery system for advanced melanoma treatment, by acting on multiple mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Dianzani
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Chiara Monge
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Gianluca Miglio
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Loredana Serpe
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Katia Martina
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Luigi Cangemi
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Chiara Ferraris
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
| | - Silvia Mioletti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy;
| | - Sara Osella
- San Giovanni Bosco Hospital, Piazza del Donatore di Sangue 3, 10154 Turin, Italy;
| | - Casimiro Luca Gigliotti
- Department of Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO), via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; (C.L.G.); (E.B.); (N.C.); (U.D.)
| | - Elena Boggio
- Department of Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO), via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; (C.L.G.); (E.B.); (N.C.); (U.D.)
| | - Nausicaa Clemente
- Department of Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO), via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; (C.L.G.); (E.B.); (N.C.); (U.D.)
| | - Umberto Dianzani
- Department of Health Sciences and Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases (IRCAD), University of Eastern Piedmont (UPO), via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy; (C.L.G.); (E.B.); (N.C.); (U.D.)
| | - Luigi Battaglia
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Turin, Italy; (C.D.); (C.M.); (G.M.); (L.S.); (K.M.); (L.C.); (C.F.)
- Correspondence:
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34
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Polymethoxyflavones from Gardenia oudiepe (Rubiaceae) induce cytoskeleton disruption-mediated apoptosis and sensitize BRAF-mutated melanoma cells to chemotherapy. Chem Biol Interact 2020; 325:109109. [PMID: 32376239 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2020.109109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A series of 10 natural and semisynthetic flavonoids (1 to 10) were obtained from Gardenia oudiepe (Rubiaceae), an endemic plant from New Caledonia. Most of them were polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) of rare occurrence. After a cell viability screening test, PMFs 2 and 3 showed significant cytotoxic activity against A2058 human melanoma cells (IC50 = 3.92 and 8.18 μM, respectively) and were selected for in-depth pharmacological assays. Both compounds inhibited cell migration and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest after 72h of treatment. Immunofluorescence assays indicated that these outcomes were possibly related to the induction of cytoskeleton disruption associated to actin and tubulin depolymerization. These data were confirmed by molecular docking studies, which showed a good interaction between PMFs 2 and 3 and tubulin, particularly at the colchicine binding site. As A2058 are considered as chemoresistant to conventional chemotherapy, compounds 2 and 3 (½IC50) were associated to clinically-used antimelanoma drugs (vemurafenib and dacarbazine) and combined therapies efficacy was assessed by the MTT assay. PMFs 2 restored the sensitivity of A2058 cells to dacarbazine treatment (IC50 = 49.38 μM vs. >100 μM). Taken together, these data suggest that PMFs from G. oudiepe could be potential leaders for the design of new antimelanoma drugs.
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35
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Feng T, Golji J, Li A, Zhang X, Ruddy DA, Rakiec DP, Geyer FC, Gu J, Gao H, Williams JA, Stuart DD, Meyer MJ. Distinct Transcriptional Programming Drive Response to MAPK Inhibition in BRAF V600-Mutant Melanoma Patient-Derived Xenografts. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:2421-2432. [PMID: 31527224 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-19-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitors targeting BRAF and its downstream kinase MEK produce robust response in patients with advanced BRAF V600-mutant melanoma. However, the duration and depth of response vary significantly between patients; therefore, predicting response a priori remains a significant challenge. Here, we utilized the Novartis collection of patient-derived xenografts to characterize transcriptional alterations elicited by BRAF and MEK inhibitors in vivo, in an effort to identify mechanisms governing differential response to MAPK inhibition. We show that the expression of an MITF-high, "epithelial-like" transcriptional program is associated with reduced sensitivity and adaptive response to BRAF and MEK inhibitor treatment. On the other hand, xenograft models that express an MAPK-driven "mesenchymal-like" transcriptional program are preferentially sensitive to MAPK inhibition. These gene-expression programs are somewhat similar to the MITF-high and -low phenotypes described in cancer cell lines, but demonstrate an inverse relationship with drug response. This suggests a discrepancy between in vitro and in vivo experimental systems that warrants future investigations. Finally, BRAF V600-mutant melanoma relies on either MAPK or alternative pathways for survival under BRAF and MEK inhibition in vivo, which in turn predicts their response to further pathway suppression using a combination of BRAF, MEK, and ERK inhibitors. Our findings highlight the intertumor heterogeneity in BRAF V600-mutant melanoma, and the need for precision medicine strategies to target this aggressive cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianshu Feng
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Javad Golji
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Ailing Li
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Xiamei Zhang
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - David A Ruddy
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Daniel P Rakiec
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Felipe C Geyer
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Jane Gu
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Hui Gao
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Juliet A Williams
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Darrin D Stuart
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts.
| | - Matthew J Meyer
- Oncology Drug Discovery, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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36
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Carpenter EL, Chagani S, Nelson D, Cassidy PB, Laws M, Ganguli-Indra G, Indra AK. Mitochondrial complex I inhibitor deguelin induces metabolic reprogramming and sensitizes vemurafenib-resistant BRAF V600E mutation bearing metastatic melanoma cells. Mol Carcinog 2019; 58:1680-1690. [PMID: 31211467 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Treatment with vemurafenib, a potent and selective inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling downstream of the BRAFV600E oncogene, elicits dramatic clinical responses in patients with metastatic melanoma. Unfortunately, the clinical utility of this drug is limited by a high incidence of drug resistance. Thus, there is an unmet need for alternative therapeutic strategies to treat vemurafenib-resistant metastatic melanomas. We have conducted high-throughput screening of two bioactive compound libraries (Siga and Spectrum libraries) against a metastatic melanoma cell line (A2058) and identified two structurally analogous compounds, deguelin and rotenone, from a cell viability assay. Vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cell lines, A2058R and A375R (containing the BRAFV600E mutation), also showed reduced proliferation when treated with these two compounds. Deguelin, a mitochondrial complex I inhibitor, was noted to significantly inhibit oxygen consumption in cellular metabolism assays. Mechanistically, deguelin treatment rapidly activates AMPK signaling, which results in inhibition of mTORC1 signaling and differential phosphorylation of mTORC1's downstream effectors, 4E-BP1 and p70S6 kinase. Deguelin also significantly inhibited ERK activation and Ki67 expression without altering Akt activation in the same timeframe in the vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells. These data posit that treatment with metabolic regulators, such as deguelin, can lead to energy starvation, thereby modulating the intracellular metabolic environment and reducing survival of drug-resistant melanomas harboring BRAF V600E mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan L Carpenter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.,Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sharmeen Chagani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Dylan Nelson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
| | - Pamela B Cassidy
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Madeleine Laws
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Gitali Ganguli-Indra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Arup K Indra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.,Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, OSU, Corvallis, Oregon.,Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.,Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
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37
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Indovina P, Pentimalli F, Conti D, Giordano A. Translating RB1 predictive value in clinical cancer therapy: Are we there yet? Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 166:323-334. [PMID: 31176618 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The retinoblastoma RB1 gene has been identified in the 80s as the first tumor suppressor. RB1 loss of function, as well alterations in its pathway, occur in most human cancers and often have prognostic value. RB1 has a key role in restraining cell cycle entry and, along with its family members, regulates a myriad of cellular processes and affects cell response to a variety of stimuli, ultimately determining cell fate. Consistently, RB1 status is a crucial determinant of the cell response to antitumoral therapies, impacting on the outcome of both traditional and modern anti-cancer strategies, including precision medicine approaches, such as kinase inhibitors, and immunotherapy. Despite many efforts however, the predictive value of RB1 status in the clinical practice is still underused, mainly owing to the complexity of RB1 function, to differences depending on the cellular context and on the therapeutic strategies, and, not-lastly, to technical issues. Here, we provide an overview of studies analyzing the role of RB1 in response to conventional cytotoxic and cytostatic therapeutic agents in different cancer types, including hormone dependent ones. We also review RB1 predictive value in the response to the last generation CDK4/6 inhibitors, other kinase inhibitors, and immunotherapy and discuss new emerging non-canonical roles of RB1 that could impact on the response to antitumoral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Indovina
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Francesca Pentimalli
- Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, IRCCS, Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli 80131, Italy
| | - Daniele Conti
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Antonio Giordano
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA; Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena 53100, Italy.
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38
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Yu C, Liu X, Yang J, Zhang M, Jin H, Ma X, Shi H. Combination of Immunotherapy With Targeted Therapy: Theory and Practice in Metastatic Melanoma. Front Immunol 2019; 10:990. [PMID: 31134073 PMCID: PMC6513976 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic melanoma is the most aggressive and obstinate skin cancer with poor prognosis. Variant novel applicable regimens have emerged during the past decades intensively, while the most profound approaches are oncogene-targeted therapy and T-lymphocyte mediated immunotherapy. Although targeted therapies generated remarkable and rapid clinical responses in the majority of patients, acquired resistance was developed promptly within months leading to tumor relapse. By contrast, immunotherapies elicited long-term tumor regression. However, the overall response rate was limited. In view of the above, either targeted therapy or immunotherapy cannot elicit durable clinical responses in large range of patients. Interestingly, the advantages and limitations of these regimens happened to be complementary. An increasing number of preclinical studies and clinical trials proved a synergistic antitumor effect with the combination of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, implying a promising prospect for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. In order to achieve a better therapeutic effectiveness and reduce toxicity in patients, great efforts need to be made to illuminate multifaceted interplay between targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chune Yu
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiqiao Yang
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyu Jin
- Department of Liver Surgery, Liver Transplantation Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hubing Shi
- Laboratory of Tumor Targeted and Immune Therapy, Clinical Research Center for Breast, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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de Sousa FS, Nunes EA, Gomes KS, Cerchiaro G, Lago JHG. Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of neolignans isolated from Nectandra leucantha (Lauraceae). Toxicol In Vitro 2019; 55:116-123. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2018.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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40
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Louveau B, Delyon J, De Moura CR, Battistella M, Jouenne F, Golmard L, Sadoux A, Podgorniak MP, Chami I, Marco O, Caramel J, Dalle S, Feugeas JP, Dumaz N, Lebbe C, Mourah S. A targeted genomic alteration analysis predicts survival of melanoma patients under BRAF inhibitors. Oncotarget 2019; 10:1669-1687. [PMID: 30899440 PMCID: PMC6422198 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several mechanisms have been described to elucidate the emergence of resistance to MAPK inhibitors in melanoma and there is a crucial need for biomarkers to identify patients who are likely to achieve a better and long-lasting response to BRAF inhibitors therapy. In this study, we developed a targeted approach combining both mRNA and DNA alterations analysis focusing on relevant gene alterations involved in acquired BRAF inhibitor resistance. We collected baseline tumor samples from 64 melanoma patients at BRAF inhibitor treatment initiation and showed that the presence, prior to treatment, of mRNA over-expression of genes' subset was significantly associated with improved progression free survival and overall survival. The presence of DNA alterations was in favor of better overall survival. The genomic analysis of relapsed-matched tumor samples from 20 patients allowed us to uncover the largest landscape of resistance mechanisms reported to date as at least one resistance mechanism was identified for each patient studied. Alterations in RB1 have been most frequent and hence represent an important additional acquired resistance mechanism. Our targeted genomic analysis emerges as a relevant tool in clinical practice to identify those patients who are more likely to achieve durable response to targeted therapies and to exhaustively describe the spectrum of resistance mechanisms. Our approach can be adapted to new targeted therapies by including newly identified genetic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Louveau
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Julie Delyon
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Dermatology, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Coralie Reger De Moura
- Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Battistella
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Department of Pathology, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Paris Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S1165, Paris, France
| | - Fanelie Jouenne
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Lisa Golmard
- Department of Genetics, Pôle de Médecine Diagnostique et Théranostique, Institut Curie, Paris, France
| | - Aurelie Sadoux
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Podgorniak
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Ichrak Chami
- Department of Dermatology, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Oren Marco
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Esthetic Surgery, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Julie Caramel
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, Lyon, France
| | - Stephane Dalle
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM 1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, Equipe Labellisée Ligue contre le Cancer, Lyon, France.,Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Pierre Bénite, France
| | | | - Nicolas Dumaz
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France
| | - Celeste Lebbe
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Dermatology, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Samia Mourah
- Paris-Diderot University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Paris-Diderot University, Inserm, UMR_S976, Paris, France.,Department of Pharmacogenomics, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
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41
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Emran AA, Chinna Chowdary BR, Ahmed F, Hammerlindl H, Huefner A, Haass NK, Schuehly W, Schaider H. Magnolol induces cell death through PI3K/Akt-mediated epigenetic modifications boosting treatment of BRAF- and NRAS-mutant melanoma. Cancer Med 2019; 8:1186-1196. [PMID: 30793515 PMCID: PMC6434221 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Most BRAF‐mutant melanoma patients experience a fulminate relapse after several months of treatment with BRAF/MEK inhibitors. To improve therapeutic efficacy, natural plant‐derived compounds might be considered as potent additives. Here, we show that magnolol, a constituent of Magnolia officinalis, induced G1 arrest, apoptosis and cell death in BRAF‐ and NRAS‐mutant melanoma cells at low concentration, with no effect in BRAF‐ and NRAS wild‐type melanoma cells and human keratinocytes. This was confirmed in a 3D spheroid model. The apoptosis‐inducing effect of magnolol was completely rescued by activating Akt suggesting a mechanism relying primarily on Akt signaling. Magnolol significantly downregulated the PI3K/Akt pathway which led to a global decrease of the active histone mark H3K4me3. Alongside, the repressive histone mark H3K9me3 was increased as a response to DNA damage. Magnolol‐induced alterations of histone modifications are reversible upon activation of the Akt pathway. Magnolol‐induced a synergistic effect in combination with either BRAF/MEK inhibitors dabrafenib/trametinib or docetaxel at a lower concentration than usually applied in melanoma patients. Combination of magnolol with targeted therapy or chemotherapy also led to analogous effects on histone marks, which was rescued by Akt pathway activation. Our study revealed a novel epigenetic mechanism of magnolol‐induced cell death in melanoma. Magnolol might therefore be a clinically useful addition to BRAF/MEK inhibitors with enhanced efficacy delaying or preventing disease recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Al Emran
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brinda Reddy Chinna Chowdary
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Farzana Ahmed
- The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Heinz Hammerlindl
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Antje Huefner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Graz, Graz, Styria, Austria
| | - Nikolas K Haass
- Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Wolfgang Schuehly
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Styria, Austria
| | - Helmut Schaider
- Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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42
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Novel small molecule decreases cell proliferation, migration, clone formation, and gene expression through ERK inhibition in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs 2019; 30:618-627. [PMID: 30741723 DOI: 10.1097/cad.0000000000000766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Ras-Raf-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway is an attractive target for the development of anticancer agents because of the high prevalence of ERK activation in human cancers. However, resistance is often developed despite initial clinical response, most likely because of activation of cross-talk pathways. In Research Genetic Cancer Center (RGCC), we are in the process of synthesizing a novel ERK inhibitor, targeting the final stage of the pathway, thus minimizing cross-talk. We have synthesized an intermediate molecule -RGCC416 - and tested its biological activity. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were used. Cell viability was measured by crystal violet and cell proliferation by the methyl tetrazolium assay using various compound concentrations. Cell migration and colony formation were determined to assess the ability of invasion and single cancer cell growth, respectively. Expression of genes linked to MAPK/PI3K pathways was determined by PCR. ERK and phospho-ERK levels were determined in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus by western blot. It was found that although the compound did not affect viability, it significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation in both cell lines. In MDA-MB-231, this is possibly through retaining phospho-ERK to the cytoplasm, where it cannot activate cancer-associated genes. There was no difference in ERK levels in MCF-7 cells. This could be because of the different pathways that these cells utilize for survival. We have synthesized a molecule, which could be a promising ERK inhibitor, leading to possible novel treatment options for breast cancer patients.
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Moses C, Nugent F, Waryah CB, Garcia-Bloj B, Harvey AR, Blancafort P. Activating PTEN Tumor Suppressor Expression with the CRISPR/dCas9 System. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 14:287-300. [PMID: 30654190 PMCID: PMC6348769 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
PTEN expression is lost in many cancers, and even small changes in PTEN activity affect susceptibility and prognosis in a range of highly aggressive malignancies, such as melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Loss of PTEN expression occurs via multiple mechanisms, including mutation, transcriptional repression and epigenetic silencing. Transcriptional repression of PTEN contributes to resistance to inhibitors used in the clinic, such as B-Raf inhibitors in BRAF mutant melanoma. We aimed to activate PTEN expression using the CRISPR system, specifically dead (d) Cas9 fused to the transactivator VP64-p65-Rta (VPR). dCas9-VPR was directed to the PTEN proximal promoter by single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs), in cancer cells that exhibited low levels of PTEN expression. The dCas9-VPR system increased PTEN expression in melanoma and TNBC cell lines, without transcriptional regulation at predicted off-target sgRNA binding sites. PTEN activation significantly repressed downstream oncogenic pathways, including AKT, mTOR, and MAPK signaling. BRAF V600E mutant melanoma cells transduced with dCas9-VPR displayed reduced migration, as well as diminished colony formation in the presence of B-Raf inhibitors, PI3K/mTOR inhibitors, and with combined PI3K/mTOR and B-Raf inhibition. CRISPR-mediated targeted activation of PTEN may provide an alternative therapeutic approach for highly aggressive cancers that are refractory to current treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colette Moses
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Fiona Nugent
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; School of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Charlene Babra Waryah
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Benjamin Garcia-Bloj
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Piramide 5750, Huechuraba 8580745, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alan R Harvey
- School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, 8 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Pilar Blancafort
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, The Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia; School of Human Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.
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Wongchenko MJ, Ribas A, Ascierto PA, Dréno B, Maria di Giacomo A, Garbe C, Chang I, Hsu J, Rooney I, Lu W, Koeppen H, Larkin J, Yan Y, McArthur GA. Effects of Molecular Heterogeneity on Survival of Patients With BRAFV600-Mutated Melanoma Treated With Vemurafenib With or Without Cobimetinib in the coBRIM Study. JCO Precis Oncol 2018; 2:1-18. [DOI: 10.1200/po.17.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The treatment of advanced BRAFV600-mutated melanomas with BRAF inhibitors (BRAFi) has improved survival, but the efficacy of BRAFi varies among individuals and the development of acquired resistance to BRAFi through reactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling is common. We performed an exploratory, retrospective analysis to investigate the effects of BRAFV600 allelic balance, coexisting oncogene mutations, cell proliferation signaling levels, and loss of PTEN expression on progression-free survival (PFS) in patients in the phase III coBRIM study, which compared the combination of the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib with the BRAFi vemurafenib versus vemurafenib as monotherapy. Methods Baseline tumor samples from the intention-to-treat population were analyzed by targeted deep sequencing at a median coverage of 3,600× and by immunohistochemistry for cell proliferation markers, BRAFV600E, and PTEN. The association of these biomarkers with PFS was assessed by Cox proportional hazards modeling. Gene expression in relation to loss of PTEN was profiled by RNA sequencing in 205 patient samples and 42 BRAFV600-mutated melanoma cell lines. Results Neither BRAFV600 allelic balance nor coexisting mutations in the RAS/RAF/RTK pathway affected PFS in either treatment group. Increased baseline MAPK signaling and cell proliferation did not affect PFS in patients treated with cobimetinib combined with vemurafenib. PTEN loss was associated with reduced PFS in patients treated with vemurafenib alone but not in patients treated with cobimetinib combined with vemurafenib. Conclusion Deeper inhibition of the MAPK pathway through targeting of both MEK and BRAF may override the effects of tumor heterogeneity and improve PFS in all patients with advanced BRAFV600 melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Wongchenko
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Antoni Ribas
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Paolo A. Ascierto
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Brigitte Dréno
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Anna Maria di Giacomo
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Claus Garbe
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Ilsung Chang
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Jessie Hsu
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Isabelle Rooney
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - William Lu
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Hartmut Koeppen
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - James Larkin
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Yibing Yan
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
| | - Grant A. McArthur
- Matthew J. Wongchenko, Ilsung Chang, Jessie Hsu, Isabelle Rooney, William Lu, Hartmut Koeppen, and Yibing Yan, Genentech, South San Francisco; Antoni Ribas, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA; Paolo A. Ascierto, Istituto Nazionale Tumori Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples; Anna Maria di Giacomo, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy; Brigitte Dréno, Nantes University, Nantes, France; Claus Garbe, University of Tübingen, Tübingen,
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Kakadia S, Yarlagadda N, Awad R, Kundranda M, Niu J, Naraev B, Mina L, Dragovich T, Gimbel M, Mahmoud F. Mechanisms of resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors and clinical update of US Food and Drug Administration-approved targeted therapy in advanced melanoma. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:7095-7107. [PMID: 30410366 PMCID: PMC6200076 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s182721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 170] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 50% of melanomas harbor an activating BRAF mutation. Combined BRAF and MEK inhibitors such as dabrafenib and trametinib, vemurafenib and cobimetinib, and encorafenib and binimetinib are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to treat patients with BRAFV600-mutated advanced melanoma. Both genetic and epigenetic alterations play a major role in resistance to BRAF inhibitors by reactivation of the MAPK and/or the PI3K–Akt pathways. The role of BRAF inhibitors in modulating the immunomicroenvironment and perhaps enhancing the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors is gaining interest. This article provides a comprehensive review of mechanisms of resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibitors in melanoma and summarizes landmark trials that led to the FDA approval of BRAF and MEK inhibitors in metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunilkumar Kakadia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Naveen Yarlagadda
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Ramez Awad
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Madappa Kundranda
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Jiaxin Niu
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Boris Naraev
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Lida Mina
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Tomislav Dragovich
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Mark Gimbel
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
| | - Fade Mahmoud
- TW Lewis Melanoma Center of Excellence, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA,
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46
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Irvine M, Stewart A, Pedersen B, Boyd S, Kefford R, Rizos H. Oncogenic PI3K/AKT promotes the step-wise evolution of combination BRAF/MEK inhibitor resistance in melanoma. Oncogenesis 2018; 7:72. [PMID: 30237495 PMCID: PMC6148266 DOI: 10.1038/s41389-018-0081-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nearly all patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma will progress on BRAF inhibitor monotherapy and combination BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy within the first year of therapy. In the vast majority of progressing melanomas, resistance occurs via the re-activation of MAPK signalling, commonly via alterations in BRAF, NRAS and MEK1/2. A small proportion of resistant melanomas rely on the activation of the compensatory PI3K/AKT signalling cascade, although activation of this pathway does not preclude patient responses to BRAF/MEK inhibition. We now show, that PI3K/AKT signalling via potent oncogenic PIK3CA and AKT3 mutants, is not sufficient to overcome proliferative arrest induced by BRAF/MEK inhibition, but rather enables the survival of a dormant population of MAPK-inhibited melanoma cells. The evolution of resistance in these surviving tumour cells was associated with MAPK re-activation and no longer depended on the initial PI3K/AKT-activating oncogene. This dynamic form of resistance alters signalling dependence and may lead to the evolution of tumour subclones highly resistant to multiple targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mal Irvine
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ashleigh Stewart
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bernadette Pedersen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzanah Boyd
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard Kefford
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Helen Rizos
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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47
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Zecena H, Tveit D, Wang Z, Farhat A, Panchal P, Liu J, Singh SJ, Sanghera A, Bainiwal A, Teo SY, Meyskens FL, Liu-Smith F, Filipp FV. Systems biology analysis of mitogen activated protein kinase inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma. BMC SYSTEMS BIOLOGY 2018; 12:33. [PMID: 29615030 PMCID: PMC5883534 DOI: 10.1186/s12918-018-0554-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kinase inhibition in the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is a standard therapy for cancer patients with activating BRAF mutations. However, the anti-tumorigenic effect and clinical benefit are only transient, and tumors are prone to treatment resistance and relapse. To elucidate mechanistic insights into drug resistance, we have established an in vitro cellular model of MAPK inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma. METHODS The cellular model evolved in response to clinical dosage of the BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, PLX4032. We conducted transcriptomic expression profiling using RNA-Seq and RT-qPCR arrays. Pathways of melanogenesis, MAPK signaling, cell cycle, and metabolism were significantly enriched among the set of differentially expressed genes of vemurafenib-resistant cells vs control. The underlying mechanism of treatment resistance and pathway rewiring was uncovered to be based on non-genomic adaptation and validated in two distinct melanoma models, SK-MEL-28 and A375. Both cell lines have activating BRAF mutations and display metastatic potential. RESULTS Downregulation of dual specific phosphatases, tumor suppressors, and negative MAPK regulators reengages mitogenic signaling. Upregulation of growth factors, cytokines, and cognate receptors triggers signaling pathways circumventing BRAF blockage. Further, changes in amino acid and one-carbon metabolism support cellular proliferation despite MAPK inhibitor treatment. In addition, treatment-resistant cells upregulate pigmentation and melanogenesis, pathways which partially overlap with MAPK signaling. Upstream regulator analysis discovered significant perturbation in oncogenic forkhead box and hypoxia inducible factor family transcription factors. CONCLUSIONS The established cellular models offer mechanistic insight into cellular changes and therapeutic targets under inhibitor resistance in malignant melanoma. At a systems biology level, the MAPK pathway undergoes major rewiring while acquiring inhibitor resistance. The outcome of this transcriptional plasticity is selection for a set of transcriptional master regulators, which circumvent upstream targeted kinases and provide alternative routes of mitogenic activation. A fine-woven network of redundant signals maintains similar effector genes allowing for tumor cell survival and malignant progression in therapy-resistant cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helma Zecena
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Daniel Tveit
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Zi Wang
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
- The State Key Laboratory of
Medical Genetics and School of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular
Biology, Central South University,
Changsha, 410078 China
| | - Ahmed Farhat
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Parvita Panchal
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
- The State Key Laboratory of
Medical Genetics and School of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular
Biology, Central South University,
Changsha, 410078 China
| | - Simar J. Singh
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Amandeep Sanghera
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Ajay Bainiwal
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Shuan Y. Teo
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
| | - Frank L. Meyskens
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Feng Liu-Smith
- Department of Medicine,
School of Medicine, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center,
University of California Irvine,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
- Department of Epidemiology,
School of Medicine, University of California,
Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Fabian V. Filipp
- Systems Biology and Cancer
Metabolism, Program for Quantitative Systems Biology,
University of California Merced,
2500 North Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343 USA
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48
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Xie Y, Cao Z, Wong EW, Guan Y, Ma W, Zhang JQ, Walczak EG, Murphy D, Ran L, Sirota I, Wang S, Shukla S, Gao D, Knott SR, Chang K, Leu J, Wongvipat J, Antonescu CR, Hannon G, Chi P, Chen Y. COP1/DET1/ETS axis regulates ERK transcriptome and sensitivity to MAPK inhibitors. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:1442-1457. [PMID: 29360641 PMCID: PMC5873878 DOI: 10.1172/jci94840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of MAPK signaling leads to the activation of oncogenic transcriptomes. How MAPK signaling is coupled with the transcriptional response in cancer is not fully understood. In 2 MAPK-activated tumor types, gastrointestinal stromal tumor and melanoma, we found that ETV1 and other Pea3-ETS transcription factors are critical nuclear effectors of MAPK signaling that are regulated through protein stability. Expression of stabilized Pea3-ETS factors can partially rescue the MAPK transcriptome and cell viability after MAPK inhibition. To identify the players involved in this process, we performed a pooled genome-wide RNAi screen using a fluorescence-based ETV1 protein stability sensor and identified COP1, DET1, DDB1, UBE3C, PSMD4, and COP9 signalosome members. COP1 or DET1 loss led to decoupling between MAPK signaling and the downstream transcriptional response, where MAPK inhibition failed to destabilize Pea3 factors and fully inhibit the MAPK transcriptome, thus resulting in decreased sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibitors. We identified multiple COP1 and DET1 mutations in human tumors that were defective in the degradation of Pea3-ETS factors. Two melanoma patients had de novo DET1 mutations arising after vemurafenib treatment. These observations indicate that MAPK signaling-dependent regulation of Pea3-ETS protein stability is a key signaling node in oncogenesis and therapeutic resistance to MAPK pathway inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Xie
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Zhen Cao
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elissa W.P. Wong
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Youxin Guan
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Wenfu Ma
- Structural Biology Program, MSKCC, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jenny Q. Zhang
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Edward G. Walczak
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Devan Murphy
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Leili Ran
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Inna Sirota
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Shangqian Wang
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Shipra Shukla
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Dong Gao
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - Simon R.V. Knott
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Kenneth Chang
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
| | - Justin Leu
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | - John Wongvipat
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Gregory Hannon
- Watson School of Biological Sciences, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
- CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
| | - Ping Chi
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, MSKCC, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York, New York, USA
- Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Medicine, MSKCC, New York, New York, USA
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49
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Acciardo S, Mignion L, Joudiou N, Bouzin C, Baurain JF, Gallez B, Jordan BF. Imaging markers of response to combined BRAF and MEK inhibition in BRAF mutated vemurafenib-sensitive and resistant melanomas. Oncotarget 2018; 9:16832-16846. [PMID: 29682188 PMCID: PMC5908289 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A majority of patients with a V600x melanoma respond quickly to BRAF/MEK inhibition (BRAFi/MEKi) and have an obvious clinical benefit. Nearly all the patients after this initial phase will develop resistance. Therefore, non-invasive early markers of response/non-response are needed in order to identify those patients who, due to intrinsic or acquired resistance, do not respond to treatment and would be eligible for alternative treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of choline and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) as early markers of response to BRAF inhibition (BRAFi) with vemurafenib alone or in combination with MEK inhibition (MEKi) with trametinib, in BRAFi-sensitive and BRAFi-resistant melanoma xenografts. Tumor response was significantly improved by the combination of BRAFi and MEKi, compared to BRAFi alone, only in sensitive xenografts; thus indicating that vemurafenib-resistant A375R xenografts were cross-resistant to the inhibition of MEK, as confirmed by immunohistochemistry analysis for phosphorylated ERK. In vivo1H-MRS showed that in sensitive melanoma xenografts, a significant blockage of ERK phosphorylation, but not a decrease in cell proliferation, was required to affect total choline (tCho) levels, thus suggesting that tCho could serve as a pharmacodynamic (PD) marker for agents targeting the MAPK cascade. In addition, early effects of the combination therapy on tumor cellularity could be detected via DW-MRI. In particular, skewness and kurtosis of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) distribution may be useful to detect changes in the diffusional heterogeneity that might not affect the global ADC value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Acciardo
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Group, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lionel Mignion
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Group, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Joudiou
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, NEST Nuclear and Electron Spin Technologies Platform, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Caroline Bouzin
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, IREC Imaging Platform, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jean-François Baurain
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Institute de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Molecular Imaging and Radiation Oncology Group, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bernard Gallez
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Group, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bénédicte F Jordan
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Biomedical Magnetic Resonance Group, Brussels, Belgium
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50
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Krepler C, Xiao M, Samanta M, Vultur A, Chen HY, Brafford P, Reyes-Uribe PI, Halloran M, Chen T, He X, Hristova D, Liu Q, Samatar AA, Davies MA, Nathanson KL, Fukunaga-Kalabis M, Herlyn M, Villanueva J. Targeting Notch enhances the efficacy of ERK inhibitors in BRAF-V600E melanoma. Oncotarget 2018; 7:71211-71222. [PMID: 27655717 PMCID: PMC5342073 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of activating BRAF mutations in approximately 50% of melanomas has led to the development of MAPK pathway inhibitors, which have transformed melanoma therapy. However, not all BRAF-V600E melanomas respond to MAPK inhibition. Therefore, it is important to understand why tumors with the same oncogenic driver have variable responses to MAPK inhibitors. Here, we show that concurrent loss of PTEN and activation of the Notch pathway is associated with poor response to the ERK inhibitor SCH772984, and that co-inhibition of Notch and ERK decreased viability in BRAF-V600E melanomas. Additionally, patients with low PTEN and Notch activation had significantly shorter progression free survival when treated with BRAF inhibitors. Our studies provide a rationale to further develop combination strategies with Notch antagonists to maximize the efficacy of MAPK inhibition in melanoma. Our findings should prompt the evaluation of combinations co-targeting MAPK/ERK and Notch as a strategy to improve current therapies and warrant further evaluation of co-occurrence of aberrant PTEN and Notch activation as predictive markers of response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Krepler
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Min Xiao
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Minu Samanta
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adina Vultur
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hsin-Yi Chen
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patricia Brafford
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Molly Halloran
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Chen
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Xu He
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Denitsa Hristova
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qin Liu
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ahmed A Samatar
- Discovery Oncology Merck Research Laboratories, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Davies
- Melanoma Medical Oncology and Systems Biology University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Katherine L Nathanson
- Division of Medical Genetics and The Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia PA, USA
| | | | - Meenhard Herlyn
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessie Villanueva
- The Wistar Institute, Melanoma Research Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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