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Nosaki K, Yoh K, Toyozawa R, Horinouchi H, Morise M, Ohashi K, Murakami H, Satouchi M, Sakakibara-Konishi J, Yano S, Okumura F, Matsumoto S, Shimokawa M, Seto T, Goto K. Phase 2 trial of crizotinib in Japanese patients with advanced NSCLC harboring a MET gene alteration: a Co-MET study. Int J Clin Oncol 2024; 29:1142-1151. [PMID: 38758397 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-024-02543-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MET exon 14 skipping mutations occur in 3-4% and MET high amplifications occur in < 1% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Crizotinib, a selective ATP-competitive small-molecule inhibitor of c-Met, ALK, and ROS1 tyrosine kinases, has shown activity in cancer models with various types of MET activation. METHODS The Co-MET study is a single-arm phase 2 trial to assess the safety and efficacy of crizotinib in MET inhibitor-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC harboring MET exon 14 skipping mutation (cohort 1) or high MET gene copy number of ≥ 7 (cohort 2). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 by independent radiology review in cohort 1. The key secondary endpoints were the duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS A total of 28 patients (23 in cohort 1 and 5 in cohort 2) were enrolled between March 2018 and February 2020. The primary endpoint was met as the ORR (90% confidence interval: CI) in cohort 1 was 38.1% (20.6-58.3). Median DoR, PFS, and OS (95% CI) were 7.6 (1.9-NE), 5.7 (2.1-11.3), 9.1 (4.0-19.9) months, respectively, in cohort 1. ORR in cohort 2 was 40.0% (18.9-92.4). The safety signals were generally consistent with the known safety profile of crizotinib. CONCLUSIONS Crizotinib showed a clinical activity similar to that of tepotinib and capmatinib in patients with NSCLC harboring MET exon 14 skipping mutations. CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION UMIN000031623.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaname Nosaki
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Yoh
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan.
| | - Ryo Toyozawa
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hidehito Horinouchi
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masahiro Morise
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kadoaki Ohashi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan
| | - Haruyasu Murakami
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, Shizuoka Cancer Center, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Miyako Satouchi
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Hyogo Cancer Center, Akashi, Japan
| | - Jun Sakakibara-Konishi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Seiji Yano
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Fumihiko Okumura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan
| | - Shingo Matsumoto
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan
| | - Mototsugu Shimokawa
- Department of Biostatistics, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
| | - Takashi Seto
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Koichi Goto
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East, 6-5-1, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8577, Japan
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2
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Jayab NA, Abed A, Talaat IM, Hamoudi R. The molecular mechanism of NF-κB dysregulation across different subtypes of renal cell carcinoma. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00314-X. [PMID: 39094893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.07.030] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a critical pathway that regulates various cellular functions, including immune response, proliferation, growth, and apoptosis. Furthermore, this pathway is tightly regulated to ensure stability in the presence of immunogenic triggers or genotoxic stimuli. The lack of control of the NF-κB pathway can lead to the initiation of different diseases, mainly autoimmune diseases and cancer, including Renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer and is characterized by complex genetic composition and elusive molecular mechanisms. AIM OF REVIEW The current review summarizes the mechanism of NF-κB dysregulation in different subtypes of RCC and its impact on pathogenesis. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPT OF REVIEW This review highlights the prominent role of NF-κB in RCC development and progression by driving the expression of multiple genes and interplaying with different pathways, including the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. In silico analysis of RCC cohorts and molecular studies have revealed that multiple NF-κB members and target genes are dysregulated. The dysregulation includes receptors such as TLR2, signal-transmitting members including RelA, and target genes, for instance, HIF-1α. The lack of effective regulatory mechanisms results in a constitutively active NF-κB pathway, which promotes cancer growth, migration, and survival. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the role of dysregulated NF-κB-related genes in the most common subtypes of RCC, including clear cell RCC (ccRCC), chromophobe RCC (chRCC), and papillary RCC (PRCC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nour Abu Jayab
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Alaa Abed
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Iman M Talaat
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, 21131 Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Center of Excellence for Precision Medicine, Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; BIMAI-Lab, Biomedically Informed Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, United Kingdom; ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, University of Sharjah, 27272 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
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Ren J, Lv L, Tao X, Zhai X, Chen X, Yu H, Zhao X, Kong X, Yu Z, Dong D, Liu J. The role of CBL family ubiquitin ligases in cancer progression and therapeutic strategies. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1432545. [PMID: 39130630 PMCID: PMC11310040 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1432545] [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: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The CBL (Casitas B-lineage lymphoma) family, as a class of ubiquitin ligases, can regulate signal transduction and activate receptor tyrosine kinases through various tyrosine kinase-dependent pathways. There are three members of the family: c-CBL, CBL-b, and CBL-c. Numerous studies have demonstrated the important role of CBL in various cellular pathways, particularly those involved in the occurrence and progression of cancer, hematopoietic development, and regulation of T cell receptors. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to comprehensively summarize the function and regulatory role of CBL family proteins in different human tumors, as well as the progress of drug research targeting CBL family, so as to provide a broader clinical measurement strategy for the treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Linlin Lv
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xufeng Tao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xiaohan Zhai
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xuyang Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Hao Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xinya Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Xin Kong
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- School of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhan Yu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Deshi Dong
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Stem Cell Clinical Research Center, National Joint Engineering Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
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4
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Tóth LJ, Mokánszki A, Méhes G. The rapidly changing field of predictive biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer. Pathol Oncol Res 2024; 30:1611733. [PMID: 38953007 PMCID: PMC11215025 DOI: 10.3389/pore.2024.1611733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide in both men and women, however mortality in the US and EU are recently declining in parallel with the gradual cut of smoking prevalence. Consequently, the relative frequency of adenocarcinoma increased while that of squamous and small cell carcinomas declined. During the last two decades a plethora of targeted drug therapies have appeared for the treatment of metastasizing non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). Personalized oncology aims to precisely match patients to treatments with the highest potential of success. Extensive research is done to introduce biomarkers which can predict the effectiveness of a specific targeted therapeutic approach. The EGFR signaling pathway includes several sufficient targets for the treatment of human cancers including NSCLC. Lung adenocarcinoma may harbor both activating and resistance mutations of the EGFR gene, and further, mutations of KRAS and BRAF oncogenes. Less frequent but targetable genetic alterations include ALK, ROS1, RET gene rearrangements, and various alterations of MET proto-oncogene. In addition, the importance of anti-tumor immunity and of tumor microenvironment has become evident recently. Accumulation of mutations generally trigger tumor specific immune defense, but immune protection may be upregulated as an aggressive feature. The blockade of immune checkpoints results in potential reactivation of tumor cell killing and induces significant tumor regression in various tumor types, such as lung carcinoma. Therapeutic responses to anti PD1-PD-L1 treatment may correlate with the expression of PD-L1 by tumor cells. Due to the wide range of diagnostic and predictive features in lung cancer a plenty of tests are required from a single small biopsy or cytology specimen, which is challenged by major issues of sample quantity and quality. Thus, the efficacy of biomarker testing should be warranted by standardized policy and optimal material usage. In this review we aim to discuss major targeted therapy-related biomarkers in NSCLC and testing possibilities comprehensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- László József Tóth
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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5
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Lombardi AM, Sangiolo D, Vigna E. MET Oncogene Targeting for Cancer Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6109. [PMID: 38892318 PMCID: PMC11173045 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The MET receptor is one of the main drivers of 'invasive growth', a multifaceted biological response essential during embryonic development and tissue repair that is usurped by cancer cells to induce and sustain the malignant phenotype. MET stands out as one of the most important oncogenes activated in cancer and its inhibition has been explored since the initial era of cancer-targeted therapy. Different approaches have been developed to hamper MET signaling and/or reduce MET (over)expression as a hallmark of transformation. Considering the great interest gained by cancer immunotherapy, this review evaluates the opportunity of targeting MET within therapeutic approaches based on the exploitation of immune functions, either in those cases where MET impairment is crucial to induce an effective response (i.e., when MET is the driver of the malignancy), or when blocking MET represents a way for potentiating the treatment (i.e., when MET is an adjuvant of tumor fitness).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elisa Vigna
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, 10043 Torino, Italy; (A.M.L.); (D.S.)
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6
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Wickland DP, McNinch C, Jessen E, Necela B, Shreeder B, Lin Y, Knutson KL, Asmann YW. Comprehensive profiling of cancer neoantigens from aberrant RNA splicing. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008988. [PMID: 38754917 PMCID: PMC11097882 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2024-008988] [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] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer neoantigens arise from protein-altering somatic mutations in tumor and rank among the most promising next-generation immuno-oncology agents when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. We previously developed a computational framework, REAL-neo, for identification, quality control, and prioritization of both class-I and class-II human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-presented neoantigens resulting from somatic single-nucleotide mutations, small insertions and deletions, and gene fusions. In this study, we developed a new module, SPLICE-neo, to identify neoantigens from aberrant RNA transcripts from two distinct sources: (1) DNA mutations within splice sites and (2) de novo RNA aberrant splicings. METHODS First, SPLICE-neo was used to profile all DNA splice-site mutations in 11,892 tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified 11 profiles of splicing donor or acceptor site gains or losses. Transcript isoforms resulting from the top seven most frequent profiles were computed using novel logic models. Second, SPLICE-neo identified de novo RNA splicing events using RNA sequencing reads mapped to novel exon junctions from either single, double, or multiple exon-skipping events. The aberrant transcripts from both sources were then ranked based on isoform expression levels and z-scores assuming that individual aberrant splicing events are rare. Finally, top-ranked novel isoforms were translated into protein, and the resulting neoepitopes were evaluated for neoantigen potential using REAL-neo. The top splicing neoantigen candidates binding to HLA-A*02:01 were validated using in vitro T2 binding assays. RESULTS We identified abundant splicing neoantigens in four representative TCGA cancers: BRCA, LUAD, LUSC, and LIHC. In addition to their substantial contribution to neoantigen load, several splicing neoantigens were potent tumor antigens with stronger bindings to HLA compared with the positive control of antigens from influenza virus. CONCLUSIONS SPLICE-neo is the first tool to comprehensively identify and prioritize splicing neoantigens from both DNA splice-site mutations and de novo RNA aberrant splicings. There are two major advances of SPLICE-neo. First, we developed novel logic models that assemble and prioritize full-length aberrant transcripts from DNA splice-site mutations. Second, SPLICE-neo can identify exon-skipping events involving more than two exons, which account for a quarter to one-third of all skipping events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Wickland
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Colton McNinch
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Erik Jessen
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Brian Necela
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Barath Shreeder
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Yi Lin
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Keith L Knutson
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
| | - Yan W Asmann
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Estevam GO, Linossi EM, Macdonald CB, Espinoza CA, Michaud JM, Coyote-Maestas W, Collisson EA, Jura N, Fraser JS. Conserved regulatory motifs in the juxtamembrane domain and kinase N-lobe revealed through deep mutational scanning of the MET receptor tyrosine kinase domain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.03.551866. [PMID: 37577651 PMCID: PMC10418267 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.03.551866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) responsible for initiating signaling pathways involved in development and wound repair. MET activation relies on ligand binding to the extracellular receptor, which prompts dimerization, intracellular phosphorylation, and recruitment of associated signaling proteins. Mutations, which are predominantly observed clinically in the intracellular juxtamembrane and kinase domains, can disrupt typical MET regulatory mechanisms. Understanding how juxtamembrane variants, such as exon 14 skipping (METΔEx14), and rare kinase domain mutations can increase signaling, often leading to cancer, remains a challenge. Here, we perform a parallel deep mutational scan (DMS) of the MET intracellular kinase domain in two fusion protein backgrounds: wild type and METΔEx14. Our comparative approach has revealed a critical hydrophobic interaction between a juxtamembrane segment and the kinase αC-helix, pointing to potential differences in regulatory mechanisms between MET and other RTKs. Additionally, we have uncovered a β5 motif that acts as a structural pivot for the kinase domain in MET and other TAM family of kinases. We also describe a number of previously unknown activating mutations, aiding the effort to annotate driver, passenger, and drug resistance mutations in the MET kinase domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella O. Estevam
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,United States
- Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
| | - Edmond M. Linossi
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, United States
| | - Christian B. Macdonald
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,United States
| | - Carla A. Espinoza
- Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, United States
| | - Jennifer M. Michaud
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,United States
| | - Willow Coyote-Maestas
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, United States, United States
| | - Eric A. Collisson
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, United States
- Department of Medicine/Hematology and Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, United States
| | - Natalia Jura
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, United States, United States
| | - James S. Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco,United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, United States, United States
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Khalenkow D, Brandsma CA, Timens W, Choy DF, Grimbaldeston MA, Rosenberger CM, Slebos DJ, Kerstjens HAM, Faiz A, Koppelman GH, Nawijn MC, van den Berge M, Guryev V. Alternative Splicing Is a Major Factor Shaping Transcriptome Diversity in Mild and Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 2024; 70:414-423. [PMID: 38315810 DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2023-0296oc] [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: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The role of alternative splicing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the differences in alternatively splicing events between patients with mild-to-moderate and severe COPD compared with non-COPD control subjects and to identify splicing factors associated with aberrant alternative splicing in COPD. For this purpose, we performed genome-wide RNA-sequencing analysis of bronchial brushings from 23 patients with mild-to-moderate COPD, 121 with severe COPD, and 23 non-COPD control subjects. We found a significant difference in the frequency of alternative splicing events in patients with mild-to-moderate and severe COPD compared with non-COPD control subjects. There were from two to eight times (depending on event type) more differential alternative splicing events in the severe than in the mild-to-moderate stage. The severe COPD samples showed less intron retention and more exon skipping. It is interesting that the transcript levels of the top 10 differentially expressed splicing factors were significantly correlated with the percentage of many alternatively spliced transcripts in severe COPD. The aberrant alternative splicing in severe COPD was predicted to increase the overall protein-coding capacity of gene products. In conclusion, we observed large and significant differences in alternative splicing between bronchial samples of patients with COPD and control subjects, with more events observed in severe than in mild-to-moderate COPD. The changes in the expression of several splicing factors correlated with prevalence of alternative splicing in severe COPD. Alternative splicing can indirectly impact gene expression by changing the relative abundance of protein-coding isoforms potentially influencing pathophysiological changes. The results provide a better understanding of COPD-related alternative splicing changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Khalenkow
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, Beatrix Children's Hospital
| | - Corry-Anke Brandsma
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology
| | - Wim Timens
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology
| | - David F Choy
- Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, California; and
| | | | | | | | - Huib A M Kerstjens
- Department of Pulmonology and Tuberculosis, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alen Faiz
- Faculty of Science, Centre for Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Gerard H Koppelman
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Allergology, Beatrix Children's Hospital
| | - Martijn C Nawijn
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology
| | - Maarten van den Berge
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases, and
| | - Victor Guryev
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing
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Guérin C, Tulasne D. Recording and classifying MET receptor mutations in cancers. eLife 2024; 13:e92762. [PMID: 38652103 PMCID: PMC11042802 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92762] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) directed against MET have been recently approved to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring activating MET mutations. This success is the consequence of a long characterization of MET mutations in cancers, which we propose to outline in this review. MET, a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), displays in a broad panel of cancers many deregulations liable to promote tumour progression. The first MET mutation was discovered in 1997, in hereditary papillary renal cancer (HPRC), providing the first direct link between MET mutations and cancer development. As in other RTKs, these mutations are located in the kinase domain, leading in most cases to ligand-independent MET activation. In 2014, novel MET mutations were identified in several advanced cancers, including lung cancers. These mutations alter splice sites of exon 14, causing in-frame exon 14 skipping and deletion of a regulatory domain. Because these mutations are not located in the kinase domain, they are original and their mode of action has yet to be fully elucidated. Less than five years after the discovery of such mutations, the efficacy of a MET TKI was evidenced in NSCLC patients displaying MET exon 14 skipping. Yet its use led to a resistance mechanism involving acquisition of novel and already characterized MET mutations. Furthermore, novel somatic MET mutations are constantly being discovered. The challenge is no longer to identify them but to characterize them in order to predict their transforming activity and their sensitivity or resistance to MET TKIs, in order to adapt treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia Guérin
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesLilleFrance
| | - David Tulasne
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesLilleFrance
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10
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Chagas GCL, Rangel AR, El Osta B. MET alterations in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Curr Probl Cancer 2024; 49:101075. [PMID: 38480027 DOI: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2024.101075] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Precision medicine has helped identify several tumor molecular aberrations to be treated with targeted therapies. These therapies showed substantial improvement in efficacy without excessive toxicity in patients with specific oncogenic drivers with advanced cancers. In metastatic lung cancers, the implementation of broad platforms for molecular tumor sequencing has helped oncology providers identify oncogenic drivers linked with better outcomes when treated upfront with targeted therapies. Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) alterations are present in up to 60% of non-small cell lung cancer and are associated with a poor prognosis. Capmatinib and tepotinib are currently the only two approved targeted therapies by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with MET exon 14 skipping mutation. Several agents are being developed to tackle an unmet need in patients with MET alterations. Some of these agents are being used in combination with EGFR targeted therapy to mitigate resistance to EGFR inhibitor. These agents are poised to provide new hope for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Cavalcante Lima Chagas
- Post-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Costa Mendes, 1608. 4(o) andar. Rodolfo Teófilo, Fortaleza, CE 60430-140, Brazil
| | - Amanda Ribeiro Rangel
- Post-Graduation Program in Medical Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Costa Mendes, 1608. 4(o) andar. Rodolfo Teófilo, Fortaleza, CE 60430-140, Brazil
| | - Badi El Osta
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta VA Medical Center, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, 1365 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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11
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Crepaldi T, Gallo S, Comoglio PM. The MET Oncogene: Thirty Years of Insights into Molecular Mechanisms Driving Malignancy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:448. [PMID: 38675409 PMCID: PMC11054789 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040448] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery and subsequent research on the MET oncogene's role in cancer onset and progression have illuminated crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms driving malignancy. The identification of MET as the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor has paved the path for characterizing the MET tyrosine kinase activation mechanism and its downstream signaling cascade. Over the past thirty years, research has established the importance of HGF/MET signaling in normal cellular processes, such as cell dissociation, migration, proliferation, and cell survival. Notably, genetic alterations that lead to the continuous activation of MET, known as constitutive activation, have been identified as oncogenic drivers in various cancers. The genetic lesions affecting MET, such as exon skipping, gene amplification, and gene rearrangements, provide valuable targets for therapeutic intervention. Moreover, the implications of MET as a resistance mechanism to targeted therapies emphasize the need for combination treatments that include MET inhibitors. The intriguing "flare effect" phenomenon, wherein MET inhibition can lead to post-treatment increases in cancer cell proliferation, underscores the dynamic nature of cancer therapeutics. In human tumors, increased protein expression often occurs without gene amplification. Various mechanisms may cause an overexpression: transcriptional upregulation induced by other oncogenes; environmental factors (such as hypoxia or radiation); or substances produced by the reactive stroma, such as inflammatory cytokines, pro-angiogenic factors, and even HGF itself. In conclusion, the journey to understanding MET's involvement in cancer onset and progression over the past three decades has not only deepened our knowledge, but has also paved the way for innovative therapeutic strategies. Selective pharmacological inactivation of MET stands as a promising avenue for achieving cancer remission, particularly in cases where MET alterations are the primary drivers of malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Crepaldi
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10143 Orbassano, Italy; (T.C.); (S.G.)
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, SP142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
| | - Simona Gallo
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10143 Orbassano, Italy; (T.C.); (S.G.)
- Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, SP142, Km 3.95, 10060 Candiolo, Italy
| | - Paolo Maria Comoglio
- IFOM ETS—The AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milano, Italy
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12
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Odintsov I, Sholl LM. Prognostic and predictive biomarkers in non-small cell lung carcinoma. Pathology 2024; 56:192-204. [PMID: 38199926 DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2023.11.006] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related deaths globally, with the highest mortality rates among both men and women. Most lung cancers are diagnosed at late stages, necessitating systemic therapy. Modern clinical management of lung cancer relies heavily upon application of biomarkers, which guide the selection of systemic treatment. Here, we provide an overview of currently approved and emerging biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including EGFR, ALK, ROS1, RET, NTRK1-3, KRAS, BRAF, MET, ERBB2/HER2, NRG1, PD-L1, TROP2, and CEACAM5. For practical purposes, we divide these biomarkers into genomic and protein markers, based on the tested substrate. We review the biology and epidemiology of the genomic and proteomic biomarkers, discuss optimal diagnostic assays for their detection, and highlight their contribution to the contemporary clinical management of NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Odintsov
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lynette M Sholl
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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13
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Friedlaender A, Perol M, Banna GL, Parikh K, Addeo A. Oncogenic alterations in advanced NSCLC: a molecular super-highway. Biomark Res 2024; 12:24. [PMID: 38347643 PMCID: PMC10863183 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00566-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer ranks among the most common cancers world-wide and is the first cancer-related cause of death. The classification of lung cancer has evolved tremendously over the past two decades. Today, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), particularly lung adenocarcinoma, comprises a multitude of molecular oncogenic subsets that change both the prognosis and management of disease.Since the first targeted oncogenic alteration identified in 2004, with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), there has been unprecedented progress in identifying and targeting new molecular alterations. Almost two decades of experience have allowed scientists to elucidate the biological function of oncogenic drivers and understand and often overcome the molecular basis of acquired resistance mechanisms. Today, targetable molecular alterations are identified in approximately 60% of lung adenocarcinoma patients in Western populations and 80% among Asian populations. Oncogenic drivers are largely enriched among non-smokers, east Asians, and younger patients, though each alteration has its own patient phenotype.The current landscape of druggable molecular targets includes EGFR, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF), ROS proto-oncogene 1 (ROS1), Kirstin rat sarcoma virus (KRAS), human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2), c-MET proto-oncogene (MET), neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK), rearranged during transfection (RET), neuregulin 1 (NRG1). In addition to these known targets, others including Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) have garnered significant attention and are the subject of numerous ongoing trials.In this era of personalized, precision medicine, it is of paramount importance to identify known or potential oncogenic drivers in each patient. The development of targeted therapy is mirrored by diagnostic progress. Next generation sequencing offers high-throughput, speed and breadth to identify molecular alterations in entire genomes or targeted regions of DNA or RNA. It is the basis for the identification of the majority of current druggable alterations and offers a unique window into novel alterations, and de novo and acquired resistance mechanisms.In this review, we discuss the diagnostic approach in advanced NSCLC, focusing on current oncogenic driver alterations, through their pathophysiology, management, and future perspectives. We also explore the shortcomings and hurdles encountered in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Friedlaender
- Clinique Générale Beaulieu, Geneva, Switzerland
- Oncology Department, University Hospital Geneva, Rue Gentil Perret 4. 1205, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maurice Perol
- Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Giuseppe Luigi Banna
- Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, Portsmouth, UK
- Faculty of Science and Health, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | | | - Alfredo Addeo
- Oncology Department, University Hospital Geneva, Rue Gentil Perret 4. 1205, Geneva, Switzerland.
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14
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Han Y, Yu Y, Miao D, Zhou M, Zhao J, Shao Z, Jin R, Le X, Li W, Xia Y. Targeting MET in NSCLC: An Ever-Expanding Territory. JTO Clin Res Rep 2024; 5:100630. [PMID: 38361739 PMCID: PMC10867448 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtocrr.2023.100630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
MET protooncogene (MET) alterations are known driver oncogenes in NSCLC. Since the identification of MET as a potential therapeutic target, extensive clinical trials have been performed. As a result, MET-targeted therapies, including MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and MET antibody-drug conjugates now play important roles in the standard treatment of MET-altered NSCLC; they have considerably improved the outcomes of patients with tumors that harbor MET oncogenic drivers. Although clinical agents are currently available and numerous other options are in development, particular challenges in the field require attention. For example, the therapeutic efficacy of each drug remains unsatisfactory, and concomitantly, the resistance mechanisms are not fully understood. Thus, there is an urgent need for optimal drug sequencing and combinations, along with a thorough understanding of treatment resistance. In this review, we describe the current landscape of pertinent clinical trials focusing on MET-targeted strategies and discuss future developmental directions in this rapidly expanding field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Han
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yinghui Yu
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Da Miao
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Mo Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhehua Shao
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Jin
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuning Le
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Wen Li
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Xia
- Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease of Zhejiang Province, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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15
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Al-Ghabkari A, Huang B, Park M. Aberrant MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling in Glioblastoma: Targeted Therapy and Future Directions. Cells 2024; 13:218. [PMID: 38334610 PMCID: PMC10854665 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030218] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms characterized by a high degree of aggressiveness and a poor prognosis. Despite recent therapeutic advances, the treatment of brain tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive primary brain tumor associated with poor prognosis and resistance to therapy, remains a significant challenge. Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are critical during development and in adulthood. Dysregulation of RTKs through activating mutations and gene amplification contributes to many human cancers and provides attractive therapeutic targets for treatment. Under physiological conditions, the Met RTK, the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) receptor, promotes fundamental signaling cascades that modulate epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) involved in tissue repair and embryogenesis. In cancer, increased Met activity promotes tumor growth and metastasis by providing signals for proliferation, survival, and migration/invasion. Recent clinical genomic studies have unveiled multiple mechanisms by which MET is genetically altered in GBM, including focal amplification, chromosomal rearrangements generating gene fusions, and a splicing variant mutation (exon 14 skipping, METex14del). Notably, MET overexpression contributes to chemotherapy resistance in GBM by promoting the survival of cancer stem-like cells. This is linked to distinctive Met-induced pathways, such as the upregulation of DNA repair mechanisms, which can protect tumor cells from the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. The development of MET-targeted therapies represents a major step forward in the treatment of brain tumours. Preclinical studies have shown that MET-targeted therapies (monoclonal antibodies or small molecule inhibitors) can suppress growth and invasion, enhancing the efficacy of conventional therapies. Early-phase clinical trials have demonstrated promising results with MET-targeted therapies in improving overall survival for patients with recurrent GBM. However, challenges remain, including the need for patient stratification, the optimization of treatment regimens, and the identification of mechanisms of resistance. This review aims to highlight the current understanding of mechanisms underlying MET dysregulation in GBM. In addition, it will focus on the ongoing preclinical and clinical assessment of therapies targeting MET dysregulation in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulhameed Al-Ghabkari
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada; (A.A.-G.); (B.H.)
| | - Bruce Huang
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada; (A.A.-G.); (B.H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Morag Park
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada; (A.A.-G.); (B.H.)
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3T2, Canada
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
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16
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Guérin C, Vinchent A, Fernandes M, Damour I, Laratte A, Tellier R, Estevam GO, Meneboo JP, Villenet C, Descarpentries C, Fraser JS, Figeac M, Cortot AB, Rouleau E, Tulasne D. MET variants with activating N-lobe mutations identified in hereditary papillary renal cell carcinomas still require ligand stimulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.03.565283. [PMID: 37965202 PMCID: PMC10635098 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.03.565283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
In hereditary papillary renal cell carcinoma (HPRCC), the MET receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) mutations recorded to date are located in the kinase domain and lead to constitutive MET activation. This contrasts with MET mutations recently identified in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which lead to exon 14 skipping and deletion of a regulatory domain: in this latter case, the mutated receptor still requires ligand stimulation. Sequencing of MET in samples from 158 HPRCC and 2808 NSCLC patients revealed ten uncharacterized mutations. Four of these, all found in HPRCC and leading to amino acid substitutions in the N-lobe of the MET kinase, proved able to induce cell transformation, further enhanced by HGF stimulation: His1086Leu, Ile1102Thr, Leu1130Ser, and Cis1125Gly. Similar to the variant resulting in MET exon14 skipping, the two N-lobe MET variants His1086Leu, Ile1102Thr further characterized were found to require stimulation by HGF in order to strongly activate downstream signaling pathways and epithelial cell motility. The Ile1102Thr mutation displayed also transforming potential, promoting tumor growth in a xenograft model. In addition, the N-lobe-mutated MET variants were found to trigger a common HGF-stimulation-dependent transcriptional program, consistent with an observed increase in cell motility and invasion. Altogether, this functional characterization revealed that N-lobe variants still require ligand stimulation, in contrast to other RTK variants. This suggests that HGF expression in the tumor microenvironment is important for tumor growth. The sensitivity of these variants to MET TKIs opens the way for use of targeted therapies for patients harboring the corresponding mutations.
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17
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Fernandes M, Hoggard B, Jamme P, Paget S, Truong M, Grégoire V, Vinchent A, Descarpentries C, Morabito A, Stanislovas J, Farage E, Meneboo J, Sebda S, Bouchekioua‐Bouzaghou K, Nollet M, Humez S, Perera T, Fromme P, Grumolato L, Figeac M, Copin M, Tulasne D, Cortot AB, Kermorgant S, Kherrouche Z. MET exon 14 skipping mutation is a hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-dependent oncogenic driver in vitro and in humanised HGF knock-in mice. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:2257-2274. [PMID: 36799689 PMCID: PMC10620121 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Exon skipping mutations of the MET receptor tyrosine kinase (METex14), increasingly reported in cancers, occur in 3-4% of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Only 50% of patients have a beneficial response to treatment with MET-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), underlying the need to understand the mechanism of METex14 oncogenicity and sensitivity to TKIs. Whether METex14 is a driver mutation and whether it requires hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) for its oncogenicity in a range of in vitro functions and in vivo has not been fully elucidated from previous preclinical models. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we developed a METex14/WT isogenic model in nontransformed human lung cells and report that the METex14 single alteration was sufficient to drive MET-dependent in vitro anchorage-independent survival and motility and in vivo tumorigenesis, sensitising tumours to MET-TKIs. However, we also show that human HGF (hHGF) is required, as demonstrated in vivo using a humanised HGF knock-in strain of mice and further detected in tumour cells of METex14 NSCLC patient samples. Our results also suggest that METex14 oncogenicity is not a consequence of an escape from degradation in our cell model. Thus, we developed a valuable model for preclinical studies and present results that have potential clinical implication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Fernandes
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | | | - Philippe Jamme
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | - Sonia Paget
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | - Marie‐José Truong
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | | | - Audrey Vinchent
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | | | - Angela Morabito
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | | | - Enoir Farage
- Barts Cancer InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonUK
| | - Jean‐Pascal Meneboo
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, LilleFrance
| | - Shéhérazade Sebda
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, LilleFrance
| | | | - Marie Nollet
- Barts Cancer InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonUK
| | - Sarah Humez
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
- Univ LilleDepartment of Pathology, CHU LilleFrance
| | | | - Paul Fromme
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringUniversity College LondonUK
| | - Luca Grumolato
- Univ Rouen Normandie, Inserm, NorDiC UMR 1239, 76000 RouenFrance
| | - Martin Figeac
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US 41 - UAR 2014 - PLBS, LilleFrance
| | - Marie‐Christine Copin
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
- Univ LilleDepartment of Pathology, CHU LilleFrance
| | - David Tulasne
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
| | - Alexis B. Cortot
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
- Univ. LilleThoracic Oncology Department, CHU LilleFrance
| | | | - Zoulika Kherrouche
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 – UMR1277 - Canther – Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to TherapiesFrance
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18
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Spitaleri G, Trillo Aliaga P, Attili I, Del Signore E, Corvaja C, Corti C, Uliano J, Passaro A, de Marinis F. MET in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): Cross 'a Long and Winding Road' Looking for a Target. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4779. [PMID: 37835473 PMCID: PMC10571577 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15194779] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) can harbour different MET alterations, such as MET overexpression (MET OE), MET gene amplification (MET AMP), or MET gene mutations. Retrospective studies of surgical series of patients with MET-dysregulated NSCLC have shown worse clinical outcomes irrespective of the type of specific MET gene alteration. On the other hand, earlier attempts failed to identify the 'druggable' molecular gene driver until the discovery of MET exon 14 skipping mutations (METex14). METex14 are rare and amount to around 3% of all NSCLCs. Patients with METex14 NSCLC attain modest results when they are treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). New selective MET inhibitors (MET-Is) showed a long-lasting clinical benefit in patients with METex14 NSCLC and modest activity in patients with MET AMP NSCLC. Ongoing clinical trials are investigating new small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, bispecific antibodies, or antibodies drug conjugate (ADCs). This review focuses on the prognostic role of MET, the summary of pivotal clinical trials of selective MET-Is with a focus on resistance mechanisms. The last section is addressed to future developments and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Spitaleri
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Pamela Trillo Aliaga
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Ilaria Attili
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Ester Del Signore
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Carla Corvaja
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Chiara Corti
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.C.); (J.U.)
- Department of Oncology and Haematology (DIPO), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Jacopo Uliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy; (C.C.); (J.U.)
- Department of Oncology and Haematology (DIPO), University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Passaro
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
| | - Filippo de Marinis
- Division of Thoracic Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Via Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy; (P.T.A.); (I.A.); (E.D.S.); (C.C.); (F.d.M.)
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19
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Durham M, Vadde S, Brooks AN. MET exon 14 skipping is overexpressed in an allele-specific manner in lung adenocarcinoma primary samples. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2023; 2023:10.17912/micropub.biology.000957. [PMID: 37829573 PMCID: PMC10565573 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
MET exon 14 skipping ( METΔ14 ) is a well-characterized oncogene in the Ras-MAPK pathway driving lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Previous studies on METΔ14 revealed this aberrantly spliced oncogene is expressed in LUAD primary samples and is associated with heterozygous somatic mutations and deletions near exon 14 splice sites. Upon further examination of DNA and RNA sequencing data from primary samples, we highlight that METΔ14 is overexpressed in an allele-specific manner. These data suggest that dose-dependence of METΔ14 may be critical to oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Durham
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Swetha Vadde
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Angela N Brooks
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
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20
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Fernandes M, Paget S, Kherrouche Z, Truong MJ, Vinchent A, Meneboo JP, Sebda S, Werkmeister E, Descarpentries C, Figeac M, Cortot AB, Tulasne D. Transforming properties of MET receptor exon 14 skipping can be recapitulated by loss of the CBL ubiquitin ligase binding site. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:2301-2315. [PMID: 37468447 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
MET is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is activated in many cancers through various mechanisms. MET exon 14 (Ex14) skipping occurs in 3% of nonsmall cell lung tumors. However, the contribution of the regulatory sites lost upon this skipping, which include a phosphorylated serine (S985) and a binding site for the E3 ubiquitin ligase CBL (Y1003), remains elusive. Sequencing of 2808 lung tumors revealed 71 mutations leading to MET exon 14 skipping and three mutations affecting Y1003 or S985. In addition, MET exon 14 skipping and MET Y1003F induced similar transcriptional programs, increased the activation of downstream signaling pathways, and increased cell mobility. Therefore, the MET Y1003F mutation is able to fully recapitulate responses induced by MET exon 14 skipping, suggesting that loss of the CBL binding site is the main contributor of cell transformation induced by MET Ex14 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Fernandes
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Sonia Paget
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Zoulika Kherrouche
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Marie-José Truong
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Audrey Vinchent
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Jean-Pascal Meneboo
- Plateau de Génomique Fonctionnelle et Structurale, CHU Lille, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Shéhérazade Sebda
- Plateau de Génomique Fonctionnelle et Structurale, CHU Lille, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Elisabeth Werkmeister
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, US41 - UMS2014 - PLBS, Univ. Lille, France
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR9017 - CIIL - Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, Univ. Lille, France
| | | | - Martin Figeac
- Plateau de Génomique Fonctionnelle et Structurale, CHU Lille, Univ. Lille, France
| | - Alexis B Cortot
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
- Thoracic Oncology Department, CHU Lille, Univ. Lille, France
| | - David Tulasne
- CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, UMR9020 - UMR1277 - Canther - Cancer Heterogeneity, Plasticity and Resistance to Therapies, Univ. Lille, France
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21
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Moorthi S, Paguirigan A, Ko M, Pettinger M, Hoge ACH, Nag A, Patel NA, Wu F, Sather C, Fitzgibbon MP, Thorner AR, Anderson GL, Ha G, Berger AH. Somatic mutation but not aneuploidy differentiates lung cancer in never-smokers and smokers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.05.522947. [PMID: 36712079 PMCID: PMC9881937 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.05.522947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer in never-smokers disproportionately affects older women. To understand the mutational landscape of this cohort, we performed detailed genome characterization of 73 lung adenocarcinomas from participants of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). We find enrichment of EGFR mutations in never-/light-smokers and KRAS mutations in heavy smokers as expected, but we also show that the specific variants of these genes differ by smoking status, with important therapeutic implications. Mutational signature analysis revealed signatures of clock, APOBEC, and DNA repair deficiency in never-/light-smokers; however, the mutational load of these signatures did not differ significantly from those found in smokers. Last, tumors from both smokers and never-/light-smokers shared copy number subtypes, with no significant differences in aneuploidy. Thus, the genomic landscape of lung cancer in never-/light-smokers and smokers is predominantly differentiated by somatic mutations and not copy number alterations.
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22
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Martinelli I, Modica C, Chiriaco C, Basilico C, Hughes JM, Corso S, Giordano S, Comoglio PM, Vigna E. hOA-DN30: a highly effective humanized single-arm MET antibody inducing remission of ‘MET-addicted’ cancers. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:112. [PMID: 35351166 PMCID: PMC8962049 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02320-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the MET oncogene is a major player in cancer. When MET is responsible for the onset and progression of the transformed phenotype (MET-addicted cancers), an efficient block of its oncogenic activation results in potent tumor growth inhibition. Methods Here we describe a molecular engineered MET antibody (hOA-DN30) and validate its pharmacological activity in MET-addicted cancer models in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacokinetics and safety profile in non-human primates have also been assessed. Results hOA-DN30 efficiently impaired MET activation and the intracellular signalling cascade by dose and time dependent removal of the receptor from the cell surface (shedding). In vitro, the antibody suppressed cell growth by blocking cell proliferation and by concomitantly inducing cell death in multiple MET-addicted human tumor cell lines. In mice xenografts, hOA-DN30 induced an impressive reduction of tumor masses, with a wide therapeutic window. Moreover, the antibody showed high therapeutic efficacy against patient-derived xenografts generated from MET-addicted gastric tumors, leading to complete tumor regression and long-lasting effects after treatment discontinuation. Finally, hOA-DN30 showed a highly favorable pharmacokinetic profile and substantial tolerability in Cynomolgus monkeys. Conclusions hOA-DN30 unique ability to simultaneously erase cell surface MET and release the ‘decoy’ receptor extracellular region results in a paramount MET blocking action. Its remarkable efficacy in a large number of pre-clinical models, as well as its pharmacological features and safety profile in non-human primates, strongly envisage a successful clinical application of this novel single-arm MET therapeutic antibody for the therapy of MET-addicted cancers. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02320-6.
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23
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Rivas S, Marín A, Samtani S, González-Feliú E, Armisén R. MET Signaling Pathways, Resistance Mechanisms, and Opportunities for Target Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213898. [PMID: 36430388 PMCID: PMC9697723 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The MET gene, known as MET proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase, was first identified to induce tumor cell migration, invasion, and proliferation/survival through canonical RAS-CDC42-PAK-Rho kinase, RAS-MAPK, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, and β-catenin signaling pathways, and its driver mutations, such as MET gene amplification (METamp) and the exon 14 skipping alterations (METex14), activate cell transformation, cancer progression, and worse patient prognosis, principally in lung cancer through the overactivation of their own oncogenic and MET parallel signaling pathways. Because of this, MET driver alterations have become of interest in lung adenocarcinomas since the FDA approval of target therapies for METamp and METex14 in 2020. However, after using MET target therapies, tumor cells develop adaptative changes, favoring tumor resistance to drugs, the main current challenge to precision medicine. Here, we review a link between the resistance mechanism and MET signaling pathways, which is not only limited to MET. The resistance impacts MET parallel tyrosine kinase receptors and signals shared hubs. Therefore, this information could be relevant in the patient's mutational profile evaluation before the first target therapy prescription and follow-up to reduce the risk of drug resistance. However, to develop a resistance mechanism to a MET inhibitor, patients must have access to the drugs. For instance, none of the FDA approved MET inhibitors are registered as such in Chile and other developing countries. Constant cross-feeding between basic and clinical research will thus be required to meet future challenges imposed by the acquired resistance to targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange Rivas
- Centro de Genética y Genómica, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Arnaldo Marín
- Departamento de Oncología Básico Clínica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile
| | - Suraj Samtani
- Departamento de Oncología Médica, Clínica Las Condes, Santiago 7550000, Chile
- Hospital Félix Bulnes, Santiago 9080000, Chile
| | - Evelin González-Feliú
- Centro de Genética y Genómica, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
| | - Ricardo Armisén
- Centro de Genética y Genómica, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7550000, Chile
- Correspondence:
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24
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Tyler LC, Le AT, Chen N, Nijmeh H, Bao L, Wilson TR, Chen D, Simmons B, Turner KM, Perusse D, Kasibhatla S, Christiansen J, Dudek AZ, Doebele RC. MET gene amplification is a mechanism of resistance to entrectinib in ROS1+ NSCLC. Thorac Cancer 2022; 13:3032-3041. [PMID: 36101520 PMCID: PMC9626307 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.14656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated significant clinical benefit for ROS1+ NSCLC patients. However, TKI resistance inevitably develops through ROS1 kinase domain (KD) modification or another kinase driving bypass signaling. While multiple TKIs have been designed to target ROS1 KD mutations, less is known about bypass signaling in TKI-resistant ROS1+ lung cancers. METHODS Utilizing a primary, patient-derived TPM3-ROS1 cell line (CUTO28), we derived an entrectinib-resistant line (CUTO28-ER). We evaluated proliferation and signaling responses to TKIs, and utilized RNA sequencing, whole exome sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect transcriptional, mutational, and copy number alterations, respectively. We substantiated in vitro findings using a CD74-ROS1 NSCLC patient's tumor samples. Last, we analyzed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from ROS1+ NSCLC patients in the STARTRK-2 entrectinib trial to determine the prevalence of MET amplification. RESULTS CUTO28-ER cells did not exhibit ROS1 KD mutations. MET TKIs inhibited proliferation and downstream signaling and MET transcription was elevated in CUTO28-ER cells. CUTO28-ER cells displayed extrachromosomal (ecDNA) MET amplification without MET activating mutations, exon 14 skipping, or fusions. The CD74-ROS1 patient samples illustrated MET amplification while receiving ROS1 TKI. Finally, two of 105 (1.9%) entrectinib-resistant ROS1+ NSCLC STARTRK-2 patients with ctDNA analysis at enrollment and disease progression displayed MET amplification. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with ROS1-selective inhibitors may lead to MET-mediated resistance. The discovery of ecDNA MET amplification is noteworthy, as ecDNA is associated with more aggressive cancers. Following progression on ROS1-selective inhibitors, MET gene testing and treatments targeting MET should be explored to overcome MET-driven resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan C. Tyler
- Department of Medicine—Division of Medical OncologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Anh T. Le
- Department of Medicine—Division of Medical OncologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Nan Chen
- Department of Medicine—Division of Medical OncologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Hala Nijmeh
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Liming Bao
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | | | - David Chen
- Genentech, Inc.South San FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Arkadiusz Z. Dudek
- HealthPartners Cancer Center at Regions HospitalSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA,Department of Medicine—Division of Hematology, Oncologyand Transplantation University of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Robert C. Doebele
- Department of Medicine—Division of Medical OncologyUniversity of Colorado—Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
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25
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Xu Y, Gu L, Li Y, Zhao R, Jian H, Xie W, Liu L, Wu H, Ren F, Han Y, Lu S. Integrative genomic analysis of drug resistance in MET exon 14 skipping lung cancer using patient-derived xenograft models. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1024818. [PMID: 36338758 PMCID: PMC9634635 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1024818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) driven by MET exon 14 skipping (METex14) occurs in 3-4% of NSCLC cases and defines a subset of patients with distinct characteristics. While MET targeted therapy has led to strong clinical results in METex14 patients, acquired drug resistance seemed to be unavoidable during treatment. Limited information is available regarding acquired resistance during MET targeted therapy, nor has there been any report on such patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) model facilitating the research. Methods We describe a patient case harboring METex14 who exhibited drug resistance after treatment with crizotinib. Subcutaneous xenografts were generated from pretreatment and post-resistance patient specimens. PDX mice were then treated with MET inhibitors (crizotinib and tepotinib) and EGFR-MET bispecific antibodies (EMB-01 and amivantamab) to evaluate their drug response in vivo. DNA and RNA sequencing analysis was performed on patient tumor specimens and matching xenografts. Results PDXs preserved most of the histological and molecular profiles of the parental tumors. Drug resistance to MET targeted therapy was confirmed in PDX models through in vivo drug analysis. Newly acquired MET D1228H mutations and EGFR amplificated were detected in patient-resistant tumor specimens. Although the mutations were not detected in the PDX, EGFR overexpression was observed in RNA sequencing analysis indicating possible off-target resistance through the EGFR bypass signaling pathway. As expected, EGFR-MET bispecific antibodies overcome drug resistant in the PDX model. Conclusions We detected a novel MET splice site deletion mutation that could lead to METex14. We also established and characterized a pair of METex14 NSCLC PDXs, including the first crizotinib resistant METex14 PDX. And dual inhibition of MET and EGFR might be a therapeutic strategy for EGFR-driven drug resistance METex14 lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhua Xu
- Department of Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Linping Gu
- Department of Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingqi Li
- GenomiCare Biotechnology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiying Zhao
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Jian
- Department of Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenhui Xie
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liu Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiwen Wu
- Department of Nutrition, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Ren
- EpimAb Biotherapeutics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchen Han
- Department of Pathology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shun Lu, ; Yuchen Han,
| | - Shun Lu
- Department of Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Shun Lu, ; Yuchen Han,
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26
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Dempke WCM, Reuther S, Hamid Z, Thoennissen NH. Oncogene alterations in non-small cell lung cancer-have we MET a new target? Transl Lung Cancer Res 2022; 11:1977-1981. [PMID: 36386451 PMCID: PMC9641042 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-22-648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wolfram C. M. Dempke
- University of Munich, Medical Clinic III, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany;,Cord Blood Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Susanne Reuther
- University of Munich, Medical Clinic III, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Nils H. Thoennissen
- University of Munich, Medical Clinic III, Campus Grosshadern, Munich, Germany;,Cord Blood Centre, Bratislava, Slovakia
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27
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Das R, Jakubowski MA, Spildener J, Cheng YW. Identification of Novel MET Exon 14 Skipping Variants in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Prototype Workflow Involving in Silico Prediction and RT-PCR. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14194814. [PMID: 36230737 PMCID: PMC9563401 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and aims: The MET exon 14 skipping (METex14) is an oncogenic driver mutation that provides a therapeutic opportunity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLCs) patients. This event often results from sequence changes at the MET canonical splicing sites. We characterize two novel non-canonical splicing site variants of MET that produce METex14. Materials and Methods: Two variants were identified in three advanced-stage NSCLC patients in a next-generation sequencing panel. The potential impact on splicing was predicted using in silico tools. METex14 mutation was confirmed using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and a Sanger sequencing analysis on RNA extracted from stained cytology smears. Results: The interrogated MET (RefSeq ID NM_000245.3) variants include a single nucleotide substitution, c.3028+3A>T, in intron 14 and a deletion mutation, c.3012_3028del, in exon 14. The in silico prediction analysis exhibited reduced splicing strength in both variants compared with the MET normal transcript. The RT-PCR and subsequent Sanger sequencing analyses confirmed METex14 skipping in all three patients carrying these variants. Conclusion: This study reveals two non-canonical MET splice variants that cause exon 14 skipping, concurrently also proposes a clinical workflow for the classification of such non-canonical splicing site variants detected by routine DNA-based NGS test. It shows the usefulness of in silico prediction to identify potential METex14 driver mutation and exemplifies the opportunity of routine cytology slides for RNA-based testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yu-Wei Cheng
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-216-445-0757; Fax: +1-216-445-0681
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28
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Gong C, Xiong H, Qin K, Wang J, Cheng Y, Zhao J, Zhang J. MET alterations in advanced pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1017026. [PMID: 36212500 PMCID: PMC9539670 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1017026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subset of NSCLC that accounts for about 0.5-1% of all primary lung carcinoma, and its malignant biological behavior is more aggressive than other pathological types of lung cancer. Recent studies have reported a variety of gene mutations associated with the occurrence, development and treatment of PSC, especially the mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) proto-oncogene alterations, including the exon 14 (METex14) skipping mutations as well as the amplification and overexpression of MET gene, which are associated with molecularly targeted therapy for PSC. METex14 skipping mutation is the most common and well-studied mutation type, occurring in about 22-31.8% of PSC patients, while the prevalence of MET amplification is reported as 4.8-13.6% and MET ovexpression is about 20.2%. Molecular pathology tests, including IHC and NGS, are valuable in determining the prognosis of patients with PSC and helping to determine the treatment. The existing clinical data have confirmed the efficacy of MET-TKI in PSC patients with MET alteration, among which the clinical study of Savolitinib has enrolled the largest proportion of PSC patients and achieved relatively good efficacy, but more clinical researches are still needed. The multi-disciplinary team may maximize the optimal treatment options for patients with the advanced PSC.
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SH005S7 Overcomes Primary and Acquired Resistance of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Combined MET/EGFR/HER3 Inhibition. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:1840541. [PMID: 36158893 PMCID: PMC9499774 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1840541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we have examined the anticancer effects of SH005S7 on MET-amplified and (HCC827GR) NSCLC cells and their primary HCC827 cells. In vitro, first of all, cell viability and colony formation assay confirmed the growth inhibitory effects of SH005S7 on both cells. Second, SH005S7 inactivated EGFR-related multiple cell signaling, which was associated with a marked decrease in the constitutive phosphorylation of EGFR, HER3, MET, AKT, and ERK. Third, SH005S7 attenuated the anchorage-independent cell growth. Fourth, SH005S7 blocked invasive and metastatic capability by downregulation of mesenchymal markers—vimentin, snail, and MMP-9. Fifth, BrdU assay confirmed the cell cycle arrest of SH005S7 on these cells. When administered orally to nude mice xenografically transplanted human NSCLC, SH005S7 inhibited the growth of tumor and did not cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in animals. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses of tissue showed that the suppression of growth correlated with inhibition of proliferation (Ki-67, PCNA), invasiveness (vimentin, snail), and angiogenesis (CD31) marker and decrement in the constitutive and phosphorylation of EGFR, HER3, MET, AKT, and ERK. Additionally, SH005S7 had immune stimulatory effects by TNF-α cytokine release on macrophage, without cell cytotoxicity. Overall, our results suggest that SH005S7 can inhibit the growth of MET-amplified and gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells through the suppression of EGFR-related multiple targets linked to overcome gefitinib resistance.
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Kim SY, Yin J, Bohlman S, Walker P, Dacic S, Kim C, Khan H, Liu SV, Ma PC, Nagasaka M, Reckamp KL, Abraham J, Uprety D, Wang F, Xiu J, Zhang J, Cheng H, Halmos B. Characterization of MET Exon 14 Skipping Alterations (in NSCLC) and Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets Using Whole Transcriptome Sequencing. JTO Clin Res Rep 2022; 3:100381. [PMID: 36082279 PMCID: PMC9445394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtocrr.2022.100381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Genomic alterations in the juxtamembrane exon 14 splice sites in NSCLC lead to increased MET stability and oncogenesis. We present the largest cohort study of MET Exon 14 (METex14) using whole transcriptome sequencing. Methods A total of 21,582 NSCLC tumor samples underwent complete genomic profiling with next-generation sequencing of DNA (592 Gene Panel, NextSeq, whole exome sequencing, NovaSeq) and RNA (NovaSeq, whole transcriptome sequencing). Clinicopathologic information including programmed death-ligand 1 and tumor mutational burden were collected and RNA expression for mutation subtypes and MET amplification were quantified. Immunogenic signatures and potential pathways of invasion were characterized using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis and mRNA gene signatures. Results A total of 533tumors (2.47%) with METex14 were identified. The most common alterations were point mutations (49.5%) at donor splice sites. Most alterations translated to increased MET expression, with MET co-amplification resulting in synergistic increase in expression (q < 0.05). Common coalterations were amplifications of MDM2 (19.0% versus 1.8% wild-type [WT]), HMGA2 (13.2% versus 0.98% WT), and CDK4 (10.0% versus 1.5% WT) (q < 0.05). High programmed death-ligand 1 > 50% (52.5% versus 27.3% WT, q < 0.0001) and lower proportion of high tumor mutational burden (>10 mutations per megabase, 8.3% versus 36.7% WT, p < 0.0001) were associated with METex14, which were also enriched in both immunogenic signatures and immunosuppressive checkpoints. Pathways associated with METex14 included angiogenesis and apical junction pathways (q < 0.05). Conclusions METex14 splicing alterations and MET co-amplification translated to higher and synergistic MET expression at the transcriptomic level. High frequencies of MDM2 and CDK4 co-amplifications and association with multiple immunosuppressive checkpoints and angiogenic pathways provide insight into potential actionable targets for combination strategies in METex14 NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Yeon Kim
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jun Yin
- Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Stephen Bohlman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York
| | | | - Sanja Dacic
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Chul Kim
- Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - Hina Khan
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Stephen V. Liu
- Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Feng Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York
| | | | | | - Haiying Cheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York
| | - Balazs Halmos
- Department of Medical Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York
- Corresponding author. Address for correspondence: Balazs Halmos, MD, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein Cancer Center, Bronx, New York.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite a dearth of activating driver mutations in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), aberrant activation of the oncogenes, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and c-Met is near-universal in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative disease. Although EGFR activation drove the successful development of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab in HNSCC, no c-Met-targeting therapy has gained regulatory approval. Inhibition of the c-Met pathway may subvert oncogenesis within the tumor-intrinsic compartment, blocking tumoral proliferation, invasion, migration, and metastasis, or the tumor-extrinsic compartment, modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. This review discusses the rationale and current drug development strategies for targeting c-Met or its exclusive ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in HNSCC.
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Ai X, Yu Y, Zhao J, Sheng W, Bai J, Fan Z, Liu X, Ji W, Chen R, Lu S. Comprehensive analysis of MET mutations in NSCLC patients in a real-world setting. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2022; 14:17588359221112474. [PMID: 35860830 PMCID: PMC9290171 DOI: 10.1177/17588359221112474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Aberrant mesenchymal–epithelial transition/hepatocyte growth factor (MET/HGF) regulation presented in a wide variety of human cancers. MET exon 14 skipping, copy number gain (CNG), and kinase domain mutations/arrangements were associated with increased MET activity, and considered to be oncogenic drivers of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 564 patients with MET alterations. MET alterations were classified into structural mutations or small mutations. MET CNG, exon 14 skipping, gain of function (GOF) mutations, and kinase domain rearrangement were defined as actionable mutations. Results: Six hundred thirty-two MET mutations were identified including 199 CNG, 117 exon 14 skipping, 12 GOF mutations, and 2 actionable fusions. Higher percentage of MET structural alterations (CNG + fusion) were detected in advanced NSCLC patients. Moreover, MET CNG was enriched while exon 14 skipping was rare in epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI)-treated advanced NSCLC patients. Ten of the 12 MET GOF mutations were also in EGFR-TKI-treated patients. Fifteen (68.1%) of the 22 patients treated with crizotinib or savolitinib had a partial response. Interestingly, one patient had a great response to savolitinib with a novel MET exon 14 skipping mutation identified after failure of immune-checkpoint inhibitor. Conclusions: Half of the MET alterations were actionable mutations. MET CNG, exon 14 skipping and GOF mutations had different distribution in different clinical scenario but all defined a molecular subgroup of NSCLCs for which MET inhibition was active.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinghao Ai
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongfeng Yu
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department I of Thoracic Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing, China
| | - Wang Sheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Antitumor Drug Transformation Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Bai
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Zaiwen Fan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Air Force Medical Center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemei Liu
- Department of Radiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxiang Ji
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongrong Chen
- Geneplus-Beijing, Floor 9, Building 6, Medical Park Road, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Shun Lu
- Shanghai Lung Cancer Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, No.241, Huaihai West Road, Shanghai 200032, China
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Responses to the Tepotinib in Gastric Cancers with MET Amplification or MET Exon 14 Skipping Mutations and High Expression of Both PD-L1 and CD44. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14143444. [PMID: 35884507 PMCID: PMC9318186 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Both MET exon 14 skipping mutation (METex14SM) and high copy-number variation (CNV) lead to enhanced carcinogenesis; additionally, programmed-death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is often upregulated in cancers. In this study, we characterized the expression of MET (including METex14SM), PD-L1, and CD44 in human gastric cancer (GC) cells as well as the differential susceptibility of these cells to tepotinib. Tepotinib treatments inhibited the growth of five GC cells in a dose-dependent manner with a concomitant induction of cell death. Tepotinib treatments also significantly reduced the expression of phospho-MET, total MET, c-Myc, VEGFR2, and Snail protein in SNU620, MKN45, and Hs746T cells. Notably, tepotinib significantly reduced the expression of CD44 and PD-L1 in METex14SM Hs746T cells. By contrast, tepotinib was only slightly active against SNU638 and KATO III cells. Migration was reduced to a greater extent in the tepotinib-treated group than in the control group. Tepotinib may have therapeutic effects on c-MET-amplified GC, a high expression of both PD-L1 and CD44, and METex14SM. Clinical studies are needed to confirm these therapeutic effects.
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Dhakar R, Dakal TC, Sharma A. Genetic determinants of lung cancer: Understanding the oncogenic potential of somatic missense mutations. Genomics 2022; 114:110401. [PMID: 35709927 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110401] [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: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Treatment of lung cancer is getting more personalized nowadays and medical practitioners are moving away from conventional histology-driven empirical treatments, platinum-based chemotherapy, and other invasive surgical resections and have started adopting alternate therapies in which therapeutic targets are patient's molecular oncogenic drivers. AIM The aim of the current study is to extract meaningful information from the online somatic mutation data (retrieved from cBioPortal) of 16 most significantly mutated oncogenes in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), namely EGFR, NRAS, KRAS, HER2 (ERBB2), RET, MET, ROS1, FGFR1, BRAF, AKT1, MEK1 (MAP2K1), PIK3CA, PTEN, DDR2, LKB1 (STK11) and ALK, for improving our understanding of the pathobiology of the lung cancer that can aid decision-making on critical clinical and therapeutic considerations. METHODS Using an integrated approach comprising 4 steps, the oncogenic potential of 661 missense non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in 16 genes was ascertained using 2059 NSCLC (1575 lung adenocarcinomas, 484 lung squamous cell carcinomas) patients' online mutation data. The steps used comprise sequence/structure homology-based prediction, scoring of conservation of mutated residues and positions, prediction of resulting molecular and functional consequences using machine-learning and structure-guided approach. RESULTS Out of a total of 661 nsSNPs analyzed, a set of 29 nsSNPs has been identified as conserved high confidence mutations in 10 of 16 genes relevant to the under study. Out of 29 conserved high confidence nsSNPs, 4 nsSNPs (EGFR N1094Y, BRAF M620I, DDR2 R307L, ALK P1350T) have been found to be putative novel rare genetic markers for NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS The current study, the first of its kind, has provided a list of deleterious non-synonymous somatic mutations in a selected pool of oncogenes that can be considered as a promising target for future drug design and therapy for patients with lung adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramgopal Dhakar
- Genome and Computational Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Mohanlal Sukhadia, University, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India
| | - Tikam Chand Dakal
- Genome and Computational Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Mohanlal Sukhadia, University, Udaipur 313001, Rajasthan, India.
| | - Amit Sharma
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Clinic Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
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Cerqua M, Botti O, Arigoni M, Gioelli N, Serini G, Calogero R, Boccaccio C, Comoglio PM, Altintas DM. MET∆14 promotes a ligand-dependent, AKT-driven invasive growth. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/10/e202201409. [PMID: 35636967 PMCID: PMC9152130 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
MET is an oncogene encoding the tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Upon ligand binding, MET activates multiple signal transducers, including PI3K/AKT, STAT3, and MAPK. When mutated or amplified, MET becomes a "driver" for the onset and progression of cancer. The most frequent mutations in the MET gene affect the splicing sites of exon 14, leading to the deletion of the receptor's juxtamembrane domain (MET∆14). It is currently believed that, as in gene amplification, MET∆14 kinase is constitutively active. Our analysis of MET in carcinoma cell lines showed that MET∆14 strictly depends on HGF for kinase activation. Compared with wt MET, ∆14 is sensitive to lower HGF concentrations, with more sustained kinase response. Using three different models, we have demonstrated that MET∆14 activation leads to robust phosphorylation of AKT, leading to a distinctive transcriptomic signature. Functional studies revealed that ∆14 activation is predominantly responsible for enhanced protection from apoptosis and cellular migration. Thus, the unique HGF-dependent ∆14 oncogenic activity suggests consideration of HGF in the tumour microenvironment to select patients for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cerqua
- Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare - La Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IFOM - FIRC) Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milano, Italy
| | - Orsola Botti
- Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare - La Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IFOM - FIRC) Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milano, Italy
| | - Maddalena Arigoni
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Noemi Gioelli
- Candiolo Cancer Institute-Fondazione del Piemonte per l'Oncologia, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino School of Medicine, Turin, Italy
| | - Guido Serini
- Candiolo Cancer Institute-Fondazione del Piemonte per l'Oncologia, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Candiolo, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Torino School of Medicine, Turin, Italy
| | - Raffaele Calogero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Carla Boccaccio
- Laboratory of Cancer Stem Cell Research, Candiolo Cancer Institute, Fondazione Piemontese per Oncologia - Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (FPO-IRCCS), Turin, Italy.,Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolo M Comoglio
- Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare - La Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IFOM - FIRC) Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milano, Italy
| | - Dogus M Altintas
- Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare - La Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (IFOM - FIRC) Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milano, Italy
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Hamilton G, Rath B. Met inhibitors in the treatment of lung cancer: the evidence to date. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2022; 23:815-825. [PMID: 35377279 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2022.2062227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION : The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor MET is an oncogenic driver in a subpopulation of Non-small Lung Cancer Cells (NSCLC) at the primary tumor stage or in acquired resistance to treatment with tumor-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). AREAS COVERED This article summarizes the mechanisms leading to overexpression and activation of MET by amplification and mutations including exon 14 aberrations. Furthermore, the methods to detect and categorize MET as a tumor driver and the selective TKIs for patient treatment are discussed. EXPERT OPINION : Activating mutations and rearrangements of kinases in NSCLC are the target of successful therapeutic intervention. However, MET activation involves a number of complex alterations including gene amplification, prevention of degradation by METex14 exon skipping and a host of gene mutations. A high-level of MET expression is the precondition for tumor responses to TKIs and the confirmation of MET-dependent tumor progression is difficult in primary lesions and in tumors exhibiting resistance to mutated EGFR-directed therapy in absence of standardized and concordant assays of MET amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Hamilton
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Barbara Rath
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Lu D, Nagelberg A, Chow JLM, Chen YT, Michalchuk Q, Somwar R, Lockwood WW. MET Exon 14 Splice-Site Mutations Preferentially Activate KRAS Signaling to Drive Tumourigenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14061378. [PMID: 35326531 PMCID: PMC8946549 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14061378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary MET exon 14 splice-site mutations occur in ~3–4% of lung adenocarcinoma cases, defining a cohort of patients which might benefit from anti-MET targeted therapy. Such therapies have yielded mixed results, however, pointing to the need for better treatment design. Our study sought to aid this by characterizing key changes in mutant MET signaling behaviour. We first compared the transcriptional profiles of lung tumours with either METΔex14 or wild-type MET-amplification. METΔex14-mutant tumours exhibited increased activation of the Ras-MAPK pathway, consistent with our observations in an isogenic model system. Furthermore, sustained activity of this pathway is necessary for proliferation and maintenance of METΔex14 tumours, while forced reactivation of this pathway is sufficient to restore growth in the absence of MET activity. Our findings suggest that the MAPK pathway represents a main effector of METΔex14-driven cancer, lending credence to the possibility of combined MET-MAPK inhibition to improve therapeutic outcomes. Abstract Targeted therapies for MET exon 14-skipping (METΔex14)-driven lung cancers have generated some promising results but response rates remain below that seen for other kinase-driven cancers. One strategy for improving treatment outcomes is to employ rational combination therapies to enhance the suppression of tumour growth and delay or prevent the emergence of resistance. To this end, we profiled the transcriptomes of MET-addicted lung tumours and cell lines and identified the RAS-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway as a critical effector required for METΔex14-dependent growth. Ectopic expression of MET in an isogenic cell line model showed that overexpression of the mutant MET receptor led to higher levels of MAPK phosphorylation and nuclear import, resulting in increased expression and phosphorylation of nuclear MAPK targets. In comparison, other known MET effectors were unaffected. Inhibition of this pathway by KRAS knockdown in MET-addicted cells in vitro led to decreased viability in only the METΔex14-mutant cells. Conversely, decoupling RAS-MAPK axis, but not other effector pathways, from MET activity via the introduction of constitutively active mutants conferred resistance to MET inhibitors in vitro. Our results suggest that aberrant hyperactivity of the MET receptor caused by the exon 14-skipping mutation does not uniformly upregulate all known downstream effectors, rather gaining a predilection for aberrantly activating and subsequently relying on the RAS-MAPK pathway. These findings provide a rationale for the co-targeting of the RAS-MAPK pathway alongside MET to prolong therapeutic response and circumvent resistance to improve patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lu
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Amy Nagelberg
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z7, Canada
| | - Justine LM Chow
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
| | - Yankuan T Chen
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Quentin Michalchuk
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
| | - Romel Somwar
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA;
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - William W. Lockwood
- Department of Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada; (D.L.); (A.N.); (J.L.C.); (Y.T.C.); (Q.M.)
- Department of Interdisciplinary Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z7, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Gao B, Zeng R. Case Report: A 91-Year-Old Patient With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Harboring MET Y1003S Point Mutation. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:772998. [PMID: 35174181 PMCID: PMC8841644 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.772998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Y1003S point mutation in exon 14 of mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) is a rare mutation that can lead to oncogenic transformation. Few data are available on the characteristics of this mutation. This report presents an elderly patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a Y1003S mutation in MET detected by next-generation sequencing (NGS). Case Report In October 2020, a 91-year-old male was admitted to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital because of an increased carcinoembryonic antigen. Imaging revealed highly suspicious lesions in the right upper lobe of the lung, right apex, and left upper lobe with traction of the adjacent pleura. The patient was histologically confirmed as having adenocarcinoma and the MET Y1003S mutation was detected by the NGS subsequently. After evaluation, the patient started crizotinib treatment in December 2020. In the first assessment of tumor response, a chest CT scan in January 2021 showed a partial response. The patient experienced a pulmonary embolism and an abnormal liver function during the treatment and recovered after symptomatic treatment. He maintained a partial response in the last available assessment in July 2021, with the right upper lung lesion being 26 × 9 mm. Conclusion The MET Y1003S mutation was detected in this case, and the patient achieved a partial response using crizotinib. This case highlighted the role of NGS in detecting a rare mutation. Successful remission of complications in such an elderly patient necessitates careful and timely management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beili Gao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Emergency Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Beili Gao
| | - Ran Zeng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Respiratory Diseases, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Emergency Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Shanghai, China
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Wang F, Liu Y, Qiu W, Shum E, Feng M, Zhao D, Zheng D, Borczuk A, Cheng H, Halmos B. Functional analysis of MET exon 14 skipping alteration in cancer invasion and metastatic dissemination. Cancer Res 2022; 82:1365-1379. [PMID: 35078819 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-1327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
MET exon 14 skipping alteration (MET∆14Ex) is an actionable oncogenic driver that occurs in 2-4% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. The precise role of MET∆14Ex in tumor progression of NSCLC is poorly understood. Using multiple isogenic MET∆14Ex cell models established with CRISPR editing, we demonstrate that MET∆14Ex expression increases receptor kinase activity and downstream signaling by impairing receptor internalization and endocytic degradation, significantly boosting cell scatter, migration, and invasion capacity in vitro as well as metastasis in vivo. RNA sequencing analysis revealed that MET∆14Ex preferentially activates biological processes associated with cell movement, providing novel insights into its unique molecular mechanism of action. Activation of PI3K/Akt/Rac1 signaling and upregulation of multiple matrix metallopeptidases (MMPs) by MET∆14Ex induced cytoskeleton remodeling and extracellular matrix disassembly, which are critical functional pathways that facilitate cell invasion and metastasis. Therapeutically, MET inhibitors dramatically repressed MET∆14Ex-mediated tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, indicating potential therapeutic options for MET∆14Ex-altered NSCLC patients. These mechanistic insights into MET∆14Ex-mediated invasion and metastasis provide a deeper understanding of the role of MET∆14Ex in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Wang
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
| | - Wanglong Qiu
- Irving Cancer Research Center, Columbia University Medical Center
| | - Elaine Shum
- Medicine/Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Perlmutter Cancer Institute at NYU Langone Health
| | - Monica Feng
- Department of Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
| | - Dejian Zhao
- Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale School of Medicine
| | - Deyou Zheng
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
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Garcia-Robledo JE, Rosell R, Ruíz-Patiño A, Sotelo C, Arrieta O, Zatarain-Barrón L, Ordoñez C, Jaller E, Rojas L, Russo A, de Miguel-Pérez D, Rolfo C, Cardona AF. KRAS and MET in non-small-cell lung cancer: two of the new kids on the 'drivers' block. Ther Adv Respir Dis 2022; 16:17534666211066064. [PMID: 35098800 PMCID: PMC8808025 DOI: 10.1177/17534666211066064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogeneous disease, and therapeutic management has advanced to identify various critical oncogenic mutations that promote lung cancer tumorigenesis. Subsequent studies have developed targeted therapies against these oncogenes in the hope of personalized treatment based on the tumor's molecular genomics. This review presents a comprehensive review of the biology, new therapeutic interventions, and resistance patterns of two well-defined subgroups, tumors with KRAS and MET alterations. We also discuss the status of molecular testing practices for these two key oncogenic drivers, considering the progressive introduction of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and RNA sequencing in regular clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Rosell
- Cancer Biology and Precision Medicine Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP)/Dr. Rosell Oncology Institute (IOR), Quirón-Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Ruíz-Patiño
- Direction of Research and Education, Luis Carlos Sarmiento Angulo Cancer Treatment and Research Center (CTIC), Bogotá, Colombia
- Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research (FICMAC), Bogotá, Colombia Molecular Oncology and Biology Systems Research Group (Fox-G), Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
- Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research (FICMAC), Bogotá, Colombia Molecular Oncology and Biology Systems Research Group (Fox-G), Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Carolina Sotelo
- Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research (FICMAC), Bogotá, Colombia Molecular Oncology and Biology Systems Research Group (Fox-G), Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Oscar Arrieta
- Thoracic Oncology Unit and Personalized Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute (INCan), México City, México
| | - Lucia Zatarain-Barrón
- Thoracic Oncology Unit and Personalized Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute (INCan), México City, México
| | - Camila Ordoñez
- Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research (FICMAC), Bogotá, Colombia Molecular Oncology and Biology Systems Research Group (Fox-G), Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Elvira Jaller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Leonardo Rojas
- Foundation for Clinical and Applied Cancer Research (FICMAC), Bogotá, Colombia Department of Clinical Oncology, Clínica Colsanitas, Bogotá, Colombia Clinical and Translational Oncology Group, Clínica del Country, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Alessandro Russo
- Medical Oncology Unit, A.O. Papardo, Messina, Italy Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Diego de Miguel-Pérez
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Christian Rolfo
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Coleman N, Harbery A, Heuss S, Vivanco I, Popat S. Targeting un-MET needs in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Lung Cancer 2021; 164:56-68. [PMID: 35033939 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2021.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Lung cancer classification has been radically transformed in recent years as genomic profiling has identified multiple novel therapeutic targets including MET exon 14 (METex14) alterations and MET amplification. Utilizing targeted therapies in patients with molecularly-defined NSCLC leads to remarkable objective response rates and improved progression-free survival. However, acquired resistance is inevitable. Several recent phase II trials have confirmed that METex14 NSCLC can be treated effectively with MET kinase inhibitors, such as crizotinib, capmatinib, tepotinib, and savolitinib. However, response rates for many MET TKIs are modest relative to the activity of targeted therapy in other oncogene-driven lung cancers, where ORRs are more consistently greater than 60%. In spite of significant gains in the field of MET inhibition in NSCLC, challenges remain: the landscape of resistance mechanisms to MET TKIs is not yet well characterized, and there may be intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms that require further characterization to enable increased MET TKI activity. In this review, we overview MET pathway dysregulation in lung cancer, methods of detection in the clinic, recent clinical trial data, and discuss current mechanisms of TKI resistance, exploring emerging strategies to overcome resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh Coleman
- Lung Unit. The Royal Marsden Hospital, 203 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JJ, UK; Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK; University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA.
| | - Alice Harbery
- Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Sara Heuss
- Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Igor Vivanco
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sanjay Popat
- Lung Unit. The Royal Marsden Hospital, 203 Fulham Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 6JJ, UK; Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK
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Damalanka VC, Voss JJLP, Mahoney MW, Primeau T, Li S, Klampfer L, Janetka JW. Macrocyclic Inhibitors of HGF-Activating Serine Proteases Overcome Resistance to Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Block Lung Cancer Progression. J Med Chem 2021; 64:18158-18174. [PMID: 34902246 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the ligand for the MET receptor tyrosine kinase, is a tumor-promoting factor that is abundant in the tumor microenvironment. Proteolytic activation of inactive pro-HGF by one or more of the serine endopeptidases matriptase, hepsin, and HGF activator is the rate-limiting step in HGF/MET signaling. Herein, we have rationally designed a novel class of side chain cyclized macrocyclic peptide inhibitors. The new series of cyclic tripeptides has superior metabolic stability and significantly improved pharmacokinetics in mice relative to the corresponding linear peptides. We identified the lead compound VD2173 that potently inhibits matriptase and hepsin, which was tested in parallel alongside the acyclic inhibitor ZFH7116 using both in vitro and in vivo models of lung cancer. We demonstrated that both compounds block pro-HGF activation, abrogate HGF-mediated wound healing, and overcome resistance to EGFR- and MET-targeted therapy in lung cancer models. Furthermore, VD2173 inhibited HGF-dependent growth of lung cancer tumors in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu C Damalanka
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Jorine J L P Voss
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Matthew W Mahoney
- ProteXase Therapeutics, Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri 63108, United States
| | - Tina Primeau
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Shunqiang Li
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Lidija Klampfer
- ProteXase Therapeutics, Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri 63108, United States
| | - James W Janetka
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, United States.,ProteXase Therapeutics, Inc., Saint Louis, Missouri 63108, United States
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Yang X, Liao HY, Zhang HH. Roles of MET in human cancer. Clin Chim Acta 2021; 525:69-83. [PMID: 34951962 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2021.12.017] [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: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The MET proto-oncogene was first identified in osteosarcoma cells exposed to carcinogens. Although expressed in many normal cells, MET is overexpressed in many human cancers. MET is involved in the initiation and development of various human cancers and mediates proliferation, migration and invasion. Accordingly, MET has been successfully used as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis, survival, post-operative recurrence, risk assessment and pathologic grading, as well as a therapeutic target. In addition, recent work indicates that inhibition of MET expression and function has potential clinical benefit. This review summarizes the role, mechanism, and clinical significance of MET in the formation and development of human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China; Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Hai-Yang Liao
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China; Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, PR China
| | - Hai-Hong Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, PR China; Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, PR China.
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Van de Walle T, Cools L, Mangelinckx S, D'hooghe M. Recent contributions of quinolines to antimalarial and anticancer drug discovery research. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 226:113865. [PMID: 34655985 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Quinoline, a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry, has always been associated with a multitude of biological activities. Especially in antimalarial and anticancer research, quinoline played (and still plays) a central role, giving rise to the development of an array of quinoline-containing pharmaceuticals in these therapeutic areas. However, both diseases still affect millions of people every year, pointing to the necessity of new therapies. Quinolines have a long-standing history as antimalarial agents, but established quinoline-containing antimalarial drugs are now facing widespread resistance of the Plasmodium parasite. Nevertheless, as evidenced by a massive number of recent literature contributions, they are still of great value for future developments in this field. On the other hand, the number of currently approved anticancer drugs containing a quinoline scaffold are limited, but a strong increase and interest in quinoline compounds as potential anticancer agents can be seen in the last few years. In this review, a literature overview of recent contributions made by quinoline-containing compounds as potent antimalarial or anticancer agents is provided, covering publications between 2018 and 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Van de Walle
- SynBioC Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lore Cools
- SynBioC Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sven Mangelinckx
- SynBioC Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matthias D'hooghe
- SynBioC Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
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Terlecka P, Krawczyk P, Grenda A, Milanowski J. MET Gene Dysregulation as a Promising Therapeutic Target in Lung Cancer-A Review. J Pers Med 2021; 11:1370. [PMID: 34945842 PMCID: PMC8705301 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11121370] [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] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Several molecular abnormalities in the MET gene have been identified, including overexpression, amplification, point mutations, and "skipping mutation" in exon 14. Even though deregulated MET signaling occurs rarely in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), it possesses tumorigenic activity. Since the discovery of the significant role played by MET dysregulations in resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKI), many clinical trials have been focused on mechanisms underlying this acquired resistance. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are being considered in the personalized therapy of NSCLC patients carrying MET abnormalities. First, MET kinase inhibitors (tepotinib and capmatinib) have been shown to be effective in the first and subsequent lines of treatment in NSCLC patients with "skipping mutations" in exon 14 of MET gene. In this article, the authors show the role of MET signaling pathway alterations and describe the results of clinical trials with MET inhibitors in NSCLC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Terlecka
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.G.); (J.M.)
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Pathak N, Chitikela S, Malik PS. Recent advances in lung cancer genomics: Application in targeted therapy. ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2021; 108:201-275. [PMID: 34844713 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Genomic characterization of lung cancer has not only improved our understanding of disease biology and carcinogenesis but also revealed several therapeutic opportunities. Targeting tumor dependencies on specific genomic alterations (oncogene addiction) has accelerated the therapeutic developments and significantly improved the outcomes even in advanced stage of disease. Identification of genomic alterations predicting response to specific targeted treatment is the key to success for this "personalized treatment" approach. Availability of multiple choices of therapeutic options for specific genomic alterations highlight the importance of optimum sequencing of drugs. Multiplex gene testing has become mandatory in view of constantly increasing number of therapeutic targets and effective treatment options. Influence of genomic characteristics on response to immunotherapy further makes comprehensive genomic profiling necessary before therapeutic decision making. A comprehensive elucidation of resistance mechanisms and directed treatments have made the continuum of care possible and transformed this deadly disease into a chronic condition. Liquid biopsy-based approach has made the dynamic monitoring of disease possible and enabled treatment optimizations accordingly. Current lung cancer management is the perfect example of "precision-medicine" in clinical oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Pathak
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A.I.R.C.H., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sindhura Chitikela
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A.I.R.C.H., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Prabhat Singh Malik
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R.A.I.R.C.H., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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Cheng Y, Zhang T, Xu Q. Therapeutic advances in non-small cell lung cancer: Focus on clinical development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy. MedComm (Beijing) 2021; 2:692-729. [PMID: 34977873 PMCID: PMC8706764 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer still contributes to nearly one-quarter cancer-related deaths in the past decades, despite the rapid development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The development and availability of comprehensive genomic profiling make the classification of NSCLC more precise and personalized. Most treatment decisions of advanced-stage NSCLC have been made based on the genetic features and PD-L1 expression of patients. For the past 2 years, more than 10 therapeutic strategies have been approved as first-line treatment for certain subgroups of NSCLC. However, some major challenges remain, including drug resistance and low rate of overall survival. Therefore, we discuss and review the therapeutic strategies of NSCLC, and focus on the development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in advanced-stage NSCLC. Based on the latest guidelines, we provide an updated summary on the standard treatment for NSCLC. At last, we discussed several potential therapies for NSCLC. The development of new drugs and combination therapies both provide promising therapeutic effects on NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cheng
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug TargetState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterNational Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Tao Zhang
- Laboratory of Aging Research and Cancer Drug TargetState Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterNational Clinical Research Center for GeriatricsWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Qing Xu
- Department of OncologyShanghai Tenth People's HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
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Song Y, Li G, Ju K, Ran W, Zhao H, Liu X, Hou M, He Y, Chen Y, Zang G, Xing X. Mesenchymal-Epithelial Transition Exon 14 Skipping Mutation and Amplification in 5,008 Patients With Lung Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:755031. [PMID: 34660325 PMCID: PMC8515048 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.755031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lung cancer is a major health concern worldwide because of its increasing incidence and mortality. This study aimed to clarify the association between mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) genomic alterations and clinical characteristics of lung cancer. Method We collected data from 5,008 patients with lung cancer diagnosed and treated between January 2017 and July 2021 at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. Genomic alterations in the MET gene, including the exon 14 skipping mutation and amplification, were detected using amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (2,057 cases) and next-generation sequencing (2,951 cases). Clinical characteristics such as age, sex, tumor location, tumor stage, smoking, pleural invasion, and histology were statistically analyzed for MET exon 14 skipping mutation and amplification. The DNA splicing sites causing the MET exon 14 skipping mutation at the mRNA level were also investigated. Results The incidence of the MET exon 14 skipping mutation was 0.90% (41/4,564) in adenocarcinoma, 1.02% (3/294) in squamous cell carcinoma, and 8.33% (1/12) in sarcomatoid carcinoma specimens. It was more frequently observed in patients over 60 years of age than the MET exon 14 skipping mutation wildtype. The MET exon 14 skipping mutation co-occurred with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) L858R, EGFR 19-Del, and BRAF V600E mutations. At the DNA level, single nucleotide mutation and small fragment deletion (1-38 base pairs) upstream and downstream of MET exon 14 led to MET exon 14 skipping mutation at the mRNA level. MET amplification occurred in 0.78% (21/2,676) adenocarcinoma and 1.07% (2/187) squamous cell carcinoma specimens and was significantly associated with advanced tumor stages (III + IV) compared to the MET amplification wildtype. MET amplification primarily co-occurred with the EGFR mutation. Conclusions Our study found that MET genomic alterations were statistically related to age and tumor stage and co-existed with mutations of other oncogenic driver genes, such as EGFR and BRAF. Moreover, various splicing site changes at the DNA level led to the exon 14 skipping mutation at the mRNA level. Further studies are required to clarify the association between MET genomic alterations and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaolin Song
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guangqi Li
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Kun Ju
- Department of Emergency, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wenwen Ran
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xianglan Liu
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingyu Hou
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yulu He
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Guoliang Zang
- Department of Technical, Geneis Beijing Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoming Xing
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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Lee JK, Madison R, Classon A, Gjoerup O, Rosenzweig M, Frampton GM, Alexander BM, Oxnard GR, Venstrom JM, Awad MM, Schrock AB. Characterization of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancers With MET Exon 14 Skipping Alterations Detected in Tissue or Liquid: Clinicogenomics and Real-World Treatment Patterns. JCO Precis Oncol 2021; 5:PO.21.00122. [PMID: 34476332 PMCID: PMC8407654 DOI: 10.1200/po.21.00122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping alterations are oncogenic drivers in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We present a comprehensive overview of METex14 samples from 1,592 patients with NSCLC, associated clinicogenomic characteristics, potential mechanisms of acquired resistance, treatment patterns, and outcomes to MET inhibitors. METHODS Hybrid capture–based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) was performed on samples from 69,219 patients with NSCLC. For treatment patterns and outcomes analysis, patients with advanced METex14-altered NSCLC were selected from the Flatiron Health-Foundation Medicine clinicogenomic database, a nationwide deidentified electronic health record–derived database linked to Foundation Medicine CGP for patients treated between January 2011 and March 2020. RESULTS A total of 1,592 patients with NSCLC (2.3%) were identified with 1,599 METex14 alterations spanning multiple functional sites (1,458 of 60,244 tissue samples and 134 of 8,975 liquid samples). Low tumor mutational burden and high programmed death ligand 1 expression were enriched in METex14-altered samples. MDM2, CDK4, and MET coamplifications and TP53 mutations were present in 34%, 19%, 11%, and 42% of tissue samples, respectively. Comparing tissue and liquid cohorts, coalteration frequency and acquired resistance mechanisms, including multiple MET mutations, EGFR, ERBB2, KRAS, and PI3K pathway alterations, were generally similar. Positive percent agreement with the tissue was 100% for METex14 pairs collected within 1 year (n = 7). Treatment patterns showed increasing adoption of MET inhibitors in METex14-altered NSCLC after receipt of CGP results; the real-world response rate to MET inhibitors was 45%, and time to treatment discontinuation was 4.4 months. CONCLUSION Diverse METex14 alterations were present in 2%-3% of NSCLC cases. Tissue and liquid comparisons showed high concordance and similar coalteration profiles. Characterizing common co-occurring alterations and immunotherapy biomarkers, including those present before or acquired after treatment, may be critical for predicting responses to MET inhibitors and informing rational combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark M Awad
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
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Teishikata T, Shiraishi K, Shinno Y, Kobayashi Y, Kashima J, Ishiyama T, Yoshida T, Mori T, Yatabe Y. An Alert to Possible False Positives With a Commercial Assay for MET Exon 14 Skipping. J Thorac Oncol 2021; 16:2133-2138. [PMID: 34419686 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2021.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Because molecular-targeted drugs against MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping have been approved, molecular testing of the alteration has added to clinical guidelines. There are several such assays, but methodological issues have been reported. METHODS METex14 skipping results from three assays (Oncomine DxTT, ArcherMET, and laboratory-developed reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction test [LDT RT-PCR]) were compared in a relatively small series of the specimens diagnosed as advanced NSCLC (n = 50). RESULTS The ArcherMET and LDT RT-PCR results were identical for all 50 samples, but eight samples had discordant results between Oncomine DxTT and the other two assays. All eight samples had METex14 skipping with Oncomine DxTT and wild-type signals with ArcherMET and LDT RT-PCR. The discordance might be caused by the homopolymeric error of the splice donor site with Oncomine DxTT, and false positives could be distinguished by relatively low read counts. CONCLUSIONS Although the caution in detecting METex14 skipping focuses on false negatives in the literature, false positives were first noted at a relatively high frequency (8 of 26, 30.8%) in this study. According to the results of previous clinical trials using the other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, it could be surmised that MET inhibitor treatment in patients without METex14 skipping is detrimental. Clinicians need to be alert to the false positives that can lead to harmful treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Teishikata
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kouya Shiraishi
- Division of Genome Biology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuki Shinno
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Kobayashi
- Division of Molecular Pathology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jumpei Kashima
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takako Ishiyama
- Division of Molecular Pathology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Yoshida
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Taisuke Mori
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Yatabe
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
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