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Wong SJ, Torres-Saavedra PA, Saba NF, Shenouda G, Bumpous JM, Wallace RE, Chung CH, El-Naggar AK, Gwede CK, Burtness B, Tennant PA, Dunlap NE, Redman R, Stokes WA, Rudra S, Mell LK, Sacco AG, Spencer SA, Nabell L, Yao M, Cury FL, Mitchell DL, Jones CU, Firat S, Contessa JN, Galloway T, Currey A, Harris J, Curran WJ, Le QT. Radiotherapy Plus Cisplatin With or Without Lapatinib for Non-Human Papillomavirus Head and Neck Carcinoma: A Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol 2023; 9:1565-1573. [PMID: 37768670 PMCID: PMC10540060 DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.3809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Importance Patients with locally advanced non-human papillomavirus (HPV) head and neck cancer (HNC) carry an unfavorable prognosis. Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with cisplatin or anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody improves overall survival (OS) of patients with stage III to IV HNC, and preclinical data suggest that a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor dual EGFR and ERBB2 (formerly HER2 or HER2/neu) inhibitor may be more effective than anti-EGFR antibody therapy in HNC. Objective To examine whether adding lapatinib, a dual EGFR and HER2 inhibitor, to radiation plus cisplatin for frontline therapy of stage III to IV non-HPV HNC improves progression-free survival (PFS). Design, Setting, and Participants This multicenter, phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial enrolled 142 patients with stage III to IV carcinoma of the oropharynx (p16 negative), larynx, and hypopharynx with a Zubrod performance status of 0 to 1 who met predefined blood chemistry criteria from October 18, 2012, to April 18, 2017 (median follow-up, 4.1 years). Data analysis was performed from December 1, 2020, to December 4, 2020. Intervention Patients were randomized (1:1) to 70 Gy (6 weeks) plus 2 cycles of cisplatin (every 3 weeks) plus either 1500 mg per day of lapatinib (CRT plus lapatinib) or placebo (CRT plus placebo). Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was PFS, with 69 events required. Progression-free survival rates between arms for all randomized patients were compared by 1-sided log-rank test. Secondary end points included OS. Results Of the 142 patients enrolled, 127 (median [IQR] age, 58 [53-63] years; 98 [77.2%] male) were randomized; 63 to CRT plus lapatinib and 64 to CRT plus placebo. Final analysis did not suggest improvement in PFS (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.56-1.46; P = .34) or OS (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.61-1.86; P = .58) with the addition of lapatinib. There were no significant differences in grade 3 to 4 acute adverse event rates (83.3% [95% CI, 73.9%-92.8%] with CRT plus lapatinib vs 79.7% [95% CI, 69.4%-89.9%] with CRT plus placebo; P = .64) or late adverse event rates (44.4% [95% CI, 30.2%-57.8%] with CRT plus lapatinib vs 40.8% [95% CI, 27.1%-54.6%] with CRT plus placebo; P = .84). Conclusion and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, dual EGFR-ERBB2 inhibition with lapatinib did not appear to enhance the benefit of CRT. Although the results of this trial indicate that accrual to a non-HPV HNC-specific trial is feasible, new strategies must be investigated to improve the outcome for this population with a poor prognosis. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01711658.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nabil F. Saba
- Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - George Shenouda
- The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Barbara Burtness
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Paul A. Tennant
- Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Neal E. Dunlap
- Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Rebecca Redman
- Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | | | - Soumon Rudra
- Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Loren K. Mell
- UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, California
| | | | | | - Lisle Nabell
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Center, Birmingham
| | - Min Yao
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Fabio L. Cury
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Adam Currey
- Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
| | - Jonathan Harris
- Department of Statistics, RTOG Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Hedegger K, Blutke A, Hommel T, Auer KE, Nataraj NB, Lindzen M, Yarden Y, Dahlhoff M. Trapping all ERBB ligands decreases pancreatic lesions in a murine model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Mol Oncol 2023; 17:2415-2431. [PMID: 37341059 PMCID: PMC10620123 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13473] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the deadliest of cancers. Attempts to develop targeted therapies still need to be established. Some oncogenic mechanisms in PDAC carcinogenesis harness the EGFR/ERBB receptor family. To explore the effects on pancreatic lesions, we attempted simultaneous blockade of all ERBB ligands in a PDAC mouse model. To this end, we engineered a molecular decoy, TRAP-FC , comprising the ligand-binding domains of both EGFR and ERBB4 and able to trap all ERBB ligands. Next, we generated a transgenic mouse model (CBATRAP/0 ) expressing TRAP-FC ubiquitously under the control of the chicken-beta-actin promoter and crossed these mice with KRASG12D/+ mice (Kras) to generate Trap/Kras mice. The resulting mice displayed decreased emergence of spontaneous pancreatic lesion areas and exhibited reduced RAS activity and decreased activities of ERBBs, with the exception of ERBB4, which showed increased activity. To identify the involved receptor(s), we employed CRISPR/Cas9 DNA editing to singly delete each ERBB receptor in the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1. Ablation of each ERBB family member, especially the loss of EGFR or ERBB2/HER2, altered signaling downstream of the other three ERBB receptors and decreased cell proliferation, migration, and tumor growth. We conclude that simultaneously blocking the entire ERBB receptor family is therapeutically more effective than individually inhibiting only one receptor or ligand in terms of reducing pancreatic tumor burden. In summary, trapping all ERBB ligands can reduce pancreatic lesion area and RAS activity in a murine model of pancreatic adenocarcinoma; hence, it might represent a promising approach to treat PDAC in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Hedegger
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene CenterLMU MünchenGermany
| | - Andreas Blutke
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Center for Clinical Veterinary MedicineLMU MünchenGermany
| | - Theresa Hommel
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro ModelsUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
| | - Kerstin E. Auer
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro ModelsUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
| | - Nishanth B. Nataraj
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
- Bugworks Research Inc, CCAMPBengaluruIndia
| | - Moshit Lindzen
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Yosef Yarden
- Department of Immunology and Regenerative BiologyWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Maik Dahlhoff
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro ModelsUniversity of Veterinary MedicineViennaAustria
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3
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Goel PN, Zhang H, Murali R, Zheng C, Ji MQ, Patterson A, Grover P, Greene M. Dual kinase inhibitor for EGFR mutants and ErbB2 limit breast cancer. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 651:39-46. [PMID: 36791497 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.02.019] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been found in more than 10% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in North America. The vast majority of these differences are L858R point mutations in Exon 21. Currently, monoclonal antibodies directed against the extracellular domain of EGFR or small molecule/tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) are the stalwarts of NSCLC therapy. Resistance, however, gradually develops because of the T790 mutation towards first and second generation TKIs. The third generation TKI AZD9291 (Osimertinib) has a high affinity for both activating and the acquired resistant mutation (T790 M) in EGFR, with a low affinity towards wild-type EGFR. Recent research, however, suggests that the EGFR (C797S) mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain is a likely cause of resistance to AZD9291. Another significant transformation mechanism associated with this resistance is erbB2 amplification. Our laboratory has developed a small kinase inhibitor, ER121 (MW: ∼500), that inhibits the erbB2/HER2 tyrosine kinases in addition to the EGFR C797S mutations. We have identified a TKI, ER121 targeting the mutant EGFR(T790 M). Using in vitro and in vivo models, examined the efficacy of ER121 on mutant EGFR cell lines. This has enabled us to establish that ER121 is well tolerated when administered orally and produces significant inhibitory activity against human cancers generated by mutant EGFR and amplified ErbB2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peeyush N Goel
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA; Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA
| | - Hongtao Zhang
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA
| | - Ramachandran Murali
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Division of Immunology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Cai Zheng
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA
| | - Mei Q Ji
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA
| | - Angelica Patterson
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA; University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Payal Grover
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA
| | - Mark Greene
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6082, USA.
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Wang X, Jiang W, Du Y, Zhu D, Zhang J, Fang C, Yan F, Chen ZS. Targeting feedback activation of signaling transduction pathways to overcome drug resistance in cancer. Drug Resist Updat 2022; 65:100884. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2022.100884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Scarini JF, Lavareze L, Lima-Souza RAD, Emerick C, Gonçalves MT, Figueiredo-Maciel T, Vieira GDS, Kimura TDC, de Sá RS, Aquino IG, Fernandes PM, Kowalski LP, Altemani A, Mariano FV, Egal ESA. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Exploring frontiers of combinatorial approaches with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2022; 180:103863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Scheu AHA, Lim SYT, Metzner FJ, Mohammed S, Howarth M. NeissLock provides an inducible protein anhydride for covalent targeting of endogenous proteins. Nat Commun 2021; 12:717. [PMID: 33514717 PMCID: PMC7846742 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20963-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Neisseria meningitidis protein FrpC contains a self-processing module (SPM) undergoing autoproteolysis via an aspartic anhydride. Herein, we establish NeissLock, using a binding protein genetically fused to SPM. Upon calcium triggering of SPM, the anhydride at the C-terminus of the binding protein allows nucleophilic attack by its target protein, ligating the complex. We establish a computational tool to search the Protein Data Bank, assessing proximity of amines to C-termini. We optimize NeissLock using the Ornithine Decarboxylase/Antizyme complex. Various sites on the target (α-amine or ε-amines) react with the anhydride, but reaction is blocked if the partner does not dock. Ligation is efficient at pH 7.0, with half-time less than 2 min. We arm Transforming Growth Factor-α with SPM, enabling specific covalent coupling to Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor at the cell-surface. NeissLock harnesses distinctive protein chemistry for high-yield covalent targeting of endogenous proteins, advancing the possibilities for molecular engineering. Covalent conjugation of endogenous protein complexes offers many opportunities for fundamental and clinical research. Based on a bacterial protein domain that forms a reactive anhydride in the presence of Ca2+, the authors here develop a system that enables the covalent capture of endogenous binding partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne H A Scheu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Sheryl Y T Lim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Felix J Metzner
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.,Gene Center and Department of Biochemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 25, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Shabaz Mohammed
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Mark Howarth
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
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Hedegger K, Algül H, Lesina M, Blutke A, Schmid RM, Schneider MR, Dahlhoff M. Unraveling ERBB network dynamics upon betacellulin signaling in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in mice. Mol Oncol 2020; 14:1653-1669. [PMID: 32335999 PMCID: PMC7400790 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.12699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) will soon belong to the top three cancer killers. The only approved specific PDAC therapy targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Although EGFR is a crucial player in PDAC development, EGFR-based therapy is disappointing. In this study, we evaluated the role of the EGFR ligand betacellulin (BTC) in PDAC. The expression of BTC was investigated in human pancreatic cancer specimen. Then, we generated a BTC knockout mouse model by CRISPR/Cas9 technology and a BTC overexpression model. Both models were crossed with the Ptf1aCre/+ ;KRASG12D/+ (KC) mouse model (B-/- KC or BKC, respectively). In addition, EGFR, ERBB2, and ERBB4 were investigated by the pancreas-specific deletion of each receptor using the Cre-loxP system. Tumor initiation and progression were analyzed in all mouse lines, and the underlying molecular biology of PDAC was investigated at different time points. BTC is expressed in human and murine PDAC. B-/- KC mice showed a decelerated PDAC progression, associated with decreased EGFR activation. BKC mice developed severe PDAC with a poor survival rate. The dramatically increased BTC-mediated tumor burden was EGFR-dependent, but also ERBB4 and ERBB2 were involved in PDAC development or progression, as depletion of EGFR, ERBB2, or ERBB4 significantly improved the survival rate of BTC-mediated PDAC. BTC increases PDAC tumor burden dramatically by enhanced RAS activation. EGFR signaling, ERBB2 signaling, and ERBB4 signaling are involved in accelerated PDAC development mediated by BTC indicating that targeting the whole ERBB family, instead of a single receptor, is a promising strategy for the development of future PDAC therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Hedegger
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and BiotechnologyGene Center of the LMU MunichGermany
| | - Hana Algül
- Second Department of Internal MedicineKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of MunichGermany
| | - Marina Lesina
- Second Department of Internal MedicineKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of MunichGermany
| | - Andreas Blutke
- Research Unit Analytical PathologyHelmholtz Zentrum MünchenNeuherbergGermany
| | - Roland M. Schmid
- Second Department of Internal MedicineKlinikum rechts der IsarTechnical University of MunichGermany
| | - Marlon R. Schneider
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and BiotechnologyGene Center of the LMU MunichGermany
| | - Maik Dahlhoff
- Institute of Molecular Animal Breeding and BiotechnologyGene Center of the LMU MunichGermany
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8
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Han G, Qiu N, Luo K, Liang H, Li H. Downregulation of miroRNA-141 mediates acquired resistance to trastuzumab and is associated with poor outcome in breast cancer by upregulating the expression of ERBB4. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:11390-11400. [PMID: 30746756 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.28416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND microRNAs are involved in the control of cell growth and apoptosis; they also play an essential role in resistance towards trastuzumab, in breast cancer. The objective of this study was to identify differentially expressed microRNA(s) and explore its therapeutic role in treatment of the disease. METHODS Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to identify the virtual microRNA (miRNA) involved in breast cancer cells resistant to trastuzumab. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were carried out to study the effects of microRNA-141 (miR-141) on ERBB2, ERBB4 and AKT production. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenylterazolium bromide assay and flow cytometry analysis was carried out to examine the effect of miR-141 on cell proliferation and apoptosis via ERBB4. RESULT According to RT-PCR results, only miR-141 and miR-375 among miR-141, miR-375, miR-16, miR-155, miR-217 and miR-205 were downregulated in trastuzumab-resistant cells. Trastuzumab-resistant cells displayed higher levels of ERBB4 and p-AKT as well as showing a higher growth rate and a lower apoptosis rate. Online software programs were used, which identified ERBB4 as a gene targeted by miR-141 with a highly conserved binding site for miR-141 located within the ERBB4 3'-untranslated region. In trastuzumab-resistant cells, miR-141 and shERBB4 reduced ERBB4 and p-AKT levels; ERBB2 and total AKT levels in miR-141 and shERBB4 groups showed no significant difference. Anti-miR-141 was upregulated ERBB4 and p-AKT levels in parental cell and had no obvious effect on ERBB2 and total AKT levels. Finally, miR-141 upregulated viability of the cells, which was restored by shERBB4, miR-141 and shERBB4 inhibited proliferation, and enhanced apoptosis of trastuzumab-resistant cells. miR-141 inhibitor caused an evident increase in proliferation and an obvious decrease in apoptosis of parental cells. CONCLUSION Knockdown of miR-141 causes overexpression of ERBB4, which is involved in trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer cells. This study has implications that miR-141 as well as its target, ERBB4, as a potential target for treating trastuzumab-resistant breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Han
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Ni Qiu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Kai Luo
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Hongling Liang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Hongsheng Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
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9
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Crosstalk between ERα and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signalling and Implications for the Development of Anti-Endocrine Resistance. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 10:cancers10060209. [PMID: 29925812 PMCID: PMC6025235 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10060209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Although anti-endocrine therapies have significantly advanced the treatment of breast cancer, they pose the problem of acquired drug resistance. The oestrogen receptor (ER)-expressing breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and T47D alongside their in vitro derived resistant counterparts MCF-7-TR (tamoxifen-resistant) and T47D-FR (fulvestrant-resistant) showed dual resistance to fulvestrant and tamoxifen in the presence of upregulated HER1 and HER2 growth factor receptors. Our study demonstrated that tamoxifen resistance and fulvestrant resistance are associated with collateral sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) lapatinib (p < 0.0001) and afatinib (p < 0.0001). Further, we found that over time, the TKIs reactivated ERα protein and/or mRNA in tamoxifen- and fulvestrant-resistant cells. Combinations of anti-endocrine agents with afatinib gave rise to significantly enhanced levels of apoptosis in both T47D-FR and MCF-7-TR in a synergistic manner versus additive effects of agents used singly. This was associated with p27kip1 induction for anti-endocrine-resistant cells versus parental cells. Our data supports the use of combination treatment utilising dual HER1/2 inhibitors in breast cancer patients showing resistance to multiple anti-endocrine agents.
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Adelaiye-Ogala R, Budka J, Damayanti NP, Arrington J, Ferris M, Hsu CC, Chintala S, Orillion A, Miles KM, Shen L, Elbanna M, Ciamporcero E, Arisa S, Pettazzoni P, Draetta GF, Seshadri M, Hancock B, Radovich M, Kota J, Buck M, Keilhack H, McCarthy BP, Persohn SA, Territo PR, Zang Y, Irudayaraj J, Tao WA, Hollenhorst P, Pili R. EZH2 Modifies Sunitinib Resistance in Renal Cell Carcinoma by Kinome Reprogramming. Cancer Res 2017; 77:6651-6666. [PMID: 28978636 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-0899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2017] [Revised: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Acquired and intrinsic resistance to receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (RTKi) represents a major hurdle in improving the management of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Recent reports suggest that drug resistance is driven by tumor adaptation via epigenetic mechanisms that activate alternative survival pathways. The histone methyl transferase EZH2 is frequently altered in many cancers, including ccRCC. To evaluate its role in ccRCC resistance to RTKi, we established and characterized a spontaneously metastatic, patient-derived xenograft model that is intrinsically resistant to the RTKi sunitinib, but not to the VEGF therapeutic antibody bevacizumab. Sunitinib maintained its antiangiogenic and antimetastatic activity but lost its direct antitumor effects due to kinome reprogramming, which resulted in suppression of proapoptotic and cell-cycle-regulatory target genes. Modulating EZH2 expression or activity suppressed phosphorylation of certain RTKs, restoring the antitumor effects of sunitinib in models of acquired or intrinsically resistant ccRCC. Overall, our results highlight EZH2 as a rational target for therapeutic intervention in sunitinib-resistant ccRCC as well as a predictive marker for RTKi response in this disease. Cancer Res; 77(23); 6651-66. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remi Adelaiye-Ogala
- Department of Cancer Pathology and Prevention, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Justin Budka
- Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Nur P Damayanti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Justine Arrington
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Mary Ferris
- Medical Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Chuan-Chih Hsu
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | | | - Ashley Orillion
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Kiersten Marie Miles
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - May Elbanna
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Eric Ciamporcero
- Department of Medicine and Experimental Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Sreevani Arisa
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Piergiorgio Pettazzoni
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Giulio F Draetta
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Mukund Seshadri
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Bradley Hancock
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Milan Radovich
- Department of Surgery, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Janaiah Kota
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Michael Buck
- Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | | | - Brian P McCarthy
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Scott A Persohn
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Paul R Territo
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Yong Zang
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | | | - W Andy Tao
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | | | - Roberto Pili
- Department of Cancer Pathology and Prevention, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
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11
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Suárez NG, Báez GB, Rodríguez MC, Pérez AG, García LC, Hernández Fernández DR, Pous JR, Ramírez BS. Anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects induced by simultaneous inactivation of HER1 and HER2 through endogenous polyclonal antibodies. Oncotarget 2017; 8:82872-82884. [PMID: 29137309 PMCID: PMC5669935 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER1) and its partner HER2 are extensively described oncogenes and validated targets for cancer therapy. However, the effectiveness of monospecific therapies targeting these receptors is hampered by resistance emergence, which is frequently associated with the upregulation of other members of HER family. Combined therapies using monoclonal antibodies or tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been suggested as a promising strategy to circumvent this resistance mechanism. We propose an alternative approach based on simultaneous inactivation of HER1 and HER2 by multi-epitope blockade with specific polyclonal antibodies induced by vaccination. Elicited antibodies impaired both receptors activation and induced their degradation, which caused the inhibition of down-signaling cascades. This effect was translated into cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction of human tumor cells. Elicited antibodies were able to reduce the viability of a panel of human tumor lines with differential expression levels of HER1 and HER2. The most significant effects were obtained in the tumor lines with lower expression levels of both receptors. These new insights would contribute to the rational design of HER receptors targeting multivalent vaccines, as an encouraging approach for the treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narjara González Suárez
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | - Gretchen Bergado Báez
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | - Mabel Cruz Rodríguez
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | - Amelia Gutiérrez Pérez
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | - Lisset Chao García
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | | | - Judith Raymond Pous
- System Biology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
| | - Belinda Sánchez Ramírez
- Tumor Immunology Direction, Molecular Immunology Institute, Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana 11600, Cuba
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12
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Zeng X, Che X, Liu YP, Qu XJ, Xu L, Zhao CY, Zheng CL, Hou KZ, Teng Y. FEN1 knockdown improves trastuzumab sensitivity in human epidermal growth factor 2-positive breast cancer cells. Exp Ther Med 2017; 14:3265-3272. [PMID: 28912877 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.4873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Trastuzumab has been widely applied as a treatment for human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing breast cancer. However, the therapeutic efficacy of trastuzumab is limited. Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a multifunctional endonuclease that has a crucial role in DNA recombination and repair. Inhibition of FEN1 is associated with the reversal of anticancer drug resistance. However, it is unclear whether FEN1 is involved in trastuzumab resistance. In the present study, it was demonstrated that trastuzumab increases the expression of FEN1, and FEN1 knockdown significantly enhanced the sensitivity of BT474 cells to trastuzumab (P<0.05). It was also revealed that trastuzumab induced HER receptor activation, increased binding with FEN1 and estrogen receptor α (ERα), and upregulated ERα-target gene transcription (P<0.05). Upon silencing of FEN1 expression with siRNA, activation of HER receptor and FEN1 binding to ERα were decreased, and trastuzumab-induced ERα target gene upregulation was partially ameliorated (P<0.05). These results suggest that FEN1 may mediate trastuzumab resistance via inducing HER receptor activation and enhancing ERα-target gene transcription. The findings of the present study indicate a novel role of FEN1 in trastuzumab resistance, suggesting that targeting FEN1 may enhance the efficiency of trastuzumab as a treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zeng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofang Che
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Yun-Peng Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Xiu-Juan Qu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Lu Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Chen-Yang Zhao
- Central Laboratory, The Fourth Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110032, P.R. China
| | - Chun-Lei Zheng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Ke-Zuo Hou
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
| | - Yuee Teng
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110001, P.R. China
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13
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Lewis Phillips GD, Nishimura MC, Lacap JA, Kharbanda S, Mai E, Tien J, Malesky K, Williams SP, Marik J, Phillips HS. Trastuzumab uptake and its relation to efficacy in an animal model of HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastasis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2017; 164:581-591. [PMID: 28493046 PMCID: PMC5495871 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-017-4279-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Purpose The extent to which efficacy of the HER2 antibody Trastuzumab in brain metastases is limited by access of antibody to brain lesions remains a question of significant clinical importance. We investigated the uptake and distribution of trastuzumab in brain and mammary fat pad grafts of HER2-positive breast cancer to evaluate the relationship of these parameters to the anti-tumor activity of trastuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Methods Mouse transgenic breast tumor cells expressing human HER2 (Fo2-1282 or Fo5) were used to establish intracranial and orthotopic tumors. Tumor uptake and tissue distribution of systemically administered 89Zr-trastuzumab or muMAb 4D5 (murine parent of trastuzumab) were measured by PET and ELISA. Efficacy of muMAb 4D5, the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor GNE-317, and T-DM1 was also assessed. Results 89Zr-trastuzumab and muMAb 4D5 exhibited robust uptake into Fo2-1282 brain tumors, but not normal brains. Uptake into brain grafts was similar to mammary grafts. Despite this, muMAb 4D5 was less efficacious in brain grafts. Co-administration of muMAb 4D5 and GNE-317, a brain-penetrant PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, provided longer survival in mice with brain lesions than either agent alone. Moreover, T-DM1 increased survival in the Fo5 brain metastasis model. Conclusions In models of HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastasis, trastuzumab efficacy does not appear to be limited by access to intracranial tumors. Anti-tumor activity improved with the addition of a brain-penetrant PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, suggesting that combining targeted therapies is a more effective strategy for treating HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases. Survival was also extended in mice with Fo5 brain lesions treated with T-DM1. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4279-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Samir Kharbanda
- Calico Labs, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Elaine Mai
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Janet Tien
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Kimberly Malesky
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Jan Marik
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
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14
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Zhang N, Chang Y, Rios A, An Z. HER3/ErbB3, an emerging cancer therapeutic target. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2016; 48:39-48. [PMID: 26496898 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmv103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
HER3 is a member of the HER (EGFR/ErbB) receptor family consisting of four closely related type 1 transmembrane receptors (EGFR, HER2, HER3, and HER4). HER receptors are part of a complex signaling network intertwined with the Ras/Raf/MAPK, PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT, and PKC signaling pathways. Aberrant activation of the HER receptors and downstream signaling molecules tips the balance on cellular events, leading to various types of cancers. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and small molecule inhibitors targeting EGFR and HER2 tyrosine kinase activities exhibit clinical benefits in the treatment of several types of cancers, but their clinical efficacy is limited by the occurrence of drug resistance. HER3 is the preferred dimerization partner of HER2 and it is well established that HER3 plays an important role in drug resistance to EGFR- and HER2-targeting therapies. Since HER3 has limited kinase activity, mAbs are being explored to target HER3 for cancer therapy. Currently, approximately a dozen of anti-HER3 mAbs are at different stages of clinical development. However, the lack of established biomarkers has made it more challenging to stratify cancer patients to whom HER3-targeting therapies can be more effective. In this review, we focus on the validation of HER3 as a cancer drug target, the recent development in biomarker discovery for anti-HER3 therapies, and the progress made in the clinical development of HER3-targeting mAbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningyan Zhang
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Adan Rios
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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15
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Co-targeting cancer drug escape pathways confers clinical advantage for multi-target anticancer drugs. Pharmacol Res 2015; 102:123-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2015] [Revised: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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16
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Mohd Nafi SN, Generali D, Kramer-Marek G, Gijsen M, Strina C, Cappelletti M, Andreis D, Haider S, Li JL, Bridges E, Capala J, Ioannis R, Harris AL, Kong A. Nuclear HER4 mediates acquired resistance to trastuzumab and is associated with poor outcome in HER2 positive breast cancer. Oncotarget 2015; 5:5934-49. [PMID: 25153719 PMCID: PMC4171603 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of HER4 in breast cancer is controversial and its role in relation to trastuzumab resistance remains unclear. We showed that trastuzumab treatment and its acquired resistance induced HER4 upregulation, cleavage and nuclear translocation. However, knockdown of HER4 by specific siRNAs increased trastuzumab sensitivity and reversed its resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer cells. Preventing HER4 cleavage by a γ-secretase inhibitor and inhibiting HER4 tyrosine kinase activity by neratinib decreased trastuzumab-induced HER4 nuclear translocation and enhanced trastuzumab response. There was also increased nuclear HER4 staining in the tumours from BT474 xenograft mice and human patients treated with trastuzumab. Furthermore, nuclear HER4 predicted poor clinical response to trastuzumab monotherapy in patients undergoing a window study and was shown to be an independent poor prognostic factor in HER2 positive breast cancer. Our data suggest that HER4 plays a key role in relation to trastuzumab resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. Therefore, our study provides novel findings that HER4 activation, cleavage and nuclear translocation influence trastuzumab sensitivity and resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. Nuclear HER4 could be a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker and understanding the role of HER4 may provide strategies to overcome trastuzumab resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siti Norasikin Mohd Nafi
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniele Generali
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Viale Concordia 1, Cremona, Italy
| | - Gabriela Kramer-Marek
- Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, 15 Cotswold Road, Belmont, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Merel Gijsen
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Carla Strina
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Viale Concordia 1, Cremona, Italy
| | - Mariarosa Cappelletti
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Viale Concordia 1, Cremona, Italy
| | - Daniele Andreis
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Viale Concordia 1, Cremona, Italy
| | - Syed Haider
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Ji-Liang Li
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Esther Bridges
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacek Capala
- National Institutes of Health, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda MD, US
| | - Roxanis Ioannis
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals and Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Adrian L Harris
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Anthony Kong
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
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17
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Larijani B, Perani M, Alburai'si K, Parker PJ. Functional proteomic biomarkers in cancer. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1346:1-6. [PMID: 25801208 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Beyond penetrant germline and somatic mutations, there are substantial challenges in extrapolating phenotypes from linear DNA sequences and transcriptomics. This brings a molecular pathology emphasis to the properties of the main players responsible for executing actions, proteins. The proteomic attribute most frequently determined in pathology is (relative) content, but for many candidate biomarkers this is not the most important feature to understand. In keeping pace with the depth of knowledge of the mechanisms underlying pathologies, we need to ask more sophisticated questions about the state of proteins, for example, their oligomerization status, modification status, and location. This demands hitherto nonroutine approaches to proteomics, which we will discuss in this brief perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banafshe Larijani
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science and Unidad de Biofísica (CSIC-UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Michela Perani
- King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Peter J Parker
- King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom
- London Research Institute Cancer Research UK, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, United Kingdom
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18
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Li CC, Yao HT, Cheng FJ, Hsieh YH, Lu CY, Wu CC, Liu KL, Chang JW. Docosahexaenoic Acid Downregulates EGF-Induced Urokinase Plasminogen Activator and Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Expression by Inactivating EGFR/ErbB2 Signaling in SK-BR3 Breast Cancer Cells. Nutr Cancer 2015; 67:771-82. [PMID: 25970488 DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2015.1037961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) play crucial roles in tumor metastasis. Despite the well-known anticancer role of docosa-hexaenoic acid (DHA), its specific effect on ErbB2-mediated breast cancer metastasis is not fully clarified. In this study, we investigated the effect of DHA on epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced uPA and MMP-9 activity, expression and cell invasion in SK-BR3 breast cancer cells and the possible mechanisms involved. The results showed that EGF (40 ng/ml) induced uPA and MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression, enzyme activity, and 100 μM DHA significantly inhibited EGF-induced uPA and MMP-9 mRNA, protein expression, enzyme activity, cell migration, and cell invasion. EGF increased protein expression and phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR) and ErbB2 as well as of JNK2, ERK1/2, and Akt, and these changes were attenuated by DHA pretreatment. AG1478, an inhibitor of EGFR, also attenuated EGF-induced activation of EGFR, JNK2, ERK1/2, and Akt. Knocked down ErbB2 expression resulted in a similar inhibition of uPA and MMP-9 expression as noted by DHA and AG1478. Taken together, these results suggest that suppression of EGF-induced metastasis by DHA is likely through an inhibition of EGFR and ErbB2 protein expression and the downstream target uPA and MMP-9 activation in SK-BR3 human breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Chun Li
- a School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan
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19
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Leung WY, Roxanis I, Sheldon H, Buffa FM, Li JL, Harris AL, Kong A. Combining lapatinib and pertuzumab to overcome lapatinib resistance due to NRG1-mediated signalling in HER2-amplified breast cancer. Oncotarget 2015; 6:5678-94. [PMID: 25691057 PMCID: PMC4467394 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquired resistance to lapatinib, an inhibitor of EGFR and HER2 kinases, is common. We found that reactivation of EGFR, HER2 and HER3 occurred within 24 hours of lapatinib treatment after their initial dephosphorylation. This was associated with increased expression of NRG1 in cells treated with lapatinib. Exogenous NRG1 partially rescued breast cancer cells from growth inhibition by lapatinib. In addition, both parental and lapatinib-resistant breast cancer cells were sensitive to SGP1, which inhibits binding of NRG1 and other HER3 ligands. Addition of pertuzumab to lapatinib further inhibited NRG1-induced signalling, which was not fully inhibited by either drug alone. In animal model, a combination of pertuzumab to lapatinib induced a greater tumor regression than either lapatinib or pertuzumab monotherapy. This novel combination treatment may provide a promising strategy in clinical HER2-targeted therapy and may inhibit a subset of lapatinib-resistant breast cancer, although the group of patients that will respond to this therapy requires further stratification.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/pharmacology
- Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/pharmacology
- Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Breast Neoplasms/metabolism
- Breast Neoplasms/pathology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cell Proliferation/drug effects
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- Drug Synergism
- Female
- Humans
- Lapatinib
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Nude
- Neuregulin-1/metabolism
- Quinazolines/administration & dosage
- Quinazolines/pharmacology
- Random Allocation
- Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics
- Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
- Signal Transduction
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing-yin Leung
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ioannis Roxanis
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals and Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Sheldon
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca M. Buffa
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ji-Liang Li
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian L. Harris
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Kong
- Department of Oncology, Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
- New address: School of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
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20
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Wang X, Batty KM, Crowe PJ, Goldstein D, Yang JL. The Potential of panHER Inhibition in Cancer. Front Oncol 2015; 5:2. [PMID: 25674538 PMCID: PMC4309158 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Hyper-activation of the HER (erbB) family receptors, HER 1-4, leads to up-regulation of the three vital signaling pathways: mitogen activated protein kinase, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT, and Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways. Blocking HER1/EGFR has a limited anticancer effect due to either secondary mutation e.g., T790M or by-pass signaling of other HER members. The emergence of an anti-panHER approach to blockade of these pathways as a cancer treatment may provide a solution to this resistance. This review aimed to provide an overview of the HER signaling pathways and their involvement in tumor progression and examine the current progress in panHER inhibition. Methods: Recent literature associated with HER signaling pathways and panHER inhibition was reviewed through PubMed and Medline database, followed by critical comparison and analysis. Results: Pre-clinical studies and clinical trials of panHER inhibitors show promising results, and the potential to improve patient outcomes in solid cancers. Conclusion: The use of panHER inhibitors in cancers with HER-family hyper-activation, such as other epithelial cancers and sarcoma, is a new direction to research and has potential in clinical cancer therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochun Wang
- Sarcoma Nano-Oncology Group, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Kathleen M Batty
- Sarcoma Nano-Oncology Group, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Philip J Crowe
- Sarcoma Nano-Oncology Group, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - David Goldstein
- Sarcoma Nano-Oncology Group, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Jia-Lin Yang
- Sarcoma Nano-Oncology Group, Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia ; Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales (UNSW) , Sydney, NSW , Australia
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21
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Gurtner K, Ebert N, Pfitzmann D, Eicheler W, Zips D, Baumann M, Krause M. Effect of combined irradiation and EGFR/Erb-B inhibition with BIBW 2992 on proliferation and tumour cure in cell lines and xenografts. Radiat Oncol 2014; 9:261. [PMID: 25444177 PMCID: PMC4271482 DOI: 10.1186/s13014-014-0261-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In previous experiments an enhanced anti-proliterative effect of the EGFR/ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) BIBW 2992 with single dose irradiation was observed in FaDu tumour xenografts. Aim of the present experiment was to determine if this effect can also be seen in combination with a fractionated radiotherapy. Secondly we investigate the efficacy of BIBW 2992 on local tumour control for UT-SCC-15. MATERIAL AND METHODS Tumour pieces of FaDu, UT-SCC-14, A431, UT-SCC-15 (squamous cell carcinomas) and A7 (glioma) tumour models were transplanted onto the right hind leg of NMRI (nu/nu) nude mice. For evaluation of tumour growth mice were either treated daily orally with BIBW 2992 (30 mg/kg body weight), or carrier up to a final tumour size of 15 mm or with a fractionated radiotherapy (15f/15d, 30 Gy) with simultaneous application of BIBW 2992 or carrier. For local tumour control UT-SCC-15 tumours were treated with a fractionated radiotherapy (30f/6weeks) or received 30f/6 weeks in combination with daily orally BIBW 2992 (22.5 mg/kg b.w.) during RT. RESULTS A significant effect on tumour growth time was observed in all tumour models for BIBW 2992 application alone. However, substantial intertumoural heterogeneity could be seen. In the UT-SCC-14, UT-SCC-15 and A431 tumour models a total regression of the tumours and no recurrence during treatment time (73 days) were determined where as for the A7 tumour only a slight effect was noticeable. For the combined treatment of fractionated radiotherapy (15f/15d) and BIBW 2992 administration a significant effect on tumour growth time was seen compared to irradiation alone for A7, UT-SCC-15 and A431 (ER 1.2 - 3.7), this advantage could not be demonstrated for FaDu and UT-SCC-14. However, the local tumour control was not altered for the UT-SCC-15 tumour model when adding BIBW 2992 to fractionated irradiation (30f/6weeks). CONCLUSION A heterogeneous effect on tumour growth time of BIBW 2992 alone as well as in combination with fractionated irradiation could be demonstrated for all tumour models. However, the significant effect on tumour growth time did not translate into an improvement of local tumour control for the UT-SCC-15 tumour model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Gurtner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Nadja Ebert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Dorothee Pfitzmann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Eicheler
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Daniel Zips
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Baumann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany. .,German Cancer consortium (DKTK) Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Mechthild Krause
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UniversityHospital C.G. Carus, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany. .,OncoRay - National Centerfor Radiation Research in Oncology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TechnischeUniversität and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden -Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany. .,German Cancer consortium (DKTK) Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. .,Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany.
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Hu S, Fu W, Xu W, Yang Y, Cruz M, Berezov SD, Jorissen D, Takeda H, Zhu W. Four-in-one antibodies have superior cancer inhibitory activity against EGFR, HER2, HER3, and VEGF through disruption of HER/MET crosstalk. Cancer Res 2014; 75:159-70. [PMID: 25371409 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-14-1670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The anti-HER receptor antibodies cetuximab, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab are used widely in clinic to treat metastatic cancer. However, activation of the extensive crosstalk among the HER receptors as well as other RTKs, particularly HER-MET crosstalk, has emerged as a likely source of drug resistance. In this study, we developed two new types of tetra-specific antibodies that recognize EGFR, HER2, HER3, and VEGF. These tetra-specific antibodies, termed FL518 (four-in-one antibody) and CRTB6 (tetra-specific, tetravalent antibody), not only inhibited signaling mediated by these receptors in vitro and in vivo but unexpectedly also disrupted HER-MET crosstalk. When compared with two-in-one antibodies and a series of bispecific antibodies in multiple tumor models, FL518 and CRTB6 were more broadly efficacious. We further showed that tetra-specific antibodies were far more effective than bispecific antibodies in inhibiting the growth of anti-HER-resistant cancer cells, which exhibited elevated levels of MET activation both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our results establish a new principle to achieve combined HER inhibition and limit drug resistance using a single antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Hu
- Translational Medicine Research Institute and International Joint Cancer Institute, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China. Department of Clinical Medicine, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, P. R. China. Department of Medical Imaging, Xi'an PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China. Department of Interventional Oncology, Xi'an PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
| | - Wenyan Fu
- Cancer Center, PLA General Hospital, PLA Postgraduate School of Medicine, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Weihao Xu
- Department of Cardiology, PLA General Hospital, PLA Postgraduate School of Medicine, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Xi'an PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China. School of Basic Medicine, Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China
| | - Melissa Cruz
- Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Japan. School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Sandra D Berezov
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Daniel Jorissen
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Hiroaki Takeda
- Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Wangdong Zhu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Xi'an PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China. Department of Interventional Oncology, Xi'an PLA 451 Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
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23
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Iida M, Brand TM, Starr MM, Huppert EJ, Luthar N, Bahrar H, Coan JP, Pearson HE, Salgia R, Wheeler DL. Overcoming acquired resistance to cetuximab by dual targeting HER family receptors with antibody-based therapy. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:242. [PMID: 25344208 PMCID: PMC4283113 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cetuximab, an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, is used to treat several cancers. However, many patients who initially respond to cetuximab acquire resistance. To examine mechanisms of acquired resistance, we developed a series of cetuximab-resistant (CtxR) clones derived from the cetuximab sensitive (CtxS) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line H226. Previous studies characterizing this model revealed that: 1) EGFR was robustly overexpressed in CtxR clones due to decreased EGFR ubiquitination and degradation and 2) CtxR clones expressed increased HER2 and HER3 activation resulting in constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling axis. These findings suggest that dual targeting HER family receptors would be highly beneficial in the CtxR setting. Results Since HER3 has been implicated in resistance to EGFR inhibitors, the efficacy of dually targeting both EGFR and HER3 in CtxR models was evaluated. First, EGFR and HER3 expression were knocked down with siRNAs. Compared to the CtxS parental cell line (HP), all CtxR clones exhibited robust decreases in cell proliferation upon dual knockdown. Analysis of CtxR clones indicated that neuregulin-1 was highly overexpressed compared to HP cells. Incubation of HP cells with neuregulin-1 rendered them resistant to cetuximab. Next, dual treatment of CtxR clones with cetuximab and the HER3 neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) U3-1287 led to potent anti-proliferative effects. Blockade of EGFR with cetuximab resulted in inactivation of MAPK, while blockade of HER3 with U3-1287 resulted in the inactivation of AKT. Treatment with both mAbs resulted in knockdown of both signaling pathways simultaneously. HER2 was also strongly inactivated upon dual mAb therapy, suggesting that this treatment regimen can diminish signaling from three HER family receptors. De novo CtxR H226 mouse xenografts were established to determine if dual therapy could overcome acquired resistance to cetuximab in vivo. Tumors that had acquired resistance to cetuximab were significantly growth delayed upon dual treatment of U3-1287 and cetuximab compared to those continued on cetuximab only. Combinatorial-treated xenograft tumors expressed decreased Ki67 and increased cleaved caspase-3 levels compared to tumors treated with either monotherapy. Conclusions These studies demonstrate that dually targeting HER family receptors with antibody-based therapies can overcome acquired resistance to cetuximab.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Deric L Wheeler
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, 1111 Highland Ave,, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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24
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Feldinger K, Generali D, Kramer-Marek G, Gijsen M, Ng TB, Wong JH, Strina C, Cappelletti M, Andreis D, Li JL, Bridges E, Turley H, Leek R, Roxanis I, Capala J, Murphy G, Harris AL, Kong A. ADAM10 mediates trastuzumab resistance and is correlated with survival in HER2 positive breast cancer. Oncotarget 2014; 5:6633-46. [PMID: 24952873 PMCID: PMC4196152 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Trastuzumab prolongs survival in HER2 positive breast cancer patients. However, resistance remains a challenge. We have previously shown that ADAM17 plays a key role in maintaining HER2 phosphorylation during trastuzumab treatment. Beside ADAM17, ADAM10 is the other well characterized ADAM protease responsible for HER ligand shedding. Therefore, we studied the role of ADAM10 in relation to trastuzumab treatment and resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. ADAM10 expression was assessed in HER2 positive breast cancer cell lines and xenograft mice treated with trastuzumab. Trastuzumab treatment increased ADAM10 levels in HER2 positive breast cancer cells (p ≤ 0.001 in BT474; p ≤ 0.01 in SKBR3) and in vivo (p ≤ 0.0001) compared to control, correlating with a decrease in PKB phosphorylation. ADAM10 inhibition or knockdown enhanced trastuzumab response in naïve and trastuzumab resistant breast cancer cells. Trastuzumab monotherapy upregulated ADAM10 (p ≤ 0.05); and higher pre-treatment ADAM10 levels correlated with decreased clinical response (p ≤ 0.05) at day 21 in HER2 positive breast cancer patients undergoing a trastuzumab treatment window study. Higher ADAM10 levels correlated with poorer relapse-free survival (p ≤ 0.01) in a cohort of HER2 positive breast cancer patients. Our studies implicate a role of ADAM10 in acquired resistance to trastuzumab and establish ADAM10 as a therapeutic target and a potential biomarker for HER2 positive breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Feldinger
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniele Generali
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy
| | - Gabriela Kramer-Marek
- National Institutes of Health, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda MD, US
- Institute of Cancer Research, Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, Belmont, Sutton, Surrey, UK (New address)
| | - Merel Gijsen
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tai Po Road, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
| | - Jack Ho Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tai Po Road, Sha Tin, Hong Kong
| | - Carla Strina
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy
| | - Mariarosa Cappelletti
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy
| | - Daniele Andreis
- U.O. Multidisciplinare di Patologia Mammaria, U.S Terapia Molecolare e Farmacogenomica, A.O. Instituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy
| | - Ji-Liang Li
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Esther Bridges
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Helen Turley
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Russell Leek
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Ioannis Roxanis
- Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals and Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacek Capala
- National Institutes of Health, Radiation Oncology Branch, Bethesda MD, US
| | - Gillian Murphy
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, UK
| | - Adrian L. Harris
- Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Anthony Kong
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Group, Department of Oncology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
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25
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Canonici A, Gijsen M, Mullooly M, Bennett R, Bouguern N, Pedersen K, O'Brien NA, Roxanis I, Li JL, Bridge E, Finn R, Siamon D, McGowan P, Duffy MJ, O'Donovan N, Crown J, Kong A. Neratinib overcomes trastuzumab resistance in HER2 amplified breast cancer. Oncotarget 2014; 4:1592-605. [PMID: 24009064 PMCID: PMC3858548 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Trastuzumab has been shown to improve the survival outcomes of HER2 positive breast cancer patients. However, a significant proportion of HER2-positive patients are either inherently resistant or develop resistance to trastuzumab. We assessed the effects of neratinib, an irreversible panHER inhibitor, in a panel of 36 breast cancer cell lines. We further assessed its effects with or without trastuzumab in several sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells as well as a BT474 xenograft model. We confirmed that neratinib was significantly more active in HER2-amplified than HER2 non-amplified cell lines. Neratinib decreased the activation of the 4 HER receptors and inhibited downstream pathways. However, HER3 and Akt were reactivated at 24 hours, which was prevented by the combination of trastuzumab and neratinib. Neratinib also decreased pHER2 and pHER3 in acquired trastuzumab resistant cells. Neratinib in combination with trastuzumab had a greater growth inhibitory effect than either drug alone in 4 HER2 positive cell lines. Furthermore, trastuzumab in combination with neratinib was growth inhibitory in SKBR3 and BT474 cells which had acquired resistance to trastuzumab as well as in a BT474 xenograft model. Innately trastuzumab resistant cell lines showed sensitivity to neratinib, but the combination did not enhance response compared to neratinib alone. Levels of HER2 and phospho-HER2 showed a direct correlation with sensitivity to neratinib. Our data indicate that neratinib is an effective anti-HER2 therapy and counteracted both innate and acquired trastuzumab resistance in HER2 positive breast cancer. Our results suggest that combined treatment with trastuzumab and neratinib is likely to be more effective than either treatment alone for both trastuzumab-sensitive breast cancer as well as HER2-positive tumors with acquired resistance to trastuzumab.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Canonici
- National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Silva I, Dias A, Bertagnolli A, Cassali G, Ferreira E. Analysis of EGFR and HER-2 expressions in ductal carcinomas in situ in canine mammary glands. ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2014. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-41626128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomolecular evidence has shown that ductal carcinoma in situ(DCIS) may develop into invasive carcinoma of the canine mammary gland, and mutations in proto-oncogenes HER2 and EGFR; two members of the family of epidermal growth factor receptors, may be involved in this process. The purpose of this study was the characterization of the immunohistochemical expression of the EGFR and HER2 proteins in the process of neoplastic transformation, supposedly present in ductal carcinomas in situin canine mammary glands. Fifteen cases of DCIS were evaluated, with a higher expression of HER2 and EGFR being observed in low-grade carcinomas when compared with high-grade neoplasms, and with a high positive statistical correlation in the latter. Results suggest that aggressive tumors tend to lose the expression of EGFR and HER2 simultaneously. The loss of the expression of these markers may be related to the process of neoplastic progression in canine mammary tumors.
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27
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The ABC of BTC: structural properties and biological roles of betacellulin. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2014; 28:42-8. [PMID: 24440602 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Betacellulin was initially detected as a growth-promoting factor in the conditioned medium of a mouse pancreatic β-cell tumor cell line. Sequencing of the purified protein and of the cloned cDNA supported the assumption that betacellulin is a new ligand of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which was later confirmed experimentally. As a typical EGFR ligand, betacellulin is expressed by a variety of cell types and tissues, and the soluble growth factor is proteolytically cleaved from a larger membrane-anchored precursor. Importantly, BTC can - in addition to the EGFR - bind and activate all possible heterodimeric combinations of the related ERBB receptors including the highly oncogenic ERBB2/3 dimer, as well as homodimers of ERBB4. While a large number of studies attest a role for betacellulin in the differentiation of pancreatic β-cells, the last decade witnessed the association of betacellulin with a large number of additional biological processes, ranging from reproduction to the control of neural stem cells.
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28
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Bhosle J, Kiakos K, Porter ACG, Wu J, Makris A, Hartley JA, Hochhauser D. Treatment with gefitinib or lapatinib induces drug resistance through downregulation of topoisomerase IIα expression. Mol Cancer Ther 2013; 12:2897-908. [PMID: 24092808 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-12-1049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The EGF receptor (EGFR) is therapeutically targeted by antibodies and small molecules in solid tumors including lung, colorectal, and breast cancer. However, chemotherapy remains important, and efforts to improve efficacy through combination with targeted agents is challenging. This study examined the effects of short and long durations of exposure to the EGFR- and HER2-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) gefitinib and lapatinib, on induction of cell death and DNA damage by topoisomerase IIα (Topo IIα) poisons, in the SK-Br-3 HER2-amplified breast cancer cell line. Short exposure to either gefitinib or lapatinib for 1 hour did not affect the induction of apoptosis by the Topo IIα poisons doxorubicin, etoposide, and m-AMSA. In contrast, cells treated for 48 hours were resistant to all three drugs. Short exposure (1 hour) to TKI did not alter the number of DNA single- or double-strand breaks (DSB) induced, whereas longer exposure (48 hours) reduced the number of DNA DSBs and the formation of γ-H2AX foci. Both gefitinib and lapatinib reduced the expression and activity of Topo IIα at 48 hours. Studies using a cell line with inducible downregulation of Topo IIα showed that expression of Topo IIα, and not Topo IIβ, determined the number of DNA strand breaks induced by these chemotherapeutic agents. These results indicate that prolonged exposure to TKIs targeting EGFR and HER2 induce resistance to doxorubicin, etoposide, and m-AMSA through downregulation of Topo IIα. This may explain why their addition to chemotherapy regimens have not increased efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaishree Bhosle
- Corresponding Author: Daniel Hochhauser, UCL Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, University College London, 72 Huntley Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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29
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Phillips GDL, Fields CT, Li G, Dowbenko D, Schaefer G, Miller K, Andre F, Burris HA, Albain KS, Harbeck N, Dieras V, Crivellari D, Fang L, Guardino E, Olsen SR, Crocker LM, Sliwkowski MX. Dual Targeting of HER2-Positive Cancer with Trastuzumab Emtansine and Pertuzumab: Critical Role for Neuregulin Blockade in Antitumor Response to Combination Therapy. Clin Cancer Res 2013; 20:456-68. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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30
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Malm M, Kronqvist N, Lindberg H, Gudmundsdotter L, Bass T, Frejd FY, Höidén-Guthenberg I, Varasteh Z, Orlova A, Tolmachev V, Ståhl S, Löfblom J. Inhibiting HER3-mediated tumor cell growth with affibody molecules engineered to low picomolar affinity by position-directed error-prone PCR-like diversification. PLoS One 2013; 8:e62791. [PMID: 23675426 PMCID: PMC3651084 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The HER3 receptor is implicated in the progression of various cancers as well as in resistance to several currently used drugs, and is hence a potential target for development of new therapies. We have previously generated Affibody molecules that inhibit heregulin-induced signaling of the HER3 pathways. The aim of this study was to improve the affinity of the binders to hopefully increase receptor inhibition efficacy and enable a high receptor-mediated uptake in tumors. We explored a novel strategy for affinity maturation of Affibody molecules that is based on alanine scanning followed by design of library diversification to mimic the result from an error-prone PCR reaction, but with full control over mutated positions and thus less biases. Using bacterial surface display and flow-cytometric sorting of the maturation library, the affinity for HER3 was improved more than 30-fold down to 21 pM. The affinity is among the higher that has been reported for Affibody molecules and we believe that the maturation strategy should be generally applicable for improvement of affinity proteins. The new binders also demonstrated an improved thermal stability as well as complete refolding after denaturation. Moreover, inhibition of ligand-induced proliferation of HER3-positive breast cancer cells was improved more than two orders of magnitude compared to the previously best-performing clone. Radiolabeled Affibody molecules showed specific targeting of a number of HER3-positive cell lines in vitro as well as targeting of HER3 in in vivo mouse models and represent promising candidates for future development of targeted therapies and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Malm
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nina Kronqvist
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Lindberg
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Tarek Bass
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Y. Frejd
- Affibody AB, Stockholm, Sweden
- Unit of Biomedical Radiations Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Zohreh Varasteh
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Preclinical PET Platform, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Orlova
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Preclinical PET Platform, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vladimir Tolmachev
- Unit of Biomedical Radiations Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - John Löfblom
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
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31
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Zhang J, Jia J, Zhu F, Ma X, Han B, Wei X, Tan C, Jiang Y, Chen Y. Analysis of bypass signaling in EGFR pathway and profiling of bypass genes for predicting response to anticancer EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 8:2645-56. [PMID: 22833077 DOI: 10.1039/c2mb25165e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Some drugs, such as anticancer EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, elicit markedly different clinical response rates due to differences in drug bypass signaling as well as genetic variations of drug target and downstream drug-resistant genes. The profiles of these bypass signaling are expected to be useful for improved drug response prediction, which have not been systematically explored previously. In this work, we searched and analyzed 16 literature-reported EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor bypass signaling routes in the EGFR pathway, which include 5 compensatory routes of EGFR transactivation by another receptor, and 11 alternative routes activated by another receptor. These 16 routes are reportedly regulated by 11 bypass genes. Their expression profiles together with the mutational, amplification and expression profiles of EGFR and 4 downstream drug-resistant genes, were used as new sets of biomarkers for identifying 53 NSCLC cell-lines sensitive or resistant to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors gefitinib, erlotinib and lapatinib. The collective profiles of all 16 genes distinguish sensitive and resistant cell-lines are better than those of individual genes and the combined EGFR and downstream drug resistant genes, and their derived cell-line response rates are consistent with the reported clinical response rates of the three drugs. The usefulness of cell-line data for drug response studies was further analyzed by comparing the expression profiles of EGFR and bypass genes in NSCLC cell-lines and patient samples, and by using a machine learning feature selection method for selecting drug response biomarkers. Our study suggested that the profiles of drug bypass signaling are highly useful for improved drug response prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxian Zhang
- The Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, The Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
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32
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Weingaertner IR, Koutnik S, Ammer H. Chronic morphine treatment attenuates cell growth of human BT474 breast cancer cells by rearrangement of the ErbB signalling network. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53510. [PMID: 23308242 PMCID: PMC3538590 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There is increasing evidence that opioid analgesics may interfere with tumour growth. It is currently thought that these effects are mediated by transactivation of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-controlled ERK1/2 and Akt signalling. The growth of many breast cancer cells is dependent on hyperactive ErbB receptor networks and one of the most successful approaches in antineoplastic therapy during the last decade was the development of ErbB-targeted therapies. However, the response rates of single therapies are often poor and resistance mechanisms evolve rapidly. To date there is no information about the ability of opioid analgesics to interfere with the growth of ErbB-driven cancers. Methods and Principal Findings Here we demonstrate that ErbB2 overexpressing BT474 human breast cancer cells carry fully functional endogenous µ-opioid receptors. Most interestingly, the acute opioid effects on basal and Heregulin-stimulated ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation changed considerably during chronic Morphine treatment. Investigation of the underlying mechanism by the use of protein kinase inhibitors and co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that chronic Morphine treatment results in rearrangement of the ErbB signalling network leading to dissociation of ERK1/2 from Akt signalling and a switch from ErbB1/ErbB3 to ErbB1/ErbB2-dependent cell growth. In chronically Morphine-treated cells Heregulin-stimulated ERK1/2 signalling is redirected via a newly established PI3K- and metalloproteinase-dependent feedback loop. Together, these alterations result in apoptosis of BT474 cells. A similar switch in Heregulin-stimulated ERK1/2 signalling from an ErbB2-independent to an ErbB2-, PI3K- and metalloproteinase-dependent mechanism was also observed in κ-opioid receptor expressing SKBR3 human mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Conclusions and Significance The present data demonstrate that the ErbB receptor network of human breast cancer cells represents a target for chronic Morphine treatment. Rearrangement of ErbB signalling by chronic Morphine may provide a promising strategy to enhance the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to ErbB-directed therapies and to prevent the development of escape mechanisms.
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MESH Headings
- Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy
- Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
- Humans
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/antagonists & inhibitors
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/genetics
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1/metabolism
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/antagonists & inhibitors
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/genetics
- Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3/metabolism
- Morphine/pharmacology
- Neuregulin-1/genetics
- Neuregulin-1/metabolism
- Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics
- Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
- Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
- Phosphorylation/drug effects
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics
- Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-3/genetics
- Receptor, ErbB-3/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Inka Regine Weingaertner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sarah Koutnik
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Hermann Ammer
- Institute of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- * E-mail:
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33
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Cruickshanks N, Tang Y, Booth L, Hamed H, Grant S, Dent P. Lapatinib and obatoclax kill breast cancer cells through reactive oxygen species-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress. Mol Pharmacol 2012; 82:1217-29. [PMID: 22989520 DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.081539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies showed that lapatinib and obatoclax interact in a greater-than-additive fashion to cause cell death and do so through a toxic form of autophagy. The present studies sought to extend our analyses. Lapatinib and obatoclax killed multiple tumor cell types, and cells lacking phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) function were relatively resistant to drug combination lethality; expression of PTEN in PTEN-null breast cancer cells restored drug sensitivity. Coadministration of lapatinib with obatoclax elicited autophagic cell death that was attributable to the actions of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species. Wild-type cells but not mitochondria-deficient rho-zero cells were radiosensitized by lapatinib and obatoclax treatment. Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2) by the drug combination was enhanced by radiation, and signaling by p38 MAPK and JNK1/2 promoted cell killing. In immunohistochemical analyses, the autophagosome protein p62 was determined to be associated with protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1, as well as with binding immunoglobulin protein/78-kDa glucose-regulated protein, in drug combination-treated cells. Knockdown of PERK suppressed drug-induced autophagy and protected tumor cells from the drug combination. Knockdown of PERK suppressed the reduction in Mcl-1 expression after drug combination exposure, and overexpression of Mcl-1 protected cells. Our data indicate that mitochondrial function plays an essential role in cell killing by lapatinib and obatoclax, as well as radiosensitization by this drug combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichola Cruickshanks
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicne, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0035, USA
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34
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HER3 intracellular domains play a crucial role in HER3/HER2 dimerization and activation of downstream signaling pathways. Protein Cell 2012; 3:781-9. [PMID: 22983903 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-012-2065-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Dimerization among the EGFR family of tyrosine kinase receptors leads to allosteric activation of the kinase domains of the partners. Unlike other members in the family, the kinase domain of HER3 lacks key amino acid residues for catalytic activity. As a result, HER3 is suggested to serve as an allosteric activator of other EGFR family members which include EGFR, HER2 and HER4. To study the role of intracellular domains in HER3 dimerization and activation of downstream signaling pathways, we constructed HER3/HER2 chimeric receptors by replacing the HER3 kinase domain (HER3-2-3) or both the kinase domain and the C-terminal tail (HER3-2-2) with the HER2 counterparts and expressed the chimeric receptors in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. While over expression of the intact human HER3 transformed CHO cells with oncogenic properties such as AKT/ERK activation and increased proliferation and migration, CHO cells expressing the HER3-2-3 chimeric receptor showed significantly reduced HER3/HER2 dimerization and decreased phosphorylation of both AKT and ERK1/2 in the presence of neuregulin-1 (NRG-1). In contrast, CHO cells expressing the HER3-2-2 chimeric receptor resulted in a total loss of downstream AKT activation in response to NRG-1, but maintained partial activation of ERK1/2. The results demonstrate that the intracellular domains play a crucial role in HER3's function as an allosteric activator and its role in downstream signaling.
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35
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Carrión-Salip D, Panosa C, Menendez JA, Puig T, Oliveras G, Pandiella A, De Llorens R, Massaguer A. Androgen-independent prostate cancer cells circumvent EGFR inhibition by overexpression of alternative HER receptors and ligands. Int J Oncol 2012; 41:1128-38. [PMID: 22684500 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2012.1509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The deregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway plays a major role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer (PCa). However, therapies targeting EGFR have demonstrated limited effectiveness in PCa. A potential mechanism to overcome EGFR blockade in cancer cells is the autocrine activation of alternative receptors of the human EGFR (HER) family through the overexpression of the HER receptors and ligands. In the present study, we were interested in analyzing if this intrinsic resistance mechanism might contribute to the inefficacy of EGFR inhibitors in PCa. To this end, we selected two androgen-independent human prostate carcinoma cell lines (DU145 and PC3) and established DU145 erlotinib-resistant cells (DUErR). Cells were treated with three EGFR inhibitors (cetuximab, gefinitib and erlotinib) and the sensitivity to each treatment was assessed. The gene expression of the four EGFR/HER receptors and seven ligands of the HER family was analyzed by real-time PCR prior to and after each treatment. The receptors expression and activation were further characterized by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. EGFR inhibition rapidly induced enhanced gene expression of the EGF, betacellulin and neuregulin-1 ligands along with HER2, HER3 and HER4 receptors in the DU145 cells. In contrast, slight changes were observed in the PC3 cells, which are defective in the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) tumor suppressor gene. In the erlotinib-resistant DUErR cells, the expression of HER2 and HER3 was increased at mRNA and protein levels together with neuregulin-1, leading to enhanced HER3 phosphorylation and the activation of the downstream PI3K/Akt survival pathway. HER3 blockage by a monoclonal antibody restored the cytostatic activity of erlotinib in DUErR cells. Our results confirm that the overexpression and autocrine activation of HER3 play a key role in mediating the resistance to EGFR inhibitors in androgen-independent PCa cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolors Carrión-Salip
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Girona, Girona 17071, Spain
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36
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Waterhouse BR, Gijsen M, Barber PR, Tullis IDC, Vojnovic B, Kong A. Assessment of EGFR/HER2 dimerization by FRET-FLIM utilizing Alexa-conjugated secondary antibodies in relation to targeted therapies in cancers. Oncotarget 2012; 2:728-36. [PMID: 21908901 PMCID: PMC3248220 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression level of the HER family is unreliable as a predictive marker for targeted therapies in cancer. Thus, there is a need to develop other biomarkers, which can be used to accurately select responsive patients for targeted therapies. The HER dimerization status may be more important than HER receptor expression per se in determining sensitivity or resistance to a given therapeutic agent. The aim of the study is to develop a FRET assay using dye conjugated secondary antibodies to assess HER receptor dimerization. Using primary antibodies from different species in conjunction with Alexa488 and Alexa546 conjugated secondary antibodies, we validated our EGFR/HER2 dimerization assay in three cell lines, EGFR positive A431 cells as well as HER2 positive breast cell lines BT474 and SKBR3 cells. Finally, we applied our assay to assess EGFR/HER2 dimerization in paraffin embedded cell pellets. Our results show promise for the assay to be applied to tumor samples in order to assess the prognostic significance and predictive value of HER receptor dimerization in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Waterhouse
- Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Group, Cancer Research UK Molecular Oncology Laboratories, The Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM), University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, UK
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37
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Abstract
Drug resistance in cancer arises from a complex range of biochemical and molecular events, which ultimately result in tumor cell survival. Identifying key genes and signal pathways involved in the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance is essential for establishment of new drug targets for preventing further resistance development and spreading. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was the first growth factor receptor proposed as a target for cancer therapy. Significant progress in studying EGFR gene expression and mutation has been made in understanding the molecular events involved in EGFR-targeted agents. Recently, some individual chromosomal features such as EGFR copy number variation were demonstrated as new aspects related to drug sensitivity. Identifying these functional regulators of drug resistance will benefit therapeutic decision-making. In this study, we describe an extensive investigation of the published literature on mutation, amplification, and expression of EGFR and its downstream signaling that directly contribute to EGFR inhibitor resistance, including the gene status of KRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, PTEN, MEK, and AKT on response to therapy. Analysis of these gene signatures identified reveals general modes of action of multicomponent therapies and the mechanisms of specific drug combinations, highlights the potential value of molecular interaction profiles in the discovery of novel therapies, and provides more information for personalized cancer medicine.
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38
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Cruickshanks N, Hamed HA, Bareford MD, Poklepovic A, Fisher PB, Grant S, Dent P. Lapatinib and obatoclax kill tumor cells through blockade of ERBB1/3/4 and through inhibition of BCL-XL and MCL-1. Mol Pharmacol 2012; 81:748-58. [PMID: 22357666 DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.077586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior studies in breast cancer cells have shown that lapatinib and obatoclax interact in a greater than additive fashion to cause cell death and do so through a toxic form of autophagy. The present studies sought to extend our analyses to the central nervous system (CNS) tumor cells and to further define mechanisms of drug action. Lapatinib and obatoclax killed multiple CNS tumor isolates. Cells lacking PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog on chromosome 10) function were relatively resistant to drug combination lethality; expression of PTEN in PTEN-null cells restored drug sensitivity, and knockdown of PTEN promoted drug resistance. On the basis of knockdown of ERBB1-4 (erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 1-4), we discovered that the inhibition of ERBB1/3/4 receptors were most important for enhancing obatoclax lethality rather than ERBB2. In parallel, we noted in CNS tumor cells that knockdown of BCL-xL (B-cell lymphoma-extra large)and MCL-1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1) interacted in an additive fashion to facilitate lapatinib lethality. Pretreatment of tumor cells with obatoclax enhanced the lethality of lapatinib to a greater extent than concomitant treatment. Treatment of animals carrying orthotopic CNS tumor isolates with lapatinib- and obatoclax-prolonged survival. Altogether, our data show that lapatinib and obatoclax therapy could be of use in the treatment of tumors located in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichola Cruickshanks
- Department of Neurosurgery, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0035, USA
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39
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Taylor CE, Pan Q, Mapp AK. Synergistic enhancement of the potency and selectivity of small molecule transcriptional inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2012; 3:30-34. [PMID: 22368762 DOI: 10.1021/ml200186r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In spite of their considerable therapeutic potential, the development of highly potent and selective transcriptional inhibitors has proven elusive. We demonstrate that combinations of transcriptional inhibitors of erbB2 expression and existing therapeutic agents that target erbB2 activity and lifetime lead to a synergistic increase in activity, with dose reductions as high 30 fold compared to individual agents. The synergy is selective for erbB2 overexpressing cancer cells. These results highlight the potential of a generalizable approach that will improve the utility of transcriptional inhibitors as both biochemical tools and potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,
United States
| | - Quintin Pan
- Department
of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus,
Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Anna K. Mapp
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109,
United States
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40
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Longo SL, Padalino DJ, McGillis S, Petersen K, Schirok H, Politz O, Canute GW, Post DE. Bay846, a new irreversible small molecule inhibitor of EGFR and Her2, is highly effective against malignant brain tumor models. Invest New Drugs 2011; 30:2161-72. [PMID: 22203214 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-011-9784-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2011] [Accepted: 12/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is aberrantly activated in tumors and plays a key role in promoting tumor growth. Small molecule inhibitors which bind reversibly to EGFR have demonstrated limited clinical activity. Thus, there is a continued need to develop novel EGFR inhibitors with improved anti-tumor activity. Bay846 is a newly developed small molecule inhibitor that binds irreversibly to the tyrosine kinase domains of EGFR and Her2. The in vitro and in vivo efficacy of Bay846 was tested using a panel of nine human malignant brain tumor (glioma) models. Lapatinib, a reversible inhibitor of EGFR and Her2, was included for comparison. Six glioma cell lines were sensitive to Bay846 treatment. Bay846 strongly suppressed tumor cell growth in vitro by inducing cell lysis/death rather than cell cycle arrest. Consistent with this, Bay846 had potent anti-tumor activity which led to regressions in tumor size. The active, phosphorylated form of EGFR was reduced by Bay846 treatment in vitro and in tumors. Importantly, the efficacy of Bay846 was significantly greater than lapatinib in all assays. Bay846-sensitivity was associated with expression of a wild-type PTEN in conjunction with high levels of an oncogenic EGFR variant (A289V or EGFRvIII). These studies demonstrate that targeting the EGFR pathway with the irreversible inhibitor Bay846 has great potential to increase the efficacy of this cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L Longo
- Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York (SUNY), Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
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41
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Du WW, Yang BB, Yang BL, Deng Z, Fang L, Shan SW, Jeyapalan Z, Zhang Y, Seth A, Yee AJ. Versican G3 domain modulates breast cancer cell apoptosis: a mechanism for breast cancer cell response to chemotherapy and EGFR therapy. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26396. [PMID: 22096483 PMCID: PMC3212514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 09/26/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of EGFR and versican has been reported in association with breast cancers. Considered oncogenic, these molecules may be attractive therapeutic targets. Possessing anti-apoptotic and drug resistant properties, overexpression of these molecules is accompanied by selective sensitization to the process of apoptosis. In this study, we exogenously expressed a versican G3 construct in breast cancer cell lines and analyzed the effects of G3 on cell viability in fetal bovine serum free conditioned media and evaluated the effects of apoptotic agent C2-ceramide, and chemotherapeutic agents including Docetaxel, Doxorubicin, and Epirubicin. Versican G3 domain enhanced tumor cell resistance to apoptosis when cultured in serum free medium, Doxorubicin, or Epirubicin by up-regulating pERK and GSK-3β (S9P). However, it could be prevented by selective EGFR inhibitor AG 1478 and selective MEK inhibitor PD 98059. Both AG 1478 and PD 98059 enhanced expression of pSAPK/JNK, while selective JNK inhibitor SP 600125 enhanced expression of GSK-3β (S9P). Versican G3 promoted cell apoptosis induced by C2-ceramide or Docetaxel by enhancing expression of pSAPK/JNK and decreasing expression of GSK-3β (S9P), an observation blocked by AG 1478 or SP 6000125. Inhibition of endogenous versican expression by siRNA or reduction of versican G3's expression by linking G3 with 3'UTR prevented G3 modulated cell apoptosis. The dual roles of G3 in modulating breast cancer cell resistance to chemotherapeutic agents may in part explain a potential mechanism for breast cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy and EGFR therapy. The apoptotic effects of chemotherapeutics depend upon the activation and balance of down stream signals in the EGFR pathway. GSK-3β (S9P) appears to function as a key checkpoint in this balance of apoptosis and anti-apoptosis. Investigation and potential consideration of targeting GSK-3β (S9P) merits further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Weidong Du
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Burton B. Yang
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Bing L. Yang
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
| | - Zhaoqun Deng
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Ling Fang
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Sze Wan Shan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Zina Jeyapalan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Yaou Zhang
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Arun Seth
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Albert J. Yee
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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42
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Schaefer G, Haber L, Crocker LM, Shia S, Shao L, Dowbenko D, Totpal K, Wong A, Lee CV, Stawicki S, Clark R, Fields C, Lewis Phillips GD, Prell RA, Danilenko DM, Franke Y, Stephan JP, Hwang J, Wu Y, Bostrom J, Sliwkowski MX, Fuh G, Eigenbrot C. A two-in-one antibody against HER3 and EGFR has superior inhibitory activity compared with monospecific antibodies. Cancer Cell 2011; 20:472-86. [PMID: 22014573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2011.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 266] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2010] [Revised: 06/17/2011] [Accepted: 09/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Extensive crosstalk among ErbB/HER receptors suggests that blocking signaling from more than one family member may be essential to effectively treat cancer and limit drug resistance. We generated a conventional IgG molecule MEHD7945A with dual HER3/EGFR specificity by phage display engineering and used structural and mutational studies to understand how a single antigen recognition surface binds two epitopes with high affinity. As a human IgG1, MEHD7945A exhibited dual action by inhibiting EGFR- and HER3-mediated signaling in vitro and in vivo and the ability to engage immune effector functions. Compared with monospecific anti-HER antibodies, MEHD7945A was more broadly efficacious in multiple tumor models, showing that combined inhibition of EGFR and HER3 with a single antibody is beneficial.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bispecific/chemistry
- Antibodies, Bispecific/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Bispecific/toxicity
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/adverse effects
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
- Antibody Specificity
- Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry
- Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use
- Antineoplastic Agents/toxicity
- Binding Sites, Antibody
- Binding, Competitive
- Cetuximab
- Crystallography, X-Ray
- Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- ErbB Receptors/antagonists & inhibitors
- ErbB Receptors/chemistry
- ErbB Receptors/immunology
- Female
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G/adverse effects
- Immunoglobulin G/chemistry
- Immunoglobulin G/therapeutic use
- MAP Kinase Signaling System
- Macaca fascicularis
- Mice
- Phosphorylation
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-3/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, ErbB-3/chemistry
- Receptor, ErbB-3/immunology
- Signal Transduction
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schaefer
- Department of Research Oncology, Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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43
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Carrasco-García E, Saceda M, Grasso S, Rocamora-Reverte L, Conde M, Gómez-Martínez Á, García-Morales P, Ferragut JA, Martínez-Lacaci I. Small tyrosine kinase inhibitors interrupt EGFR signaling by interacting with erbB3 and erbB4 in glioblastoma cell lines. Exp Cell Res 2011; 317:1476-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2011.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2010] [Revised: 03/16/2011] [Accepted: 03/17/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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44
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Patel GS, Kiuchi T, Lawler K, Ofo E, Fruhwirth GO, Kelleher M, Shamil E, Zhang R, Selvin PR, Santis G, Spicer J, Woodman N, Gillett CE, Barber PR, Vojnovic B, Kéri G, Schaeffter T, Goh V, O'Doherty MJ, Ellis PA, Ng T. The challenges of integrating molecular imaging into the optimization of cancer therapy. Integr Biol (Camb) 2011; 3:603-31. [PMID: 21541433 DOI: 10.1039/c0ib00131g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We review novel, in vivo and tissue-based imaging technologies that monitor and optimize cancer therapeutics. Recent advances in cancer treatment centre around the development of targeted therapies and personalisation of treatment regimes to individual tumour characteristics. However, clinical outcomes have not improved as expected. Further development of the use of molecular imaging to predict or assess treatment response must address spatial heterogeneity of cancer within the body. A combination of different imaging modalities should be used to relate the effect of the drug to dosing regimen or effective drug concentration at the local site of action. Molecular imaging provides a functional and dynamic read-out of cancer therapeutics, from nanometre to whole body scale. At the whole body scale, an increase in the sensitivity and specificity of the imaging probe is required to localise (micro)metastatic foci and/or residual disease that are currently below the limit of detection. The use of image-guided endoscopic biopsy can produce tumour cells or tissues for nanoscopic analysis in a relatively patient-compliant manner, thereby linking clinical imaging to a more precise assessment of molecular mechanisms. This multimodality imaging approach (in combination with genetics/genomic information) could be used to bridge the gap between our knowledge of mechanisms underlying the processes of metastasis, tumour dormancy and routine clinical practice. Treatment regimes could therefore be individually tailored both at diagnosis and throughout treatment, through monitoring of drug pharmacodynamics providing an early read-out of response or resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Patel
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division & Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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45
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Gijsen M, King P, Perera T, Parker PJ, Harris AL, Larijani B, Kong A. HER2 phosphorylation is maintained by a PKB negative feedback loop in response to anti-HER2 herceptin in breast cancer. PLoS Biol 2010; 8:e1000563. [PMID: 21203579 PMCID: PMC3006345 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A feedback loop maintains HER2 receptor signalling and cell survival in response to Herceptin treatment in HER2-positive breast cancers, but this Herceptin resistance may be bypassed by pan-HER inhibitors. Herceptin (trastuzumab) is used in patients with breast cancer who have HER2 (ErbB2)–positive tumours. However, its mechanisms of action and how acquired resistance to Herceptin occurs are still poorly understood. It was previously thought that the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody Herceptin inhibits HER2 signalling, but recent studies have shown that Herceptin does not decrease HER2 phosphorylation. Its failure to abolish HER2 phosphorylation may be a key to why acquired resistance inevitably occurs for all responders if Herceptin is given as monotherapy. To date, no studies have explained why Herceptin does not abolish HER2 phosphorylation. The objective of this study was to investigate why Herceptin did not decrease HER2 phosphorylation despite being an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody. We also investigated the effects of acute and chronic Herceptin treatment on HER3 and PKB phosphorylation in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. Using both Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) methodology and conventional Western blot, we have found the molecular mechanisms whereby Herceptin fails to abolish HER2 phosphorylation. HER2 phosphorylation is maintained by ligand-mediated activation of EGFR, HER3, and HER4 receptors, resulting in their dimerisation with HER2. The release of HER ligands was mediated by ADAM17 through a PKB negative feedback loop. The feedback loop was activated because of the inhibition of PKB by Herceptin treatment since up-regulation of HER ligands and ADAM17 also occurred when PKB phosphorylation was inhibited by a PKB inhibitor (Akt inhibitor VIII, Akti-1/2). The combination of Herceptin with ADAM17 inhibitors or the panHER inhibitor JNJ-26483327 was able to abrogate the feedback loop and decrease HER2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the combination of Herceptin with JNJ-26483327 was synergistic in tumour inhibition in a BT474 xenograft model. We have determined that a PKB negative feedback loop links ADAM17 and HER ligands in maintaining HER2 phosphorylation during Herceptin treatment. The activation of other HER receptors via ADAM17 may mediate acquired resistance to Herceptin in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. This finding offers treatment opportunities for overcoming resistance in these patients. We propose that Herceptin should be combined with a panHER inhibitor or an ADAM inhibitor to overcome the acquired drug resistance for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Our results may also have implications for resistance to other therapies targeting HER receptors. HER2 (ErbB2) is a surface protein and member of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family that is overexpressed in approximately one-fifth of breast cancers. HER2-positive breast tumours tend to be very aggressive, and patients with this type of tumour have a poor prognosis. A therapeutic monoclonal antibody called trastuzumab (Herceptin) has been designed to block HER2 signalling and is used as a treatment for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. However, recent studies have shown that Herceptin does not decrease HER2 activation. This may be why patients invariably develop resistance if treated with Herceptin monotherapy. To date, no study has explained why Herceptin cannot abolish HER2 signalling despite being an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody. We have found that Herceptin switches on a feedback loop that increases the production of the ADAM17 protein, a protease that in turn releases the growth factors that activate HER (ErbB) receptors. These growth factors activate HER2 and also the other members of the HER receptor family—EGFR, HER3 and HER4—in such a way as to maintain HER2 activation and cell survival in HER2-positive breast cancer cells. We have found that when Herceptin is provided in combination with ADAM17 inhibitors, the feedback loop is abrogated in cells. Furthermore, a pan-HER inhibitor that decreases the activation of other HER receptors can also inhibit the feedback loop and decrease HER2 activation when used in combination with Herceptin. We further demonstrated that the combination therapy of Herceptin with a pan-HER inhibitor is more effective than Herceptin alone in an animal model of breast cancer. We believe our results offer treatment strategies that may help overcome acquired Herceptin resistance in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
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MESH Headings
- ADAM Proteins/metabolism
- ADAM17 Protein
- Animals
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/metabolism
- Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
- Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
- Feedback, Physiological
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Mice
- Neoplasm Transplantation
- Phosphorylation
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-2/genetics
- Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-3/metabolism
- Transplantation, Heterologous
- Trastuzumab
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel Gijsen
- Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Peter King
- Oncology Discovery Research and Early Development, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Tim Perera
- Oncology Discovery Research and Early Development, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Peter J. Parker
- Protein Phosphorylation Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, London, United Kingdom
- Division of Cancer Studies, King's College School of Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian L. Harris
- Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Banafshé Larijani
- Cell Biophysics Laboratory, London Research Institute, Cancer Research UK, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Kong
- Molecular Oncology Laboratories, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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46
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Jin Q, Yuan LX, Boulbes D, Baek JM, Wang YN, Gomez-Cabello D, Hawke DH, Yeung SC, Lee MH, Hortobagyi GN, Hung MC, Esteva FJ. Fatty acid synthase phosphorylation: a novel therapeutic target in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res 2010; 12:R96. [PMID: 21080941 PMCID: PMC3046439 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2010] [Revised: 10/25/2010] [Accepted: 11/16/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a validated therapeutic target in breast cancer. Heterodimerization of HER2 with other HER family members results in enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of signal transduction pathways. HER2 overexpression increases the translation of fatty acid synthase (FASN), and FASN overexpression markedly increases HER2 signaling, which results in enhanced cell growth. However, the molecular mechanism and regulation of HER2 and FASN interaction are not well defined. Lapatinib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and HER2 in breast cancer cells, resulting in apoptosis. We hypothesized that FASN is directly phosphorylated by HER2, resulting in enhanced signaling and tumor progression in breast cancer cells. Methods Using mass spectrometry, we identified FASN as one of the proteins that is dephosphorylated by lapatinib in SKBR3 breast cancer cells. Immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, a kinase assay, a FASN enzymatic activity assay, an invasion assay, a cell viability assay and zymography were used to determine the role of FASN phosphorylation in invasion of SKBR3 and BT474 cells. The FASN inhibitor C75 and small interfering RNA were used to downregulate FASN expression and/or activity. Results Our data demonstrated that FASN is phosphorylated when it is in complex with HER2. FASN phosphorylation was induced by heregulin in HER2-overexpressing SKBR3 and BT474 breast cancer cells. Heregulin-induced FASN phosphorylation resulted in increased FASN enzymatic activity, which was inhibited by lapatinib. The FASN inhibitor C75 suppressed FASN activity by directly inhibiting HER2 and FASN phosphorylation. Blocking FASN phosphorylation and activity by lapatinib or C75 suppressed the activity of matrix metallopeptidase 9 and inhibited invasion of SKBR3 and BT474 cells. Conclusions FASN phosphorylation by HER2 plays an important role in breast cancer progression and may be a novel therapeutic target in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanri Jin
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas M, D, Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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47
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Du WW, Yang BB, Shatseva TA, Yang BL, Deng Z, Shan SW, Lee DY, Seth A, Yee AJ. Versican G3 promotes mouse mammary tumor cell growth, migration, and metastasis by influencing EGF receptor signaling. PLoS One 2010; 5:e13828. [PMID: 21079779 PMCID: PMC2974650 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased versican expression in breast tumors is predictive of relapse and has negative impact on survival rates. The C-terminal G3 domain of versican influences local and systemic tumor invasiveness in pre-clinical murine models. However, the mechanism(s) by which G3 influences breast tumor growth and metastasis is not well characterized. Here we evaluated the expression of versican in mouse mammary tumor cell lines observing that 4T1 cells expressed highest levels while 66c14 cells expressed low levels. We exogenously expressed a G3 construct in 66c14 cells and analyzed its effects on cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle progression, and EGFR signaling. Experiments in a syngeneic orthotopic animal model demonstrated that G3 promoted tumor growth and systemic metastasis in vivo. Activation of pERK correlated with high levels of G3 expression. In vitro, G3 enhanced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration by up-regulating EGFR signaling, and enhanced cell motility through chemotactic mechanisms to bone stromal cells, which was prevented by inhibitor AG 1478. G3 expressing cells demonstrated increased CDK2 and GSK-3β (S9P) expression, which were related to cell growth. The activity of G3 on mouse mammary tumor cell growth, migration and its effect on spontaneous metastasis to bone in an orthotopic model was modulated by up-regulating the EGFR-mediated signaling pathway. Taken together, EGFR-signaling appears to be an important pathway in versican G3-mediated breast cancer tumor invasiveness and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Weidong Du
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Burton B. Yang
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tatiana A. Shatseva
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bing L. Yang
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zhaoqun Deng
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sze Wan Shan
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel Y. Lee
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arun Seth
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Albert J. Yee
- Department of Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Centre for the Study of Bone Metastasis, Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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48
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Zhu X, Zhou X, Lewis MT, Xia L, Wong S. Cancer stem cell, niche and EGFR decide tumor development and treatment response: A bio-computational simulation study. J Theor Biol 2010; 269:138-49. [PMID: 20969880 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2009] [Revised: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 10/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent research in cancer biology has suggested the hypothesis that tumors are initiated and driven by a small group of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Furthermore, cancer stem cell niches have been found to be essential in determining fates of CSCs, and several signaling pathways have been proven to play a crucial role in cellular behavior, which could be two important factors in cancer development. To better understand the progression, heterogeneity and treatment response of breast cancer, especially in the context of CSCs, we propose a mathematical model based on the cell compartment method. In this model, three compartments of cellular subpopulations are constructed: CSCs, progenitor cells (PCs), and terminal differentiated cells (TCs). Moreover, (1) the cancer stem cell niche is, considered by modeling its effect on division patterns (symmetric or asymmetric) of CSCs, and (2) the EGFR signaling pathway is integrated by modeling its role in cell proliferation, apoptosis. Our simulation results indicate that (1) a higher probability for symmetric division of CSC may result in a faster expansion of tumor population, and for a larger number of niches, the tumor grows at a slower rate, but the final tumor volume is larger; (2) higher EGFR expression correlates to tumors with larger volumes while a saturation function is observed, and (3) treatments that inhibit tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR may not only repress the tumor volume, but also decrease the CSCs percentages by shifting CSCs from symmetric divisions to asymmetric divisions. These findings suggest that therapies should be designed to effectively control or eliminate the symmetric division of CSCs and to reduce or destroy the CSC niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuwei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
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49
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Compensatory effects in the PI3K/PTEN/AKT signaling network following receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition. Cell Signal 2010; 23:407-16. [PMID: 20951800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2010.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2010] [Accepted: 10/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Overcoming de novo and acquired resistance to anticancer drugs that target signaling networks is a formidable challenge for drug design and effective cancer therapy. Understanding the mechanisms by which this resistance arises may offer a route to addressing the insensitivity of signaling networks to drug intervention and restore the efficacy of anticancer therapy. Extending our recent work identifying PTEN as a key regulator of Herceptin sensitivity, we present an integrated theoretical and experimental approach to study the compensatory mechanisms within the PI3K/PTEN/AKT signaling network that afford resistance to receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibition by anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies. In a computational model representing the dynamics of the signaling network, we define a single control parameter that encapsulates the balance of activities of the enzymes involved in the PI3K/PTEN/AKT cycle. By varying this control parameter we are able to demonstrate both distinct dynamic regimes of behavior of the signaling network and the transitions between those regimes. We demonstrate resistance, sensitivity, and suppression of RTK signals by the signaling network. Through model analysis we link the sensitivity-to-resistance transition to specific compensatory mechanisms within the signaling network. We study this transition in detail theoretically by variation of activities of PTEN, PI3K, AKT enzymes, and use the results to inform experiments that perturb the signaling network using combinatorial inhibition of RTK, PTEN, and PI3K enzymes in human ovarian carcinoma cell lines. We find good alignment between theoretical predictions and experimental results. We discuss the application of the results to the challenges of hypersensitivity of the signaling network to RTK signals, suppression of drug resistance, and efficacy of drug combinations in anticancer therapy.
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50
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Vollmann-Zwerenz A, Diermeier-Daucher S, Wege AK, Sassen A, Schmidt-Brücken E, Hofstaedter F, Ortmann O, Nauwelaers F, Brockhoff G. Multichromatic phenotyping of HER receptor coexpression in breast tumor tissue samples using flow cytometry--possibilities and limitations. Cytometry A 2010; 77:387-98. [PMID: 20151455 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.20868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The prognostic significance of HER2 expression in human breast carcinomas is beyond dispute nowadays. The HER family of receptor tyrosine kinases comprises four members (HER1/ErbB1/EGFR, HER2/ErbB2, HER3/ErbB3, and HER4/ErbB4) that act in concert via transactivation and consequently compose a functional signaling unit. Besides HER2 overexpression, coexpression of other HER receptors has substantial impact on course of disease and potential therapeutic benefit. This observation is substantiated by numerous preclinical studies and retrospective studies done on patients with breast cancer. Against this background, the quantification of all HER receptor expressions at the same time would significantly extend the information content revealed by routine diagnosis of breast cancer tissues. Moreover, the knowledge of HER receptor coexpression profiles in primary tumor samples could provide the basis to design and develop highly specific antireceptor treatment strategies. Here, we report on a simultaneous flow cytometric detection of all four HER receptors on carcinoma cells isolated from primary breast cancer tissues and separated from nonepithelial cells by cytokeratin staining. Combined with DNA, i.e. ploidy quantification, the approach resulted in a six-parameter assay that could complement the diagnosis of a variety of diseases in which HER receptor expression has a pivotal impact on the degree of malignancy.
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