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Chang CS, Shim JI, Byeon SJ, Lee EJ, Lee YY, Kim TJ, Lee JW, Kim BG, Choi CH. Prognostic Significance of HER3 Expression in Patients with Cervical Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092139. [PMID: 35565268 PMCID: PMC9104480 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
HER3 has been recognized to have an oncogenic role in various types of cancer. However, its prognostic significance has not been elucidated in cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of HER3 expression in cervical cancer using immunohistochemistry (IHC). HER3 immunohistochemical staining was performed on the tumor tissue samples of 336 cervical cancer patients. The association between the clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival analysis was assessed according to HER3 expression. HER3 IHC staining was positive in 31.0% (104/336) of the cervical cancer patients. A higher proportion of adeno-/adenosquamous carcinoma was observed in the HER3-positive group (34.6%) than in the HER3-negative group (18.8%). In survival analysis, HER3 expression was significantly associated with poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Multivariate analysis also indicated that HER3 expression was an independent prognostic factor for DFS (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42−4.67, p = 0.002) and OS (HR = 3.21, 95% CI, 1.26−8.14, p = 0.014). HER3 protein expression was a poor prognostic factor of survival in patients with cervical cancer. This finding could help to provide individualized management for these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Son Chang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Jung In Shim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Sun-Ju Byeon
- Department of Pathology, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hwasung 18450, Korea;
| | - Eun Jin Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Yoo-Young Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Tae-Joong Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Jeong-Won Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Byoung-Gie Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
| | - Chel Hun Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul 06351, Korea; (C.-S.C.); (J.I.S.); (E.J.L.); (Y.-Y.L.); (T.-J.K.); (J.-W.L.); (B.-G.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-2-3410-3545; Fax: +82-2-3410-0630
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Quantification of protein-protein interactions and activation dynamics: A new path to predictive biomarkers. Biophys Chem 2022; 283:106768. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2022.106768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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3
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Duvvuri U, George J, Kim S, Alvarado D, Neumeister VM, Chenna A, Gedrich R, Hawthorne T, LaVallee T, Grandis JR, Bauman JE. Molecular and Clinical Activity of CDX-3379, an Anti-ErbB3 Monoclonal Antibody, in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:5752-5758. [PMID: 31308059 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-3453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE ErbB3 and its ligand neuregulin-1 (NRG1) are widely expressed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and associated with tumor progression. A "window-of-opportunity" study (NCT02473731) was conducted to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of CDX-3379, an anti-ErbB3 mAb, in patients with HNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twelve patients with newly diagnosed, operable HNSCC received two infusions of CDX-3379 (1,000 mg) at a 2-week interval prior to tumor resection. The primary study objective was to achieve ≥50% reduction in tumor ErbB3 signaling (phosphorylation of ErbB3; pErbB3) in ≥30% of patients. Other potential tumor biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, safety, and tumor measurements were also assessed. RESULTS pErbB3 was detectable in all tumors prior to treatment and decreased for 10 of 12 (83%) patients following CDX-3379 dosing, with ≥50% reduction in 7 of 12 (58%; P = 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 27.7%-84.8%). Target trough CDX-3379 serum levels were achieved in all patients. CDX-3379 treatment-related toxicity was grade 1-2 and included diarrhea, fatigue, and acneiform dermatitis. Five of 12 (42%) patients had shrinkage in tumor burden, including a marked clinical response in a patient with human papillomavirus-negative oral cavity HNSCC. All patients with tumor shrinkage had tumors that expressed both NRG1 and ErbB3 and demonstrated reduced pErbB3 with CDX-3379 treatment. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that CDX-3379 can inhibit tumor ErbB3 phosphorylation in HNSCC. CDX-3379 was well tolerated and associated with measurable tumor regression. A phase II study (NCT03254927) has been initiated to evaluate CDX-3379 in combination with cetuximab for patients with advanced HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umamaheswar Duvvuri
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
| | - Jonathan George
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Seungwon Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | | | - Ahmed Chenna
- Monogram Biosciences, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, South San Francisco, California
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Julie E Bauman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, Arizona
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Li X, Xu Y, Ding Y, Li C, Zhao H, Wang J, Meng S. Posttranscriptional upregulation of HER3 by HER2 mRNA induces trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer. Mol Cancer 2018; 17:113. [PMID: 30068375 PMCID: PMC6090962 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-018-0862-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HER2 gene amplification generates an enormous number of HER2 transcripts, but the global effects on endogenous miRNA targets including HER family members in breast cancer are unexplored. METHODS We generated a HER2-3'UTR expressing vector to test the tumor-promoting properties in HER2 low expressing T47D and MCF7 cells. Through microarray analysis and real-time PCR analysis we identified genes that were regulated by HER2-3'UTR. Positive and negative manipulation of miRNA expression, response element mutational studies and transcript reporter assays were performed to explore the mechanism of competitive sequestration of miR125a/miRNA125b by HER2 3'UTR. To investigate if trastuzumab-induced upregulation of HER3 is also mediated through miRNA de-repression, we used the CRISPR/cas9 to mutate the endogenous HER2 mRNA in HER2 over-expressing Au565 cells. Finally, we looked at cohorts of breast cancer samples of our own and the TCGA to show if HER2 and HER3 mRNAs correlate with each other. RESULTS The HER2 3'UTR pronouncedly promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, and breast tumor growth. High-throughput sequencing revealed a significant increase in HER3 mRNA and protein levels by the HER2 3'untranslated region (3'UTR). The HER2 3'UTR harboring a shared miR-125a/b response element induced miR-125a/b sequestration and thus resulted in HER3 mRNA derepression. Trastuzumab treatment upregulated HER3 via elevated HER2 mRNA expression, leading to trastuzumab resistance. Depletion of miR-125a/b enhanced the antitumor activity of trastuzumab. Microarray data from HER2-overexpressing primary breast cancer showed significant elevation of mRNAs for predicted miR-125a/b targets compared to non-targets. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that HER2 3'UTR-mediated HER3 upregulation is involved in breast cell transformation, increased tumor growth, and resistance to anti-HER2 therapy. The combinatorial targeting of HER3 mRNA or miR-125a/b may offer an effective tool for breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuxiu Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yun Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Changfei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Zhao
- Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiandong Wang
- The General Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Songdong Meng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, People's Republic of China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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Geuijen CAW, De Nardis C, Maussang D, Rovers E, Gallenne T, Hendriks LJA, Visser T, Nijhuis R, Logtenberg T, de Kruif J, Gros P, Throsby M. Unbiased Combinatorial Screening Identifies a Bispecific IgG1 that Potently Inhibits HER3 Signaling via HER2-Guided Ligand Blockade. Cancer Cell 2018; 33:922-936.e10. [PMID: 29763625 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
HER2-driven cancers require phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling through HER3 to promote tumor growth and survival. The therapeutic benefit of HER2-targeting agents, which depend on PI3K/Akt inhibition, can be overcome by hyperactivation of the heregulin (HRG)/HER3 pathway. Here we describe an unbiased phenotypic combinatorial screening approach to identify a bispecific immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibody against HER2 and HER3. In tumor models resistant to HER2-targeting agents, the bispecific IgG1 potently inhibits the HRG/HER3 pathway and downstream PI3K/Akt signaling via a "dock & block" mechanism. This bispecific IgG1 is a potentially effective therapy for breast cancer and other tumors with hyperactivated HRG/HER3 signaling.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bispecific/administration & dosage
- Antibodies, Bispecific/pharmacology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects
- Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin G/administration & dosage
- Immunoglobulin G/pharmacology
- MCF-7 Cells
- Mice
- Models, Molecular
- Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism
- Protein Binding/drug effects
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism
- Receptor, ErbB-2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptor, ErbB-2/chemistry
- Receptor, ErbB-3/chemistry
- Receptor, ErbB-3/metabolism
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Camilla De Nardis
- Crystal and Structural Chemistry, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Piet Gros
- Crystal and Structural Chemistry, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Pool M, Kol A, de Jong S, de Vries EGE, Lub-de Hooge MN, Terwisscha van Scheltinga AGT. 89Zr-mAb3481 PET for HER3 tumor status assessment during lapatinib treatment. MAbs 2017; 9:1370-1378. [PMID: 28873009 PMCID: PMC5680796 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2017.1371382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-driven breast cancer with tyrosine kinase inhibitor lapatinib can induce a compensatory HER3 increase, which may attenuate antitumor efficacy. Therefore, we explored in vivo HER3 tumor status assessment after lapatinib treatment with zirconium-89 (89Zr)-labeled anti-HER3 antibody mAb3481 positron emission tomography (PET). Lapatinib effects on HER3 cell surface expression and mAb3481 internalization were evaluated in human breast (BT474, SKBR3) and gastric (N87) cancer cell lines using flow cytometry. Next, in vivo effects of daily lapatinib treatment on89Zr-mAb3481 BT474 and N87 xenograft tumor uptake were studied. PET-scans (BT474 only) were made after daily lapatinib treatment for 9 days, starting 3 days prior to 89Zr-mAb3481 administration. Subsequently, ex vivo 89Zr-mAb3481 organ distribution analysis was performed and HER3 tumor levels were measured with Western blot and immunohistochemistry. In vitro, lapatinib increased membranous HER3 in BT474, SKBR3 and N87 cells, and consequently mAb3481 internalization 1.7-fold (BT474), 1.4-fold (SKBR3) and 1.4-fold (N87). 89Zr-mAb3481 BT474 tumor uptake was remarkably high at SUVmean 5.6±0.6 (51.8±7.7%ID/g) using a 10 μg 89Zr-mAb3481 protein dose in vehicle-treated mice. However, compared to vehicle, lapatinib did not affect 89Zr-mAb3481 ex vivo uptake in BT474 and N87 tumors, while HER3 tumor expression remained unchanged. In conclusion, lapatinib increased in vitro HER3 tumor cell expression, but not when these cells were xenografted. 89Zr-mAb3481 PET accurately reflected HER3 tumor status. 89Zr-mAb3481 PET showed high, HER3-specific tumor uptake, and such an approach might sensitively assess HER3 tumor heterogeneity and treatment response in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Pool
- a Departments of Medical Oncology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Arjan Kol
- a Departments of Medical Oncology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Steven de Jong
- a Departments of Medical Oncology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth G E de Vries
- a Departments of Medical Oncology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Marjolijn N Lub-de Hooge
- b Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands.,c Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
| | - Anton G T Terwisscha van Scheltinga
- b Departments of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands
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Hu T, Sprague ER, Fodor M, Stams T, Clark KL, Cowan-Jacob SW. The impact of structural biology in medicine illustrated with four case studies. J Mol Med (Berl) 2017; 96:9-19. [PMID: 28669027 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-017-1565-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The contributions of structural biology to drug discovery have expanded over the last 20 years from structure-based ligand optimization to a broad range of clinically relevant topics including the understanding of disease, target discovery, screening for new types of ligands, discovery of new modes of action, addressing clinical challenges such as side effects or resistance, and providing data to support drug registration. This expansion of scope is due to breakthroughs in the technology, which allow structural information to be obtained rapidly and for more complex molecular systems, but also due to the combination of different technologies such as X-ray, NMR, and other biophysical methods, which allows one to get a more complete molecular understanding of disease and ways to treat it. In this review, we provide examples of the types of impact molecular structure information can have in the clinic for both low molecular weight and biologic drug discovery and describe several case studies from our own work to illustrate some of these contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiancen Hu
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Michelle Fodor
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Travis Stams
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Kirk L Clark
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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Weitsman G, Barber PR, Nguyen LK, Lawler K, Patel G, Woodman N, Kelleher MT, Pinder SE, Rowley M, Ellis PA, Purushotham AD, Coolen AC, Kholodenko BN, Vojnovic B, Gillett C, Ng T. HER2-HER3 dimer quantification by FLIM-FRET predicts breast cancer metastatic relapse independently of HER2 IHC status. Oncotarget 2016; 7:51012-51026. [PMID: 27618787 PMCID: PMC5239455 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of HER2 is an important prognostic marker, and the only predictive biomarker of response to HER2-targeted therapies in invasive breast cancer. HER2-HER3 dimer has been shown to drive proliferation and tumor progression, and targeting of this dimer with pertuzumab alongside chemotherapy and trastuzumab, has shown significant clinical utility. The purpose of this study was to accurately quantify HER2-HER3 dimerisation in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) breast cancer tissue as a novel prognostic biomarker.FFPE tissues were obtained from patients included in the METABRIC (Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium) study. HER2-HER3 dimerisation was quantified using an improved fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) histology-based analysis. Analysis of 131 tissue microarray cores demonstrated that the extent of HER2-HER3 dimer formation as measured by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) determined through FLIM predicts the likelihood of metastatic relapse up to 10 years after surgery (hazard ratio 3.91 (1.61-9.5), p = 0.003) independently of HER2 expression, in a multivariate model. Interestingly there was no correlation between the level of HER2 protein expressed and HER2-HER3 heterodimer formation. We used a mathematical model that takes into account the complex interactions in a network of all four HER proteins to explain this counterintuitive finding.Future utility of this technique may highlight a group of patients who do not overexpress HER2 protein but are nevertheless dependent on the HER2-HER3 heterodimer as driver of proliferation. This assay could, if validated in a group of patients treated with, for instance pertuzumab, be used as a predictive biomarker to predict for response to such targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Weitsman
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division and Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
| | - Paul R. Barber
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Research UK and Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Institute for Mathematical and Molecular Biomedicine, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
| | - Lan K. Nguyen
- Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katherine Lawler
- Institute for Mathematical and Molecular Biomedicine, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
| | - Gargi Patel
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division and Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
- Sussex Cancer Centre, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK
| | - Natalie Woodman
- Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, Department of Research Oncology, Guy's Hospital King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Muireann T. Kelleher
- Department of Medical Oncology, St George's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sarah E. Pinder
- Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, Department of Research Oncology, Guy's Hospital King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mark Rowley
- Institute for Mathematical and Molecular Biomedicine, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
| | - Paul A. Ellis
- Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
| | - Anand D. Purushotham
- Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
| | - Anthonius C. Coolen
- Institute for Mathematical and Molecular Biomedicine, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
| | - Boris N. Kholodenko
- Systems Biology Ireland, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Borivoj Vojnovic
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division and Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
- Department of Oncology, Cancer Research UK and Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Cheryl Gillett
- Research Oncology, Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, UK
| | - Tony Ng
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division and Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, Guy's Medical School Campus, London, UK
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, Department of Research Oncology, Guy's Hospital King's College London School of Medicine, London, UK
- UCL Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, University College London, London, UK
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9
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Leto SM, Sassi F, Catalano I, Torri V, Migliardi G, Zanella ER, Throsby M, Bertotti A, Trusolino L. Sustained Inhibition of HER3 and EGFR Is Necessary to Induce Regression of HER2-Amplified Gastrointestinal Carcinomas. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:5519-31. [PMID: 26296355 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-14-3066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Preclinical studies in HER2-amplified gastrointestinal cancer models have shown that cotargeting HER2 with a monoclonal antibody and a small molecule is superior to monotherapy with either inhibitor, but the underlying cooperative mechanisms remain unexplored. We investigated the molecular underpinnings of this synergy to identify key vulnerabilities susceptible to alternative therapeutic opportunities. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The phosphorylation/activation of HER2, HER3, EGFR (HER receptors), and downstream transducers was evaluated in HER2-overexpressing colorectal and gastric cancer cell lines by Western blotting and/or multiplex phosphoproteomics. The in vivo outcome of antibody-mediated HER2 blockade by trastuzumab, reversible HER2 inhibition by lapatinib, and irreversible HER2 inhibition by afatinib was assessed in patient-derived tumorgrafts and cell-line xenografts by monitoring tumor growth curves and by using antibody-based proximity assays. RESULTS Trastuzumab monotherapy reduced HER3 phosphorylation, with minor consequences on downstream transducers. Lapatinib alone acutely inhibited all HER receptors and effectors but led to delayed rephosphorylation of HER3 and EGFR and partial restoration of ERK and AKT activity. When combined with lapatinib, trastuzumab prevented HER3/EGFR reactivation and caused prolonged inhibition of ERK/AKT. Afatinib alone was also very effective in counteracting the reinstatement of HER3, EGFR, and downstream signaling activation. In vivo, the combination of trastuzumab and lapatinib-or, importantly, monotherapy with afatinib-resulted in overt tumor shrinkage. CONCLUSIONS Only prolonged inhibition of HER3 and EGFR, achievable by dual blockade with trastuzumab and lapatinib or irreversible HER2 inhibition by single-agent afatinib, led to regression of HER2-amplified gastrointestinal carcinomas. Clin Cancer Res; 21(24); 5519-31. ©2015 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simonetta M Leto
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy
| | - Francesco Sassi
- Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy
| | - Irene Catalano
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy
| | - Valter Torri
- Laboratory of Methodology for Biomedical Research, Oncology Department, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Migliardi
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy
| | - Eugenia R Zanella
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Bertotti
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy. Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi, INBB, Rome, Italy.
| | - Livio Trusolino
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin Medical School, Turin, Italy. Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Candiolo Cancer Institute-FPO IRCCS, Turin, Italy.
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Pollock NI, Wang L, Wallweber G, Gooding WE, Huang W, Chenna A, Winslow J, Sen M, DeGrave KA, Li H, Zeng Y, Grandis JR. Increased Expression of HER2, HER3, and HER2:HER3 Heterodimers in HPV-Positive HNSCC Using a Novel Proximity-Based Assay: Implications for Targeted Therapies. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:4597-606. [PMID: 26138066 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-14-3338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In other cancer types, HPV infection has been reported to coincide with overexpression of HER2 (ERBB2) and HER3 (ERBB3); however, the association between HER2 or HER3 expression and dimer formation in HNSCC has not been reported. Overexpression of HER2 and HER3 may contribute to resistance to EGFR inhibitors, including cetuximab, although the contribution of HPV in modulating cetuximab response remains unknown. Determination of heterodimerization of HER receptors is challenging and has not been reported in HNSCC. The present study aimed to determine the expression of HER proteins in HPV(+) versus HPV(-) HNSCC tumors using a proximity-based protein expression assay (VeraTag), and to determine the efficacy of HER-targeting agents in HPV(+) and HPV(-) HNSCC cell lines. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Expression of total HER1, HER2, and HER3, p95HER2, p-HER3, HER1:HER1 homodimers, HER2:HER3 heterodimers, and the HER3-PI3K complex in 88 HNSCC was determined using VeraTag, including 33 baseline tumors from individuals treated in a trial including cetuximab. Inhibition of cell growth and protein activation with cetuximab and afatinib was compared in HPV(+) and HPV(-) cetuximab-resistant cell lines. RESULTS Expression of total HER2, total HER3, HER2:HER3 heterodimers, and the HER3:PI3K complex were significantly elevated in HPV(+) HNSCC. Total EGFR was significantly increased in HPV(-) HNSCC where VeraTag assay results correlated with IHC. Afatinib significantly inhibited cell growth when compared with cetuximab in the HPV(+) and HPV(-) cetuximab-resistant HNSCC cell lines. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that agents targeting multiple HER proteins may be effective in the setting of HPV(+) HNSCC and/or cetuximab resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Netanya I Pollock
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Lin Wang
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Gerald Wallweber
- Monogram Biosciences/Labcorp, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - William E Gooding
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Weidong Huang
- Monogram Biosciences/Labcorp, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Ahmed Chenna
- Monogram Biosciences/Labcorp, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - John Winslow
- Monogram Biosciences/Labcorp, Inc., South San Francisco, California
| | - Malabika Sen
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Kara A DeGrave
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Hua Li
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Yan Zeng
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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11
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Nuciforo P, Radosevic-Robin N, Ng T, Scaltriti M. Quantification of HER family receptors in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res 2015; 17:53. [PMID: 25887735 PMCID: PMC4389676 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-015-0561-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The clinical success of trastuzumab in breast cancer taught us that appropriate tumor evaluation is mandatory for the correct identification of patients eligible for targeted therapies. Although HER2 protein expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays are routinely used to select patients to receive trastuzumab, both assays only partially predict response to the drug. In the case of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the link between the presence of the receptor or its amplification and response to anti-EGFR therapies could not be demonstrated. Even less is known for HER3 and HER4, mainly due to lack of robust and validated assays detecting these proteins. It is becoming evident that, besides FISH and IHC, we need better assays to quantify HER receptors and categorize the patients for individualized treatments. Here, we present the current available methodologies to measure HER family receptors and discuss the clinical implications of target quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Nuciforo
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 119-129, Barcelona, 08035, Spain.
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08035, Spain.
| | - Nina Radosevic-Robin
- ERTICa Research Group, University of Auvergne EA4677, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
- Biopathology, Jean Perrin Comprehensive Cancer Center, 58 rue Montalembert, 63011, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Tony Ng
- Richard Dimbleby Department of Cancer Research, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics and Division of Cancer Studies, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
- UCL Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, University College London, London, WC1E 6DD, UK.
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit, Department of Research Oncology, Guy's Hospital King's College London School of Medicine, London, SE1 9RT, UK.
| | - Maurizio Scaltriti
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, Box 20, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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12
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Kol A, Terwisscha van Scheltinga AG, Timmer-Bosscha H, Lamberts LE, Bensch F, de Vries EG, Schröder CP. HER3, serious partner in crime. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 143:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 09/27/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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13
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Lipton A, Goodman L, Leitzel K, Cook J, Sperinde J, Haddad M, Köstler WJ, Huang W, Weidler JM, Ali S, Newton A, Fuchs EM, Paquet A, Singer CF, Horvat R, Jin X, Banerjee J, Mukherjee A, Tan Y, Shi Y, Chenna A, Larson J, Lie Y, Sherwood T, Petropoulos CJ, Williams S, Winslow J, Parry G, Bates M. HER3, p95HER2, and HER2 protein expression levels define multiple subtypes of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2014; 141:43-53. [PMID: 23959396 PMCID: PMC3758835 DOI: 10.1007/s10549-013-2665-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Trastuzumab is effective in the treatment of HER2/neu over-expressing breast cancer, but not all patients benefit from it. In vitro data suggest a role for HER3 in the initiation of signaling activity involving the AKT–mTOR pathway leading to trastuzumab insensitivity. We sought to investigate the potential of HER3 alone and in the context of p95HER2 (p95), a trastuzumab resistance marker, as biomarkers of trastuzumab escape. Using the VeraTag® assay platform, we developed a dual antibody proximity-based assay for the precise quantitation of HER3 total protein (H3T) from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) breast tumors. We then measured H3T in 89 patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with trastuzumab-based therapy, and correlated the results with progression-free survival and overall survival using Kaplan–Meier and decision tree analyses that also included HER2 total (H2T) and p95 expression levels. Within the sub-population of patients that over-expressed HER2, high levels of HER3 and/or p95 protein expression were significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes on trastuzumab-based therapy. Based on quantitative H3T, p95, and H2T measurements, multiple subtypes of HER2-positive breast cancer were identified that differ in their outcome following trastuzumab therapy. These data suggest that HER3 and p95 are informative biomarkers of clinical outcomes on trastuzumab therapy, and that multiple subtypes of HER2-positive breast cancer may be defined by quantitative measurements of H3T, p95, and H2T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan Lipton
- Breast Oncology Research, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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14
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van Dieck J, Schmid V, Heindl D, Dziadek S, Schraeml M, Gerg M, Massoner P, Engel AM, Tiefenthaler G, Vural S, Stritt S, Tetzlaff F, Soukupova M, Kopetzki E, Bossenmaier B, Thomas M, Klein C, Mertens A, Heller A, Tacke M. Development of bispecific molecules for the in situ detection of protein-protein interactions and protein phosphorylation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 21:357-68. [PMID: 24529991 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2013.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/31/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and protein phosphorylation in clinical tissue samples can offer valuable information about the activation status and function of proteins involved in disease progression. However, existing antibody-based methods for phosphorylation detection have been found to lack specificity, and methods developed for examining PPIs in vitro cannot be easily adapted for tissues samples. In this study, we eliminated some of these limitations by developing a specific immunohistochemical staining method that uses "dual binders" (DBs), which are bispecific detection agents consisting of two Fab fragment molecules joined by a flexible linker, to detect PPIs and protein phosphorylation. We engineered DBs by selecting Fab fragments with fast off-rate kinetics, which allowed us to demonstrate that stable target binding was achieved only upon simultaneous, cooperative binding to both epitopes. We show that DBs specifically detect the activated HER2/HER3 complex in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded cancer cells and exhibit superior detection specificity for phospho-HER3 compared to the corresponding monoclonal antibody. Overall, the performance of DBs makes them attractive tools for future development for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan van Dieck
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Volker Schmid
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Dieter Heindl
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Dziadek
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schraeml
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Michael Gerg
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Petra Massoner
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Alfred M Engel
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Georg Tiefenthaler
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Serhat Vural
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Simon Stritt
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Tetzlaff
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Monika Soukupova
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Erhard Kopetzki
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Bossenmaier
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Marlene Thomas
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Glycart AG, 8952 Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Mertens
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Astrid Heller
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany
| | - Michael Tacke
- Roche Professional Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, 82377 Penzberg, Germany.
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15
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Shankaran H, Zhang Y, Tan Y, Resat H. Model-based analysis of HER activation in cells co-expressing EGFR, HER2 and HER3. PLoS Comput Biol 2013; 9:e1003201. [PMID: 23990774 PMCID: PMC3749947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The HER/ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases drives critical responses in normal physiology and cancer, and the expression levels of the various HER receptors are critical determinants of clinical outcomes. HER activation is driven by the formation of various dimer complexes between members of this receptor family. The HER dimer types can have differential effects on downstream signaling and phenotypic outcomes. We constructed an integrated mathematical model of HER activation, and trafficking to quantitatively link receptor expression levels to dimerization and activation. We parameterized the model with a comprehensive set of HER phosphorylation and abundance data collected in a panel of human mammary epithelial cells expressing varying levels of EGFR/HER1, HER2 and HER3. Although parameter estimation yielded multiple solutions, predictions for dimer phosphorylation were in agreement with each other. We validated the model using experiments where pertuzumab was used to block HER2 dimerization. We used the model to predict HER dimerization and activation patterns in a panel of human mammary epithelial cells lines with known HER expression levels in response to stimulations with ligands EGF and HRG. Simulations over the range of expression levels seen in various cell lines indicate that: i) EGFR phosphorylation is driven by HER1-HER1 and HER1-HER2 dimers, and not HER1-HER3 dimers, ii) HER1-HER2 and HER2-HER3 dimers both contribute significantly to HER2 activation with the EGFR expression level determining the relative importance of these species, and iii) the HER2-HER3 dimer is largely responsible for HER3 activation. The model can be used to predict phosphorylated dimer levels for any given HER expression profile. This information in turn can be used to quantify the potencies of the various HER dimers, and can potentially inform personalized therapeutic approaches. A family of cell surface molecules called the HER receptor family plays important roles in normal physiology and cancer. This family has four members, HER1-4. These receptors convert signals received from the extracellular environment into cell decisions such as growth and survival – a process termed signal transduction. In particular, HER2 and HER3 are over-expressed in a number of tumors, and their expression levels are associated with abnormal growth and poor clinical prognosis. A key step in HER-mediated signal transduction is the formation of dimer complexes between members of this family. Different dimer types have different potencies for activating normal and aberrant responses. Prediction of the dimerization pattern for a given HER expression level may pave the way for personalized therapeutic approaches targeting specific dimers. Towards this end, we constructed a mathematical model for HER dimerization and activation. We determined unknown model parameters by analyzing HER activation data collected in a panel of human mammary epithelial cells that express different levels of the HER molecules. The model enables us to quantitatively link HER expression levels to receptor dimerization and activation. Further, the model can be used to support additional quantitative investigations into the basic biology of HER-mediated signal transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harish Shankaran
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States of America
| | - Yi Zhang
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States of America
| | - Yunbing Tan
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Haluk Resat
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Garner AP, Bialucha CU, Sprague ER, Garrett JT, Sheng Q, Li S, Sineshchekova O, Saxena P, Sutton CR, Chen D, Chen Y, Wang H, Liang J, Das R, Mosher R, Gu J, Huang A, Haubst N, Zehetmeier C, Haberl M, Elis W, Kunz C, Heidt AB, Herlihy K, Murtie J, Schuller A, Arteaga CL, Sellers WR, Ettenberg SA. An antibody that locks HER3 in the inactive conformation inhibits tumor growth driven by HER2 or neuregulin. Cancer Res 2013; 73:6024-35. [PMID: 23928993 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-1198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
HER2/HER3 dimerization resulting from overexpression of HER2 or neuregulin (NRG1) in cancer leads to HER3-mediated oncogenic activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling. Although ligand-blocking HER3 antibodies inhibit NRG1-driven tumor growth, they are ineffective against HER2-driven tumor growth because HER2 activates HER3 in a ligand-independent manner. In this study, we describe a novel HER3 monoclonal antibody (LJM716) that can neutralize multiple modes of HER3 activation, making it a superior candidate for clinical translation as a therapeutic candidate. LJM716 was a potent inhibitor of HER3/AKT phosphorylation and proliferation in HER2-amplified and NRG1-expressing cancer cells, and it displayed single-agent efficacy in tumor xenograft models. Combining LJM716 with agents that target HER2 or EGFR produced synergistic antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. In particular, combining LJM716 with trastuzumab produced a more potent inhibition of signaling and cell proliferation than trastuzumab/pertuzumab combinations with similar activity in vivo. To elucidate its mechanism of action, we solved the structure of LJM716 bound to HER3, finding that LJM716 bound to an epitope, within domains 2 and 4, that traps HER3 in an inactive conformation. Taken together, our findings establish that LJM716 possesses a novel mechanism of action that, in combination with HER2- or EGFR-targeted agents, may leverage their clinical efficacy in ErbB-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P Garner
- Authors' Affiliations: Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Departments of Medicine and Cancer Biology; Breast Cancer Research Program, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; MorphoSys AG, Martinsried, Germany; and Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California
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17
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Garrett JT, Sutton CR, Kurupi R, Bialucha CU, Ettenberg SA, Collins SD, Sheng Q, Wallweber J, Defazio-Eli L, Arteaga CL. Combination of antibody that inhibits ligand-independent HER3 dimerization and a p110α inhibitor potently blocks PI3K signaling and growth of HER2+ breast cancers. Cancer Res 2013; 73:6013-23. [PMID: 23918797 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-1191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
We examined the effects of LJM716, an HER3 (ERBB3) neutralizing antibody that inhibits ligand-induced and ligand-independent HER3 dimerization, as a single agent and in combination with BYL719, an ATP competitive p110α-specific inhibitor, against HER2-overexpressing breast and gastric cancers. Treatment with LJM716 reduced HER2-HER3 and HER3-p85 dimers, P-HER3 and P-AKT, both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with LJM716 alone markedly reduced growth of BT474 xenografts. The combination of LJM716/lapatinib/trastuzumab significantly improved survival of mice with BT474 xenografts compared with lapatinib/trastuzumab (P = 0.0012). LJM716 and BYL719 synergistically inhibited growth in a panel of HER2+ and PIK3CA mutant cell lines. The combination also inhibited P-AKT in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells and growth of HER2+ NCI-N87 gastric cancer xenografts more potently than LJM716 or BYL719 alone. Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+/PIK3CA mutant MDA453 xenografts regressed completely after 3 weeks of therapy with LJM716 and BYL719, whereas either single agent inhibited growth only partially. Finally, mice with BT474 xenografts treated with trastuzumab/LJM716, trastuzumab/BYL719, LJM716/BYL719, or trastuzumab/LJM716/BYL719 exhibited similar rates of tumor regression after 3 weeks of treatment. Thirty weeks after treatment discontinuation, 14% of mice were treated with trastuzumab/LJM716/BYL719, whereas >80% in all other treatment groups were sacrificed due to a recurrent large tumor burden (P = 0.0066). These data suggest that dual blockade of the HER2 signaling network with an HER3 antibody that inhibits HER2-HER3 dimers in combination with a p110α-specific inhibitor in the absence of a direct HER2 antagonist is an effective treatment approach against HER2-overexpressing cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan T Garrett
- Authors' Affiliations: Departments of Medicine and Cancer Biology; Breast Cancer Research Program, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts; Integrated Oncology/LabCorp; and Monogram Biosciences/LabCorp, South San Francisco, California
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18
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Leuchowius KJ, Clausson CM, Grannas K, Erbilgin Y, Botling J, Zieba A, Landegren U, Söderberg O. Parallel visualization of multiple protein complexes in individual cells in tumor tissue. Mol Cell Proteomics 2013; 12:1563-71. [PMID: 23436906 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.o112.023374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular functions are regulated and executed by complex protein interaction networks. Accordingly, it is essential to understand the interplay between proteins in determining the activity status of signaling cascades. New methods are therefore required to provide information on different protein interaction events at the single cell level in heterogeneous cell populations such as in tissue sections. Here, we describe a multiplex proximity ligation assay for simultaneous visualization of multiple protein complexes in situ. The assay is an enhancement of the original proximity ligation assay, and it is based on using proximity probes labeled with unique tag sequences that can be used to read out which probes, from a pool of probes, have bound a certain protein complex. Using this approach, it is possible to gain information on the constituents of different protein complexes, the subcellular location of the complexes, and how the balance between different complex constituents can change between normal and malignant cells, for example. As a proof of concept, we used the assay to simultaneously visualize multiple protein complexes involving EGFR, HER2, and HER3 homo- and heterodimers on a single-cell level in breast cancer tissue sections. The ability to study several protein complex formations concurrently at single cell resolution could be of great potential for a systems understanding, paving the way for improved disease diagnostics and possibilities for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl-Johan Leuchowius
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Rudbeck Laboratory, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.
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DeFazio-Eli L, Strommen K, Dao-Pick T, Parry G, Goodman L, Winslow J. Quantitative assays for the measurement of HER1-HER2 heterodimerization and phosphorylation in cell lines and breast tumors: applications for diagnostics and targeted drug mechanism of action. Breast Cancer Res 2011; 13:R44. [PMID: 21496232 PMCID: PMC3219207 DOI: 10.1186/bcr2866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2010] [Revised: 03/17/2011] [Accepted: 04/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Ligand-bound and phosphorylated ErbB/HER heterodimers are potent signaling forms of this receptor family, and quantitative measurements of these active receptors may be predictive of patient response to targeted therapies. Using VeraTag™ technology, we developed and characterized quantitative assays measuring epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent increases in activated HER receptors in tumor cell line lysates and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor sections. We demonstrated the ability of the assays to quantitatively measure changes in activated HER1 and HER2 receptor levels in cell lines following treatment with 2C4, erlotinib, and lapatinib. We utilized these assays to determine the prevalence and distribution of activated HER1, HER2, and HER1-HER2 heterodimers in 43 HER2-positive breast tumors. Methods Assays for activated HER1 and HER2 receptors in FFPE and cell lysate formats were developed using VeraTag™ technology, which requires the proximity of an antibody pair for light-dependent release of a fluorescently labeled tag, followed by capillary electrophoresis-based quantitation. Results Ligand-dependent and independent HER1-HER2 heterodimer levels measured by lysate and FFPE VeraTag™ assays trended with HER1 and HER2 expression levels in tumor cell lines, which was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. The formation of EGF-dependent HER1-HER2 heterodimers were inhibited by the HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody 2C4 and stabilized by the HER1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) erlotinib. EGF-dependent HER1 and HER2 phosphorylation was inhibited by lapatinib and erlotinib. Further, we observed that dominant receptor signaling patterns may switch between HER1-HER1 and HER1-HER2, depending on drug mechanism of action and relative levels of HER receptors. In FFPE breast tumors that expressed both HER1 and HER2, HER1-HER2 heterodimers were detected in 25 to 50% of tumors, depending on detection method. The levels of activated phospho-HER1-HER2 heterodimers correlated with HER1 or HER2 levels in an analysis of 43 HER2-positive breast tumors. Conclusions VeraTag™ lysate assays can be used as a tool for understanding the mechanism of action of targeted HER-family inhibitors in the preclinical setting, while VeraTag™ FFPE assays of activated HER receptors combined with total HER2 measurements (HERmark®) in tumor samples may provide a more accurate prediction of clinical response to both HER1 and HER2 targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa DeFazio-Eli
- Department of Oncology Research and Development, Monogram Biosciences, Inc., 345 Oyster Point Blvd., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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