1
|
Jagadeeshan S, Prasad M, Badarni M, Lulu TB, Liju VB, Mathukkada S, Saunders C, Shnerb AB, Zorea J, Yegodayev KM, Wainer M, Vtorov L, Allon I, Cohen O, Gausdal G, Friedmann-Morvinski D, Cheong SC, Ho AL, Rosenberg AJ, Kessler L, Burrows F, Kong D, Grandis JR, Gutkind JS, Elkabets M. Mutated HRAS Activates YAP1-AXL Signaling to Drive Metastasis of Head and Neck Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:1031-1047. [PMID: 36753744 PMCID: PMC10073343 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-2586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
The survival rate for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) diagnosed with cervical lymph node (cLN) or distant metastasis is low. Genomic alterations in the HRAS oncogene are associated with advanced tumor stage and metastasis in HNC. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which mutated HRAS (HRASmut) facilitates HNC metastasis could lead to improved treatment options for patients. Here, we examined metastasis driven by mutant HRAS in vitro and in vivo using HRASmut human HNC cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, and a novel HRASmut syngeneic model. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations indicated that HRASmut was sufficient to drive invasion in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Targeted proteomic analysis showed that HRASmut promoted AXL expression via suppressing the Hippo pathway and stabilizing YAP1 activity. Pharmacological blockade of HRAS signaling with the farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib activated the Hippo pathway and reduced the nuclear export of YAP1, thus suppressing YAP1-mediated AXL expression and metastasis. AXL was required for HRASmut cells to migrate and invade in vitro and to form regional cLN and lung metastases in vivo. In addition, AXL-depleted HRASmut tumors displayed reduced lymphatic and vascular angiogenesis in the primary tumor. Tipifarnib treatment also regulated AXL expression and attenuated VEGFA and VEGFC expression, thus regulating tumor-induced vascular formation and metastasis. Our results indicate that YAP1 and AXL are crucial factors for HRASmut-induced metastasis and that tipifarnib treatment can limit the metastasis of HNC tumors with HRAS mutations by enhancing YAP1 cytoplasmic sequestration and downregulating AXL expression. SIGNIFICANCE Mutant HRAS drives metastasis of head and neck cancer by switching off the Hippo pathway to activate the YAP1-AXL axis and to stimulate lymphovascular angiogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Jagadeeshan
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Manu Prasad
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Mai Badarni
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Talal Ben Lulu
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Vijayasteltar Belsamma Liju
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Sooraj Mathukkada
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Claire Saunders
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Avital Beeri Shnerb
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan Zorea
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Ksenia M Yegodayev
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Monica Wainer
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Liza Vtorov
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Irit Allon
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Institute of Pathology, Barzilai University Medical Center, Ashqelon, Israel
| | - Ofir Cohen
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Dinorah Friedmann-Morvinski
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Sok Ching Cheong
- Translational Cancer Biology, Cancer Research Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan SS12/1A, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Alan L Ho
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY and Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Ari J Rosenberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | - Dexin Kong
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Department of Pharmacology and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Moshe Elkabets
- The Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Genetics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dhakal S, Bougnaud S, Lorens JB, Gausdal G, Moutoussamy EE, Gabra H. Abstract 2087: AXL inhibition enhances Type 1 interferon (IFN) response and potentiates chemo-immunotherapy. Cancer Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2022-2087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Chemotherapy elicits anti-tumor immune responses by inducing immunogenic tumor cell death, targeting suppressive immune cells and activating Type 1 interferon (IFN) responses (1, 2, 3). Chemotherapeutic agents lead to cGAS - STING cytosolic DNA sensing pathway activation that results in Type 1 IFN release (4). IFN receptor (IFNAR1, IFNAR2) signaling mimics viral immune responses, is associated with clinical benefit (5, 6) and is exploited by chemo-immunotherapies (7, 8). The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is associated with immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance (8). AXL serves as a critical regulatory checkpoint for TLR-induced IFN responses in dendritic cells, macrophages and natural killer cells (9, 10). IFN receptor signaling induces AXL expression (11) and AXL activation on dendritic cells is targeted by viruses (e.g. Zika) to abrogate IFN responses and inhibit anti-viral immunity. AXL serves as an IFN-response checkpoint by blocking IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 signaling. We hypothesized that tumor cells exploit AXL signaling to abrogate Type 1 IFN responses and inhibit antitumor immunity. We evaluated whether AXL inhibition promotes Type 1 IFN signalling and enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy.
AXL kinase inhibition (bemcentinib) in combination with chemotherapy (doxorubicin) increased IFN response gene expression in mammary carcinoma and melanoma cell lines. In vivo, bemcentinib treatment potentiated the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in combination with intratumoral doxorubicin injection (i.t) in the syngeneic myeloid derived suppressor cell (MDSC)- rich refractory mammary adenocarcinoma 4T1 model. In addition, bemcentinib treatment in conjunction with i.t. doxorubicin enhanced Type 1 IFN response, reduced cancer stemness and epithelial to mesenchymal (EMT) gene expression in this model. Furthermore, this combination treatment regimen sensitized the immune checkpoint inhibitor refractory Braf-mutant melanoma (YUMM1.7) by enhancing the type 1 IFN response resulting in significantly improved median overall survival. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that bemcentinib potentiates chemo-immunotherapy by enhancing tumor Type 1 IFN response and dampening EMT.
References: 1) Galluzzi, Can Cell 2015. 2) Yan, Front Immunol 2018. 3) Fitzgerald, Nat Immun 2003. 4) Platanias, Nature Rev Immun 2005. 5) Sistigu, Nat Med. 2014. 6) Zitvogel L, Nature Rev Immun 2015. 7) Lazzari, Ther Adv Med Onc 2018. 8) Emens, CIR 2015. 9) Aguilera, Clin Can Res 2017. 10) Rothlin, Cell 2007. 11) Huang, Eur J Immunol 2015. 12) Cruz, JCI Insight. 2019.
Citation Format: Sushil Dhakal, Sébastien Bougnaud, James B. Lorens, Gro Gausdal, Emmanuel E. Moutoussamy, Hani Gabra. AXL inhibition enhances Type 1 interferon (IFN) response and potentiates chemo-immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2087.
Collapse
|
3
|
Magnus Grøndal S, Hodneland Nilsson L, Blø M, Boniecka A, Milde E, Jackson A, Gausdal G, Lorens JB. MO434: Bemcentinib Targets Macrophage and Mesangial Cells in Renal Fibrosis. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfac070.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Renal fibrosis, a progressive process of extracellular matrix accumulation leading to renal failure, lacks effective treatment. Expression of the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase has been implicated in kidney injury and mesangial proliferation [1]. Inhibition of AXL signalling with the selective AXL kinase inhibitor bemcentinib reduces fibrosis and inflammation in murine models of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and in glomerulonephritis [2, 3].
METHOD
Male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to UUO for 3 or 15 days and treated twice daily with vehicle or bemcentinib (50 mg/kg) by oral gavage. Kidneys were divided into pieces that were either dissociated into single cells for mass cytometry analysis or subjected to Sirius Red staining to evaluate collagen deposition. Samples for mass cytometry were stained with a 45-plex antibody panel, acquired on Helios, then cleaned and analysed using UMAP [4] for dimensionality reduction and PARC [5] for clustering. The effect of ligation was modelled with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) using centered log-ratio transformed cluster compositions to predict the number of days of ligation. LASSO is a regression method that prevents overfitting by penalizing variables and is commonly used for variable selection.
RESULTS
Sirius Red staining confirmed, as previously published, reduced fibrosis development in kidneys from bemcentinib treated animals compared to the vehicle following 15 days of UUO. No significant effect of bemcentinib was observed after 3 days of obstruction.
Mass cytometry analysis yielded 31 clusters representing immune, endothelial, pericyte, mesangial and epithelial cells from proximal tubules, loop of Henle, distal tubules and collecting duct. AXL was expressed by pericytes, endothelial cells, mesangial cells and macrophages. Modelling with LASSO suggested that the most important feature of ligation was the expansion of mesangial cells. Bemcentinib treatment did not result in any significant changes in non-ligated kidneys and kidneys ligated for 3 days. At 15 days, post-bemcentinib treatment, the number of mesangial cells and macrophages decreased, while the number of epithelial cells comprising the proximal tubules and loop of Henle increased. The LASSO model estimation corresponded to an apparent reduction in disease progression of 30% (corresponding to day 10 or 11 post-ligation).
CONCLUSION
AXL targeting macrophages and mesangial cells delays the progression of kidney fibrosis in the UUO model and represents a valid approach to treat kidney disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - James B Lorens
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li H, Liu Z, Liu L, Zhang H, Han C, Girard L, Park H, Zhang A, Dong C, Ye J, Rayford A, Peyton M, Li X, Avila K, Cao X, Hu S, Alam MM, Akbay EA, Solis LM, Behrens C, Hernandez-Ruiz S, Lu W, Wistuba I, Heymach JV, Chisamore M, Micklem D, Gabra H, Gausdal G, Lorens JB, Li B, Fu YX, Minna JD, Brekken RA. AXL targeting restores PD-1 blockade sensitivity of STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC through expansion of TCF1 + CD8 T cells. Cell Rep Med 2022; 3:100554. [PMID: 35492873 PMCID: PMC9040166 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in STK11/LKB1 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are associated with poor patient responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), and introduction of a Stk11/Lkb1 (L) mutation into murine lung adenocarcinomas driven by mutant Kras and Trp53 loss (KP) resulted in an ICB refractory syngeneic KPL tumor. Mechanistically this occurred because KPL mutant NSCLCs lacked TCF1-expressing CD8 T cells, a phenotype recapitulated in human STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLCs. Systemic inhibition of Axl results in increased type I interferon secretion from dendritic cells that expanded tumor-associated TCF1+PD-1+CD8 T cells, restoring therapeutic response to PD-1 ICB in KPL tumors. This was observed in syngeneic immunocompetent mouse models and in humanized mice bearing STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC human tumor xenografts. NSCLC-affected individuals with identified STK11/LKB1 mutations receiving bemcentinib and pembrolizumab demonstrated objective clinical response to combination therapy. We conclude that AXL is a critical targetable driver of immune suppression in STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Li
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zhida Liu
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Longchao Liu
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Hongyi Zhang
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chuanhui Han
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Luc Girard
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hyunsil Park
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
| | - Anli Zhang
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Chunbo Dong
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Jianfeng Ye
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Austin Rayford
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Michael Peyton
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Kimberley Avila
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
| | - Xuezhi Cao
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Shuiqing Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Md Maksudul Alam
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Esra A. Akbay
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
| | - Luisa M. Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Carmen Behrens
- Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sharia Hernandez-Ruiz
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ignacio Wistuba
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - John V. Heymach
- Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - James B. Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Bo Li
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yang-Xin Fu
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9072, USA
- Department of Immunology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - John D. Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Rolf A. Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 6000 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-8593, USA
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chen TJ, Mydel P, Benedyk‐Machaczka M, Kamińska M, Kalucka U, Blø M, Furriol J, Gausdal G, Lorens J, Osman T, Marti H. AXL targeting by a specific small molecule or monoclonal antibody inhibits renal cell carcinoma progression in an orthotopic mice model. Physiol Rep 2021; 9:e15140. [PMID: 34877810 PMCID: PMC8652404 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AXL tyrosine kinase activation enhances cancer cell survival, migration, invasiveness, and promotes drug resistance. AXL overexpression is typically detected in a high percentage of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and is strongly associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, AXL inhibition represents an attractive treatment option in these cancers. In this preclinical study, we investigated the antitumor role of a highly selective small molecule AXL inhibitor bemcentinib (BGB324, BerGenBio), and a newly developed humanized anti-AXL monoclonal function blocking antibody tilvestamab, (BGB149, BerGenBio), in vitro and an orthotopic RCC mice model. The 786-0-Luc human RCC cells showed high AXL expression. Both bemcentinib and tilvestamab significantly inhibited AXL activation induced by Gas6 stimulation in vitro. Furthermore, tilvestamab inhibited the downstream AKT phosphorylation in these cells. The 786-0-Luc human RCC cells generated tumors with high Ki67 and vimentin expression upon orthotopic implantation in athymic BALB/c nude mice. Most importantly, both bemcentinib and tilvestamab inhibited the progression of tumors induced by the orthotopically implanted 786-0 RCC cells. Remarkably, their in vivo antitumor effectiveness was not significantly enhanced by concomitant administration of a multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Bemcentinib and tilvestamab qualify as compounds of potentially high clinical interest in AXL overexpressing RCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tony J. Chen
- Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Piotr Mydel
- Department of Clinical ScienceUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Department of MicrobiologyJagiellonian UniversityKrakowPoland
| | | | - Marta Kamińska
- Department of MicrobiologyJagiellonian UniversityKrakowPoland
| | - Urszula Kalucka
- Department of MicrobiologyJagiellonian UniversityKrakowPoland
| | | | - Jessica Furriol
- Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | | | - James Lorens
- Department of BiomedicineCentre for Cancer BiomarkersNorwegian Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Tarig Osman
- Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
| | - Hans‐Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of BergenBergenNorway
- Department of MedicineHaukeland University HospitalBergenNorway
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bohan D, Van Ert H, Ruggio N, Rogers KJ, Badreddine M, Aguilar Briseño JA, Elliff JM, Rojas Chavez RA, Gao B, Stokowy T, Christakou E, Kursula P, Micklem D, Gausdal G, Haim H, Minna J, Lorens JB, Maury W. Phosphatidylserine receptors enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009743. [PMID: 34797899 PMCID: PMC8641883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors enhance infection of many enveloped viruses through virion-associated PS binding that is termed apoptotic mimicry. Here we show that this broadly shared uptake mechanism is utilized by SARS-CoV-2 in cells that express low surface levels of ACE2. Expression of members of the TIM (TIM-1 and TIM-4) and TAM (AXL) families of PS receptors enhance SARS-CoV-2 binding to cells, facilitate internalization of fluorescently-labeled virions and increase ACE2-dependent infection of SARS-CoV-2; however, PS receptors alone did not mediate infection. We were unable to detect direct interactions of the PS receptor AXL with purified SARS-CoV-2 spike, contrary to a previous report. Instead, our studies indicate that the PS receptors interact with PS on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virions. In support of this, we demonstrate that: 1) significant quantities of PS are located on the outer leaflet of SARS-CoV-2 virions, 2) PS liposomes, but not phosphatidylcholine liposomes, reduced entry of VSV/Spike pseudovirions and 3) an established mutant of TIM-1 which does not bind to PS is unable to facilitate entry of SARS-CoV-2. As AXL is an abundant PS receptor on a number of airway lines, we evaluated small molecule inhibitors of AXL signaling such as bemcentinib for their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection. Bemcentinib robustly inhibited virus infection of Vero E6 cells as well as multiple human lung cell lines that expressed AXL. This inhibition correlated well with inhibitors that block endosomal acidification and cathepsin activity, consistent with AXL-mediated uptake of SARS-CoV-2 into the endosomal compartment. We extended our observations to the related betacoronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), showing that inhibition or ablation of AXL reduces MHV infection of murine cells. In total, our findings provide evidence that PS receptors facilitate infection of the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that inhibition of the PS receptor AXL has therapeutic potential against SARS-CoV-2. Phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors bind PS and mediate uptake of apoptotic bodies. Many enveloped viruses utilize this PS/PS receptor mechanism to adhere to and internalize into the endosomal compartment of cells. For viruses that have a mechanism(s) of endosomal escape, apoptotic mimicry is a productive route of virus entry. This clever use of this uptake mechanism by enveloped viruses is termed apoptotic mimicry. We evaluated if PS receptors serve as cell surface receptors for SARS-CoV-2 and found that the PS receptors, AXL, TIM-1 and TIM-4, facilitated virus infection when the SARS-CoV-2 cognate receptor, ACE2, was present. Consistent with the established mechanism of PS receptor utilization by other viruses, PS liposomes competed with SARS-CoV-2 for binding and entry. PS is readily detectable on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virions, and contrary to prior reports we were unable to identify any interaction between AXL and SARS-CoV-2 spike. Pharmacological inhibition of AXL activity and knockout of AXL expression suggest it is the preferred PS receptor during SARS-CoV-2 entry. We propose that AXL is an under-appreciated but potentially important host factor facilitating SARS-CoV-2 entry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana Bohan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Hanora Van Ert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Natalie Ruggio
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Kai J. Rogers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Badreddine
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - José A. Aguilar Briseño
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Jonah M. Elliff
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | | | - Boning Gao
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Tomasz Stokowy
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Eleni Christakou
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway
| | - Petri Kursula
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Biocenter Oulu & Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | | | - Hillel Haim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
| | - John Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - James B. Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Wendy Maury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Li H, Liu Z, Liu L, Zhang H, Han C, Girard L, Park H, Zhang A, Dong C, Ye J, Rayford A, Peyton M, Li X, Avila K, Cao X, Hu S, Akbay E, Solis L, Behrens C, Hernandez-Ruiz S, Wei L, Wistuba I, Heymach J, Chisamore M, Micklem D, Gabra H, Gausdal G, Lorens J, Li B, Fu YX, Minna J, Brekken R. 602 AXL targeting with bemcentinb restores PD-1 blockade sensitivity of STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC through innate immune cell mediated expansion of TCF1+ CD8 T cells. J Immunother Cancer 2021. [DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-sitc2021.602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundMutations in tumor suppressor STK11/LKB1 are associated with negative predictive and prognostic impact in NSCLC patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) in several published cohorts, although there have been some conflicting reports on the association of such mutations with patient outcomes in this setting [1–9]. STK11/LKB1 tumors are characterized by a suppressive tumor micro-environment devoid of cytotoxic T cells, and we hypothesized that targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, a known driver of an innate immune suppressive microenvironment, would restore sensitivity to PD-1 in syngeneic pre-clinical models as well as in patients harboring STK11/LKB1 mutated NSCLC.MethodsStk11/Lkb1 (L) mutation was introduced by CRISPR technology into murine lung adenocarcinomas driven by mutant Kras and Trp53 loss (KP). Sensitivity towards anti-PD-1 was evaluated in the absence and presence of the small molecule AXL inhibitor bemcentinib in the KPL model and in a human NSCLC xenograft model carrying a STK11/LKB1 mutation. The immune tumor landscape was mapped following introduction of the Stk11/Lkb1 mutation and therapeutic intervention with anti-PD-1/pembrolizumab and bemcentinib. FFPE fine-needle aspirate biopsies of target lesions were acquired from patients at screening immediately prior to enrollment in BGBC008, a PhII single-arm, 2-stage study with bemcentinib (200mg/d) and pembrolizumab (200 mg/q3wk) for previously-treated stage IV lung adenocarcinoma patients who were CPI naïve or CPI refractory. Patients were assessed for response according to RECIST1.1 criteria at scheduled scan intervals.ResultsIntroduction of a STK11/LKB1 mutation into murine lung adenocarcinomas driven by mutant Kras and Trp53 loss resulted in a PD-1 refractory syngeneic KPL tumor. Mechanistically this occurred because KPL mutant NSCLCs lacked TCF1-expressing CD8 T cells, a phenotype that was recapitulated in human STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLCs. Systemic inhibition of AXL with bemcentinib resulted in increased type I interferon secretion from dendritic cells resulting in expansion of tumor-associated TCF1+PD-1+CD8 T cells and restored therapeutic response to PD-1. This effect was observed in a syngeneic immunocompetent mouse model and in humanized mice bearing STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC human tumor xenografts.In an ongoing clinical trial (NCT03184571), 3 evaluable NSCLC patients with identified STK11/LKB1 mutations demonstrated objective clinical response/clinical benefit to the combination of AXL inhibitor bemcentinib and pembrolizumabConclusionsIn these models, AXL is a critical targetable driver of immune suppression in STK11/LKB1 mutant NSCLC contributing to CPI resistance. Our results show that inhibition of AXL rescues this deficit and represents a new clinical strategy in combination with anti-PD-1 therapy in NSCLC patients carrying a STK11/LKB1 mutationAcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank all patients and their caretakers for participating in this trial.Trial RegistrationPatients treated with bemcentinib and pembrolizumab combination therapy were enrolled in the BGBC008 clinical trial (BerGenBio ASA and Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth NJ, USA, NCT03184571)ReferencesGu M, Xu T, Chang P. KRAS/LKB1 and KRAS/TP53 co-mutations create divergent immune signatures in lung adenocarcinomas. Ther Adv Med Oncol. 2021;13:17588359211006950.Cho BC, Lopes G, Kowalski DM. Relationship between STK11 and KEAP1 mutational status and efficacy in KEYNOTE-042: pembrolizumab monotherapy as first-line therapy for PD-L1 positive advanced NSCLC. Cancer Res. 2020;80(16 Supplement):CT084.Aredo JV, Padda SK, Kunder CA. Impact of KRAS mutation subtype and concurrent pathogenic mutations on non-small cell lung cancer outcomes. Lung Cancer. 2019;133:144–150.Kwack WG, Shin SY, Lee SH. Primary Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in an STK11/TP53/KRAS-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma with High PD-L1 Expression. Oncol Targets Ther. 2020;13:8901–8905.Shire NJ, Klein AB, Golozar A. STK11 (LKB1) mutations in metastatic NSCLC: Prognostic value in the real world. PLoS One. 2020;15(9):e0238358. 6. Skoulidis F, Goldberg ME, Greenawalt DM. STK11/LKB1 Mutations and PD-1 Inhibitor Resistance in KRAS-Mutant Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Discov. 2018;8(7):822–835. 7. Wang H, Guo J, Shang X. Less immune cell infiltration and worse prognosis after immunotherapy for patients with lung adenocarcinoma who harbored STK11 mutation. Int. Immunopharmacol. 2020;84:106574. 8. Kitajima S, Ivanova E, Gou S. Suppression of STING Associated with LKB1 Loss in KRAS-Driven Lung Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2019;9(1):34–45. 9. Mograbi B, Heeke S, Hofman P. The Importance of STK11/LKB1 Assessment in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinomas. Diagnostics (Basel). 2021;11(2):196.Ethics ApprovalThis study was approved by the following ethical committees: Use of human cord blood: UT Southwestern (UTSW) Parkland Hospital, STU 112010-047Animal studies: UTSW Medical Center, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, APN 2015-100921Clinical study: London Bridge Research Ethics Committee (UK): 17/LO/0418; REC-South East (Norway): 2017/473; Drug Research Ethics Committee of the University Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (Spain): BGBC008/MK-3475_PN-531; Medical College of Wisconsin Institutional Review Board #4 (USA): PRO00029453
Collapse
|
8
|
Terry S, Dalban C, Rioux Leclercq N, Adam J, Meylan M, Buart S, Bougoüin A, Lespagnol A, Dugay F, Colina Moreno I, Lacroix G, Lorens JB, Gausdal G, Fridman WH, Mami-Chouaib F, Chaput N, Beuselinck B, Chabaud S, Barros Monteiro J, Vano Y, Escudier B, Sautes-Fridman C, Albiges L, Chouaib S. Association of AXL and PD-L1 expression with clinical outcomes in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with PD-1 blockade. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:6749-6760. [PMID: 34407968 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE A minority of patients currently respond to single agent immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and strategies to increase response rates are urgently needed. AXL is receptor tyrosine kinase commonly associated with drug-resistance and poor prognosis in many cancer types including in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Recent experimental cues in breast, pancreatic and lung cancer models have linked AXL with immune suppression and resistance to antitumor immunity. However, its role in intrinsic and acquired resistance to ICB remains largely unexplored. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN In this study, tumoral expression of AXL was examined in ccRCC specimens from 316 metastatic patients receiving PD-1 inhibitor, nivolumab, in the GETUG AFU 26 NIVOREN trial after failure of anti-angiogenic therapy. We assessed associations between AXL and patient outcomes following PD-1 blockade, as well as the relationship with various markers including PD-L1, VEGFA, the immune markers CD3, CD8, CD163, CD20, and the mutational status of the tumor suppressor gene VHL Results: Our results show that high AXL expression levels in tumor cells is associated with lower response rates and a trend to shorter progression-free survival following anti-PD-1 treatment. AXL expression was strongly associated with tumor PD-L1 expression, especially in tumors with VHL inactivation. Moreover, patients with tumors displaying concomitant PD-L1 expression and high AXL expression had the worst overall survival. CONCLUSIONS Our findings propose AXL as candidate factor of resistance to PD-1 blockade, and provide compelling support for screening both AXL and PD-L1 expression in the management of advanced ccRCC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Maxime Meylan
- Inflammation, complement & cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers
| | | | - Antoine Bougoüin
- Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers
| | - Alexandra Lespagnol
- Department of Somatic Cancer Genetics, Pontchaillou Hospital, CHU de Rennes, Rennes, France
| | | | | | - Guillaume Lacroix
- Inflammation, Complement and Cancer, Cordeliers Research Center, INSERM UMRS 1138
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Catherine Sautes-Fridman
- Laboratoire Inflammation, complement et cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Inserm UMRS 1138
| | - Laurence Albiges
- Department of Cancer Medicine, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris Saclay
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hoel A, Osman T, Hoel F, Elsaid H, Chen T, Landolt L, Babickova J, Tronstad KJ, Lorens JB, Gausdal G, Marti HP, Furriol J. Axl-inhibitor bemcentinib alleviates mitochondrial dysfunction in the unilateral ureter obstruction murine model. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:7407-7417. [PMID: 34219376 PMCID: PMC8335678 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Renal fibrosis is a progressive histological manifestation leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. In previous work, we showed that Bemcentinib, an Axl receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, reduced fibrosis development. In this study, to investigate its effects on mitochondrial dysfunction in renal fibrosis, we analysed genome‐wide transcriptomics data from a unilateral ureter obstruction (UUO) murine model in the presence or absence of bemcentinib (n = 6 per group) and SHAM‐operated (n = 4) mice. Kidney ligation resulted in dysregulation of mitochondria‐related pathways, with a significant reduction in the expression of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), fatty acid oxidation (FAO), citric acid cycle (TCA), response to reactive oxygen species and amino acid metabolism‐related genes. Bemcentinib treatment increased the expression of these genes. In contrast, AKT/PI3K signalling pathway genes were up‐regulated upon UUO, but bemcentinib largely inhibited their expression. At the functional level, ligation reduced mitochondrial biomass, which was increased upon bemcentinib treatment. Serum metabolomics analysis also showed a normalizing amino acid profile in UUO, compared with SHAM‐operated mice following bemcentinib treatment. Our data suggest that mitochondria and mitochondria‐related pathways are dramatically affected by UUO surgery and treatment with Axl‐inhibitor bemcentinib partially reverses these effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- August Hoel
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tarig Osman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Fredrik Hoel
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hassan Elsaid
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tony Chen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Lea Landolt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Janka Babickova
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Molecular Biomedicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - James B Lorens
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Hans-Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jessica Furriol
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bohan D, Ert HV, Ruggio N, Rogers KJ, Badreddine M, Aguilar Briseño JA, Rojas Chavez RA, Gao B, Stokowy T, Christakou E, Micklem D, Gausdal G, Haim H, Minna J, Lorens JB, Maury W. Phosphatidylserine Receptors Enhance SARS-CoV-2 Infection: AXL as a Therapeutic Target for COVID-19. bioRxiv 2021. [PMID: 34159331 PMCID: PMC8219095 DOI: 10.1101/2021.06.15.448419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors are PS binding proteins that mediate uptake of apoptotic bodies. Many enveloped viruses utilize this PS/PS receptor mechanism to adhere to and internalize into the endosomal compartment of cells and this is termed apoptotic mimicry. For viruses that have a mechanism(s) of endosomal escape, apoptotic mimicry is a productive route of virus entry. We evaluated if PS receptors serve as cell surface receptors for SARS-CoV-2 and found that the PS receptors, AXL, TIM-1 and TIM-4, facilitated virus infection when low concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 cognate receptor, ACE2, was present. Consistent with the established mechanism of PS receptor utilization by other viruses, PS liposomes competed with SARS-CoV-2 for binding and entry. We demonstrated that this PS receptor enhances SARS-CoV-2 binding to and infection of an array of human lung cell lines and is an under-appreciated but potentially important host factor facilitating SARS-CoV-2 entry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dana Bohan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Hanora Van Ert
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Natalie Ruggio
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Kai J Rogers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Mohammad Badreddine
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | | | | | - Boning Gao
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Tomasz Stokowy
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen Norway
| | - Eleni Christakou
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen Norway.,BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Hillel Haim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - John Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - James B Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen Norway
| | - Wendy Maury
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Nilsson LH, Grøndal SM, Blø M, Boniecka A, VanderHoeven B, Landolt LZ, Osman TAH, Micklem D, Marti HP, Lorens JB, Jackson A, Gausdal G. MO074TILVESTAMAB, A FUNCTION-BLOCKING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY INHIBITOR OF AXL RTK SIGNALLING, LIMITS THE ONSET OF RENAL FIBROTIC CHANGES IN HUMAN KIDNEYS EX VIVO. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfab078.0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Aims
Interstitial fibrosis, characterised by the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the cortical interstitium, is directly correlated with progressive chronic kidney disease secondary to inflammatory, immunologic, obstructive or metabolic causes. An invariant histologic marker of this progression is the accumulation of fibroblasts, with the phenotypic appearance of activated myofibroblasts expressing alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) within intracellular contractile stress fibres. Once present, these myofibroblasts are prognostic indicators of expansion of fibrotic matrix and progressive tubular atrophy, leading towards end-stage disease.
The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL is involved in a range of kidney pathologies, with increased activity associated with Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) and tubular proliferation following podocyte loss. In mice treated with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, enhancement of AXL expression is localised to tubular segments within the medulla and there is evidence of parallel regulatory control of ACE and AXL. We have demonstrated enhanced expression of AXL and the mesenchymal marker, vimentin in diseased human kidney tissue secondary to diabetes or hypertension.
Targeting AXL with a small-molecule inhibitor has previously been reported to attenuate fibrosis and reduce inflammation in the unilateral ureteric-outflow obstruction (UUO) model of kidney fibrosis in mice (Landolt et al., 2019). Tilvestamab is a novel function blocking humanized anti-AXL antibody. Tilvestamab blocks GAS6-mediated AXL receptor activation in fibroblasts and renal tubule epithelial cells and mediates AXL receptor internalization and degradation.
In this study we aimed to further characterise AXL as a target in CKD and to investigate anti-fibrotic efficacy of tilvestamab.
Method
Eight weeks old male C57BL/6 mice underwent UUO operation. After 15 days, kidneys were dissociated and stained with a high dimensional single cell mass cytometry 33 markers antibody panel. Data were analysed using JMP Genomics (v.8.2).
Precision Cut Kidney Slices (PCKSs) from explanted human kidney tissue were propagated in a bioreactor (Paish et al., 2019, FibroFind, UK). PCKS were incubated for 72hrs in the presence of investigational drugs. Secreted collagen1a1 were quantified by ELISA. RNA was reverse transcribed to cDNA and used in qPCRs to measure Col1a1 and αSMA. FFPE sections were stained for αSMA. High magnification images were taken of each slide and analysed for surface area covered by the stain.
Results
Expression pattern of AXL during development of kidney fibrosis in the UUO model was investigated using a mass cytometry antibody panel designed for identifying subpopulations of immune cells as well as cell populations of the fibrotic stroma. Two predominant cell populations were affected by ligation; the mesenchymal and the immune island. AXL was a marker characterising several of the key populations that expanded upon ligation supporting a role for AXL in kidney fibrosis pathogenesis.
In an ex vivo model of human PCKS, tilvestamab dose-dependently reduced the levels of αSMA. When combined with the lower of two doses of the ACE inhibitor enalapril, the lowest dose of tilvestamab synergized to reduce αSMA levels further as well as reducing secreted Collagen 1a1.
Conclusion
AXL expression is induced in key cell populations during development of kidney fibrosis supporting AXL as a novel target in CKD. Tilvestamab represents a promising strategy for the pharmacologic intervention of kidney fibrosis, and the potential synergy with current reno-protective therapies warrants further exploration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lea Zoe Landolt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tarig Al-Hadi Osman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Hans-Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - James B Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Engelsen AST, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Bougnaud S, Pelissier Vatter FA, Tiron C, Villadsen R, Miyano M, Lotsberg ML, Madeleine N, Panahandeh P, Dhakal S, Tan TZ, Peters SD, Grøndal S, Aziz SM, Nord S, Herfindal L, Stampfer MR, Sørlie T, Brekken RA, Straume O, Halberg N, Gausdal G, Thiery JP, Akslen LA, Petersen OW, LaBarge MA, Lorens JB. AXL Is a Driver of Stemness in Normal Mammary Gland and Breast Cancer. iScience 2020; 23:101649. [PMID: 33103086 PMCID: PMC7578759 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is associated with epithelial plasticity in several solid tumors including breast cancer and AXL-targeting agents are currently in clinical trials. We hypothesized that AXL is a driver of stemness traits in cancer by co-option of a regulatory function normally reserved for stem cells. AXL-expressing cells in human mammary epithelial ducts co-expressed markers associated with multipotency, and AXL inhibition abolished colony formation and self-maintenance activities while promoting terminal differentiation in vitro. Axl-null mice did not exhibit a strong developmental phenotype, but enrichment of Axl + cells was required for mouse mammary gland reconstitution upon transplantation, and Axl-null mice had reduced incidence of Wnt1-driven mammary tumors. An AXL-dependent gene signature is a feature of transcriptomes in basal breast cancers and reduced patient survival irrespective of subtype. Our interpretation is that AXL regulates access to epithelial plasticity programs in MaSCs and, when co-opted, maintains acquired stemness in breast cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agnete S T Engelsen
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Grand Paris, 94800 Villejuif, France
| | | | - Sebastien Bougnaud
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Fanny A Pelissier Vatter
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Crina Tiron
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - René Villadsen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Masaru Miyano
- Biolgical Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91910, USA
| | - Maria L Lotsberg
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Noëlly Madeleine
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Pouda Panahandeh
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sushil Dhakal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore
| | | | - Sturla Grøndal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sura M Aziz
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Silje Nord
- Department of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, 0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars Herfindal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Martha R Stampfer
- Biolgical Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Therese Sørlie
- Department of Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, 0310 Oslo, Norway
| | - Rolf A Brekken
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Oddbjørn Straume
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Nils Halberg
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Gro Gausdal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Grand Paris, 94800 Villejuif, France.,Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A-STAR, Singapore 138673, Singapore.,Bioland Laboratory, Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health, Bio-island, Guangzhou, 510320, China
| | - Lars A Akslen
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ole W Petersen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Copenhagen N 2200, Denmark
| | - Mark A LaBarge
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Biolgical Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.,Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute at City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91910, USA
| | - James B Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway.,Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, 5021 Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Blø M, Nilsson LH, Jackson A, Boniecka A, Toombs J, Ahmed L, Mydel P, Marti H, Brekken R, Gabra H, Lorens J, Micklem D, Gausdal G. Tilvestamab, a novel clinical stage humanized anti-AXL function blocking antibody. Eur J Cancer 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(20)31192-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
14
|
Landolt L, Furriol J, Babickova J, Ahmed L, Eikrem Ø, Skogstrand T, Scherer A, Suliman S, Leh S, Lorens JB, Gausdal G, Marti HP, Osman T. AXL targeting reduces fibrosis development in experimental unilateral ureteral obstruction. Physiol Rep 2020; 7:e14091. [PMID: 31134766 PMCID: PMC6536582 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is involved in partial epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inflammation – both main promoters of renal fibrosis development. The study aim was to investigate the role of AXL inhibition in kidney fibrosis due to unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Eight weeks old male C57BL/6 mice underwent UUO and were treated with oral AXL inhibitor bemcentinib (n = 22), Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI, n = 10), ACEI and bemcentinib (n = 10) or vehicle alone (n = 22). Mice were sacrificed after 7 or 15 days and kidney tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC), western blot, ELISA, Sirius Red (SR) staining, and hydroxyproline (Hyp) quantification. RNA was extracted from frozen kidney tissues and sequenced on an Illumina HiSeq4000 platform. After 15 days the ligated bemcentinib‐treated kidneys showed less fibrosis compared to the ligated vehicle‐treated kidneys in SR analyses and Hyp quantification. Reduced IHC staining for Vimentin (VIM) and alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA), as well as reduced mRNA abundance of key regulators of fibrosis such as transforming growth factor (Tgfβ), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (Mmp2), Smad2, Smad4, myofibroblast activation (Aldh1a2, Crlf1), and EMT (Snai1,2, Twist), in ligated bemcentinib‐treated kidneys was compatible with reduced (partial) EMT induction. Furthermore, less F4/80 positive cells, less activity of pathways related to the immune system and lower abundance of MCP1, MCP3, MCP5, and TARC in ligated bemcentinib‐treated kidneys was compatible with reduction in inflammatory infiltrates by bemcentinib treatment. The AXL RTK pathway represents a promising target for pharmacologic therapy of kidney fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Landolt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jessica Furriol
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Janka Babickova
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Øystein Eikrem
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Trude Skogstrand
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andreas Scherer
- Spheromics, Kontiolahti, Finland.,Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Salwa Suliman
- Department of Clinical Dentistry, Center for Clinical Dental Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Sabine Leh
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - James B Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Hans-Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tarig Osman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mami-Chouaib F, Terry S, Buart S, Gausdal G, Angelsen A, Lorens J, Chouaib S. Role of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL in regulating antitumor response and relationship with hypoxic stress. The Journal of Immunology 2020. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.204.supp.242.50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia has long been considered as a driving force of tumor progression and to play a key role in remodeling the tumor stroma and favoring the emergence of tolerance. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is associated with drug resistance in several solid tumors and AXL-targeting agents are currently in clinical trials. We investigated the relationship between tumor hypoxia, AXL expression and the emergence of tumor resistant variants. Our data indicate that hypoxia promotes EMT, AXL expression and resistance to CTLs and NK in NSCLC. We have next investigated the molecular basis of AXL-induced resistance to cell-mediated cytotoxicity and demonstrated that AXL targeting resulted in an increase in target susceptibility to CTLs and NK mediated cell lysis by a mechanism involving ICAM and the NKG2D ligand (ULBP1).
We next investigated the effect of pseudo hypoxia (hypoxic stress in presence of oxygen) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In fact, in this type of cancer, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) mutations induce a hypoxic microenvironment under normoxic conditions. We showed that pseudo-hypoxia induced by VHL dysfunctions, promotes ccRCC resistance to immune cell-mediated cytotoxicity by a mechanism involving HIF-2α.
We then sked wheter the pseudo-hypoxia associated with VHL mutation in RCC could impact AXL expression. We obtained in vtro evidence indicating that both HIF2α and EMT associated transcription factors (ZEB1, ZEB2) play a role in AXL expression regulation. Using a cohort of 324 metastatic RCC patients treated with anti-PD1, we could demonstrate that AXL expression may interfere with the clinical outcome. The relationship between VHL dysfunction, AXL expression and patient response to anti-PD1 will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Salem Chouaib
- 1INSERM U1186, France
- 4Gulf Medical University, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Lotsberg ML, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Terry S, Tan TZ, Lu N, Trachsel-Moncho L, Røsland GV, Siraji MI, Hellesøy M, Rayford A, Jacobsen K, Ditzel HJ, Vintermyr OK, Bivona TG, Minna J, Brekken RA, Baguley B, Micklem D, Akslen LA, Gausdal G, Simonsen A, Thiery JP, Chouaib S, Lorens JB, Engelsen AST. AXL Targeting Abrogates Autophagic Flux and Induces Immunogenic Cell Death in Drug-Resistant Cancer Cells. J Thorac Oncol 2020; 15:973-999. [PMID: 32018052 PMCID: PMC7397559 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acquired cancer therapy resistance evolves under selection pressure of immune surveillance and favors mechanisms that promote drug resistance through cell survival and immune evasion. AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is a mediator of cancer cell phenotypic plasticity and suppression of tumor immunity, and AXL expression is associated with drug resistance and diminished long-term survival in a wide range of malignancies, including NSCLC. METHODS We aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying AXL-mediated acquired resistance to first- and third-generation small molecule EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFRi) in NSCLC. RESULTS We found that EGFRi resistance was mediated by up-regulation of AXL, and targeting AXL reduced reactivation of the MAPK pathway and blocked onset of acquired resistance to long-term EGFRi treatment in vivo. AXL-expressing EGFRi-resistant cells revealed phenotypic and cell signaling heterogeneity incompatible with a simple bypass signaling mechanism, and were characterized by an increased autophagic flux. AXL kinase inhibition by the small molecule inhibitor bemcentinib or siRNA mediated AXL gene silencing was reported to inhibit the autophagic flux in vitro, bemcentinib treatment blocked clonogenicity and induced immunogenic cell death in drug-resistant NSCLC in vitro, and abrogated the transcription of autophagy-associated genes in vivo. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between AXL expression and autophagy-associated gene signatures in a large cohort of human NSCLC (n = 1018). CONCLUSION Our results indicate that AXL signaling supports a drug-resistant persister cell phenotype through a novel autophagy-dependent mechanism and reveals a unique immunogenic effect of AXL inhibition on drug-resistant NSCLC cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Lotsberg
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Katarzyna Wnuk-Lipinska
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway
| | - Stéphane Terry
- INSERM UMR 1186, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ning Lu
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Laura Trachsel-Moncho
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Gro V Røsland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Austin Rayford
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kirstine Jacobsen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Henrik J Ditzel
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark; Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Olav K Vintermyr
- Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Trever G Bivona
- Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - John Minna
- Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Surgery, Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Rolf A Brekken
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Surgery, Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Bruce Baguley
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Lars A Akslen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Anne Simonsen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; INSERM UMR 1186, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France; Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Biomedical Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A-STAR, Singapore; Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Clinical Oncology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong
| | - Salem Chouaib
- Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, GMU Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - James B Lorens
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Agnete Svendsen Tenfjord Engelsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; INSERM UMR 1186, Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tutusaus A, de Gregorio E, Cucarull B, Cristóbal H, Aresté C, Graupera I, Coll M, Colell A, Gausdal G, Lorens JB, García de Frutos P, Morales A, Marí M. A Functional Role of GAS6/TAM in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Progression Implicates AXL as Therapeutic Target. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 9:349-368. [PMID: 31689560 PMCID: PMC7013198 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2019.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS GAS6 signaling, through the TAM receptor tyrosine kinases AXL and MERTK, participates in chronic liver pathologies. Here, we addressed GAS6/TAM involvement in Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH) development. METHODS GAS6/TAM signaling was analyzed in cultured primary hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and Kupffer cells (KCs). Axl-/-, Mertk-/- and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were fed with Chow, High Fat Choline-Deficient Methionine-Restricted (HFD) or methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet. HSC activation, liver inflammation and cytokine/chemokine production were measured by qPCR, mRNA Array analysis, western blotting and ELISA. GAS6, soluble AXL (sAXL) and MERTK (sMERTK) levels were analyzed in control individuals, steatotic and NASH patients. RESULTS In primary mouse cultures, GAS6 or MERTK activation protected primary hepatocytes against lipid toxicity via AKT/STAT-3 signaling, while bemcentinib (small molecule AXL inhibitor BGB324) blocked AXL-induced fibrogenesis in primary HSCs and cytokine production in LPS-treated KCs. Accordingly; bemcentinib diminished liver inflammation and fibrosis in MCD- and HFD-fed mice. Upregulation of AXL and ADAM10/ADAM17 metalloproteinases increased sAXL in HFD-fed mice. Transcriptome profiling revealed major reduction in fibrotic- and inflammatory-related genes in HFD-fed mice after bemcentinib administration. HFD-fed Mertk-/- mice exhibited enhanced NASH, while Axl-/- mice were partially protected. In human serum, sAXL levels augmented even at initial stages, whereas GAS6 and sMERTK increased only in cirrhotic NASH patients. In agreement, sAXL increased in HFD-fed mice before fibrosis establishment, while bemcentinib prevented liver fibrosis/inflammation in early NASH. CONCLUSION AXL signaling, increased in NASH patients, promotes fibrosis in HSCs and inflammation in KCs, while GAS6 protects cultured hepatocytes against lipotoxicity via MERTK. Bemcentinib, by blocking AXL signaling and increasing GAS6 levels, reduces experimental NASH, revealing AXL as an effective therapeutic target for clinical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tutusaus
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain,Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estefanía de Gregorio
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blanca Cucarull
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain,Departament de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helena Cristóbal
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Aresté
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel Graupera
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, Biomedical Research Networking Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mar Coll
- Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, Biomedical Research Networking Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Colell
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - James B. Lorens
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway,Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Pablo García de Frutos
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Montserrat Marí, PhD, Albert Morales, PhD, or Pablo García de Frutos, PhD, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), C/ Rosselló 161, 6th Floor, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. fax: +34-93-3638301.
| | - Albert Morales
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain,Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Group, Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic, Biomedical Research Networking Center in Hepatic and Digestive Diseases, Barcelona, Spain,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Montserrat Marí, PhD, Albert Morales, PhD, or Pablo García de Frutos, PhD, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), C/ Rosselló 161, 6th Floor, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. fax: +34-93-3638301.
| | - Montserrat Marí
- Department of Cell Death and Proliferation, Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona-Spanish Council of Scientific Research, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Montserrat Marí, PhD, Albert Morales, PhD, or Pablo García de Frutos, PhD, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Barcelona (IIBB-CSIC), C/ Rosselló 161, 6th Floor, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. fax: +34-93-3638301.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Straume O, Lorens J, Gausdal G, Gjertsen B, Schuster C. A randomized phase Ib/II study of the selective small molecule Axl inhibitor bemcentinib (BGB324) in combination with either dabrafenib/trametinib (D/T) or pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic melanoma. Ann Oncol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdz255.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
|
19
|
Terry S, Abdou A, Engelsen AST, Buart S, Dessen P, Corgnac S, Collares D, Meurice G, Gausdal G, Baud V, Saintigny P, Lorens JB, Thiery JP, Mami-Chouaib F, Chouaib S. AXL Targeting Overcomes Human Lung Cancer Cell Resistance to NK- and CTL-Mediated Cytotoxicity. Cancer Immunol Res 2019; 7:1789-1802. [PMID: 31488404 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-18-0903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Immune resistance may arise from both genetic instability and tumor heterogeneity. Microenvironmental stresses such as hypoxia and various resistance mechanisms promote carcinoma cell plasticity. AXL, a member of the TAM (Tyro3, Axl, and Mer) receptor tyrosine kinase family, is widely expressed in human cancers and increasingly recognized for its role in cell plasticity and drug resistance. To investigate mechanisms of immune resistance, we studied multiple human lung cancer clones derived from a model of hypoxia-induced tumor plasticity that exhibited mesenchymal or epithelial features. We demonstrate that AXL expression is increased in mesenchymal lung cancer clones. Expression of AXL in the cells correlated with increased cancer cell-intrinsic resistance to both natural killer (NK)- and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing. A small-molecule targeting AXL sensitized mesenchymal lung cancer cells to cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated killing. Mechanistically, we showed that attenuation of AXL-dependent immune resistance involved a molecular network comprising NF-κB activation, increased ICAM1 expression, and upregulation of ULBP1 expression coupled with MAPK inhibition. Higher ICAM1 and ULBP1 tumor expression correlated with improved patient survival in two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cohorts. These results reveal an AXL-mediated immune-escape regulatory pathway, suggest AXL as a candidate biomarker for tumor resistance to NK and CTL immunity, and support AXL targeting to optimize immune response in NSCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Terry
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Abderemane Abdou
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Agnete S T Engelsen
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Stéphanie Buart
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Philippe Dessen
- Plateforme de Bioinformatique, UMS AMMICA, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Stéphanie Corgnac
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Davi Collares
- NF-κB, Differentiation and Cancer, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Guillaume Meurice
- Plateforme de Bioinformatique, UMS AMMICA, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | | | - Véronique Baud
- NF-κB, Differentiation and Cancer, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Saintigny
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM, CNRS, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Lyon, France.,Department of Medical Oncology, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - James B Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jean-Paul Thiery
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.,Department of Biomedicine, Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Norwegian Centre of Excellence, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A-STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fathia Mami-Chouaib
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Salem Chouaib
- INSERM UMR1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology, Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, EPHE, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France. .,Thumbay Research Institute for Precision Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chouaib S, Terry S, Buart S, Engelsen A, Gausdal G, Lorens J, Thiery JP, Mami-Chouaib F. Abstract 1200: AXL targeting enhances lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity of lung cancer cells. Cancer Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2019-1200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
As immunotherapies are now used to treat a large proportion of NSCLC patients, defining mechanisms of immune resistance is critical. Immune resistance may arise from both genetic instability and tumor heterogeneity driven by microenvironmental stresses such as hypoxia that promotes carcinoma cell plasticity as well as extrinsic or intrinsic mechanisms of immune resistance. AXL, a member of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family is widely expressed human cancers and increasingly recognized for its role in cell plasticity and drug resistance. In this study, we used a model of hypoxia-induced tumor plasticity to generate multiple lung cancer clones with mesenchymal and epithelial features to address mechanisms of immune resistance. We demonstrate that AXL expression is dramatically increased in mesenchymal lung cancer clones. Moreover, expression of AXL in the cells was correlated with an increased cancer cell intrinsic resistance to both NK and CTL-mediated killing, Notably, small molecule AXL targeting potently sensitized mesenchymal lung cancer cells to cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated killing. Mechanistically, we showed that attenuation of AXL-dependent immune resistance to immune cells involved a novel molecular network comprising NF-κB activation, increased ICAM1 expression, and upregulation of ULBP1 expression coupled with MAPK inhibition. Congruently, higher ICAM1 and ULBP1 tumor expression, correlated with improved patient survival in two NSCLC cohorts. These results reveal a novel AXL-mediated immune escape regulatory pathway, suggest AXL as a novel candidate biomarker for tumor resistance to NK and CTL immunity, and support AXL targeting to optimize immune response in NSCLC.
Citation Format: Sallem Chouaib, Stephane Terry, Stephanie Buart, Agnete Engelsen, Gro Gausdal, James Lorens, Jean Paul Thiery, Fathia Mami-Chouaib. AXL targeting enhances lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity of lung cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1200.
Collapse
|
21
|
Hoel A, Lea L, Janka B, Eikrem O, Trude S, Andreas S, Sabine L, Lorens J, Gausdal G, Tarig O, Marti HP, Furriol J. FP336AXL INHIBITION PREVENTED MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN UNILATERAL URETERAL OBSTRUCTION. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfz106.fp336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jessica Furriol
- Haukeland University Hospital / Health Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Bjørnstad R, Aesoy R, Bruserud Ø, Brenner AK, Giraud F, Dowling TH, Gausdal G, Moreau P, Døskeland SO, Anizon F, Herfindal L. A Kinase Inhibitor with Anti-Pim Kinase Activity is a Potent and Selective Cytotoxic Agent Toward Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Mol Cancer Ther 2019; 18:567-578. [PMID: 30679386 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-17-1234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
More than 40 years ago, the present standard induction therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was developed. This consists of the metabolic inhibitor cytarabine (AraC) and the cytostatic topoisomerase 2 inhibitor daunorubucin (DNR). In light of the high chance for relapse, as well as the large heterogeneity, novel therapies are needed to improve patient outcome. We have tested the anti-AML activity of 15 novel compounds based on the scaffolds pyrrolo[2,3-a]carbazole-3-carbaldehyde, pyrazolo[3,4-c]carbazole, pyrazolo[4,3-a]phenanthridine, or pyrrolo[2,3-g]indazole. The compounds were inhibitors of Pim kinases, but could also have inhibitory activity against other protein kinases. Ser/Thr kinases like the Pim kinases have been identified as potential drug targets for AML therapy. The compound VS-II-173 induced AML cell death with EC50 below 5 μmol/L, and was 10 times less potent against nonmalignant cells. It perturbed Pim-kinase-mediated AML cell signaling, such as attenuation of Stat5 or MDM2 phosphorylation, and synergized with DNR to induce AML cell death. VS-II-173 induced cell death also in patients with AML blasts, including blast carrying high-risk FLT3-ITD mutations. Mutation of nucleophosmin-1 was associated with good response to VS-II-173. In conclusion new scaffolds for potential AML drugs have been explored. The selective activity toward patient AML blasts and AML cell lines of the pyrazolo-analogue VS-II-173 make it a promising drug candidate to be further tested in preclinical animal models for AML.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ronja Bjørnstad
- Department of Clinical Science, Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Hospital Pharmacy in western Norway, Bergen
| | - Reidun Aesoy
- Department of Clinical Science, Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Øystein Bruserud
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Annette K Brenner
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Francis Giraud
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, ICCF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Tara Helen Dowling
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Pascale Moreau
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, ICCF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Fabrice Anizon
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, ICCF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Lars Herfindal
- Department of Clinical Science, Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Schuster C, Gausdal G, Gjertsen B, Lorens J, Straume O. Update on the randomised phase Ib/II study of the selective small molecule AXL inhibitor bemcentinib (BGB324) in combination with either dabrafenib/trametinib or pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic melanoma. Ann Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy289.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
24
|
Davidsen K, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Du W, Blø M, Engelsen A, Terry S, D´mello S, Lie M, Kang J, Hodneland L, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Straume O, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G, Lorens JB. Abstract 3774: BGB324, a selective small-molecule inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, targets tumor immune suppression and enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-3774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with poor overall survival in a wide spectrum of cancers. AXL signaling is important for tumor cell plasticity related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), immune escape and intrinsic resistance to cytotoxic lymphocytes. AXL is expressed on several cells associated with the tumor immune microenvironment, including natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells and a subset of tumor-associated myeloid cells. AXL signaling enhances secretion of immune-suppressive cytokines from innate immune cells that limit antitumor immunity. Hence AXL resides uniquely at the nexus between tumor and microenvironmental antitumor immune suppression mechanisms. BGB324, a selective clinical-stage small-molecule Axl kinase inhibitor, is currently being evaluated in combination with pembrolizumab in three phase II clinical trials in patients with TNBC (NCT03184558), NSCLC (NCT03184571) and melanoma (NCT02872259). We show that BGB324 targets immune suppression mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment that improve immunotherapy in different murine tumor models. BGB324 treatment reduces myeloid-derived suppressor cells and tumor-associated macrophages, and lowers CCL11, IL-7, IL-1β, and IL-6 in murine pancreatic cancer models. This altered immune landscape is associated with increased tumor infiltration of NK and CD8+ T cells and enhanced therapy responses. Further, BGB324 targets tumor intrinsic immune resistance and enhances human CD8+ T cell and NK-cell mediated NSCLC tumor cell lysis. We are currently using high-dimensional mass cytometry analysis (CyTOF) to map adaptive Axl-dependent immune suppression during immune checkpoint blockade. Collectively these results highlight a prominent function for AXL in resistance to immune therapy and support continued clinical translation of combining BGB324 with immune checkpoint inhibitors to improve cancer treatment.
Citation Format: Kjersti Davidsen, Katarzyna Wnuk-Lipinska, Wenting Du, Magnus Blø, Agnete Engelsen, Stephane Terry, Stacey D´mello, Maria Lie, Jing Kang, Linn Hodneland, Sebastien Bougnaud, Kristina Aguilera, Oddbjørn Straume, Salem Chouaib, Rolf A. Brekken, Gro Gausdal, James B. Lorens. BGB324, a selective small-molecule inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, targets tumor immune suppression and enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3774.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Wenting Du
- 3Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Lie
- 1University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jing Kang
- 1University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Rolf A. Brekken
- 3Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Straume O, Schuster C, Gausdal G, Lorens J, Gjertsen BT. A randomized phase Ib/II study of the selective small molecule axl inhibitor bemcentinib (BGB324) in combination with either dabrafenib/trametinib or pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2018.36.15_suppl.9548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oddbjorn Straume
- Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - James Lorens
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Bjorn T. Gjertsen
- Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Rashdan S, Williams JN, Currykosky P, Fattah F, Padro J, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Gausdal G, Brown A, Micklem D, Holt RJ, Lorens J, Yule M, Gerber DE. A phase 1/2 dose escalation and expansion study of bemcentinib (BGB324), a first-in-class, selective AXL inhibitor, with docetaxel in patients with previously treated non-squamous NSCLC. J Clin Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2018.36.15_suppl.e21043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Farjana Fattah
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Yule M, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Davidsen K, Blø M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Kang J, Lie M, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybicka A, Milde Nævdal E, Deyna P, Boniecka A, Straume O, Thiery JP, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G, Lorens JB. Abstract OT1-01-03: A phase II multi-center study of BGB324 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated, locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) or triple negative inflammatory breast cancer (TN-IBC). Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs17-ot1-01-03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background. The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with poor overall survival in breast cancer. AXL signaling is an important regulator of tumor plasticity related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem cell traits that drive metastasis and drug resistance. Upregulation of AXL has been associated with reduced response to anti-PD-1 therapy. Signaling via AXL is also a key suppressor of the anti-tumor innate immune response, and AXL is expressed on several cells associated with the tumor immune microenvironment. Hence AXL signaling contributes uniquely to both tumor cell intrinsic and microenvironmental anti-tumor immune suppression mechanisms. We show that AXL is required for tumor immune evasion in the 4T1/Balb/C mammary adenocarcinoma model and that blocking AXL signaling with BGB324, a selective clinical-stage small molecule AXL kinase inhibitor, enhanced the effect of immune checkpoint blockade. BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treated tumors displayed enhanced infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and Natural Killer cells. Importantly, responding animals rejected orthotopic 4T1 tumor cell re-challenge, demonstrating sustained tumor immunity. These data provided a translational rationale for combining AXL targeted therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors to enhance anti-cancer immune response.
Study Design. BGBC007 (NCT03184558) is an open-label, single arm, multi-center phase II study designed to assess the anti-tumor activity of BGB324 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated, locally advanced and unresectable, or metastatic TNBC or TN-IBC. Secondary objectives include safety and pharmacokinetic profile of BGB324 and pembrolizumab in combination. A single arm, extension of Simon's 2-stage design is employed with an interim and final analysis. Up to 56 evaluable patients will be enrolled. Recruitment will be halted once 28 evaluable patients have been entered to determine the Objective Response Rate (ORR, complete response and partial response). If 5 or fewer responses are observed in up to 28 patients, the trial will be terminated in favor of the null for futility. If 11 or more responses are observed, then the trial will be stopped in favor of the alternative for demonstration of activity. If 6 to 10 patients have an observed response then a further 28 patients may be evaluated. This design provides an overall power of 80.6% to test the stated null and alternative hypothesis. BGB324 will be administered orally, once daily, in a fasted state. Days 1, 2 and 3 of BGB324 administration consists of a 'loading' dose of 400 mg followed by a dose of 200 mg daily. A fixed dose of 200 mg pembrolizumab will be given by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every 3 weeks. BGB324 and pembrolizumab will be given until disease progression, unacceptable dose toxicity, or until 106 weeks (35 cycles). Efficacy endpoints including ORR, Duration of Response, Progression Free Survival are based on tumor imaging evaluation by RECIST 1.1. Tumor specimens will be taken to assess AXL and PD-L1 expression.
Citation Format: Yule M, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Davidsen K, Blø M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Kang J, Lie M, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybicka A, Milde Nævdal E, Deyna P, Boniecka A, Straume O, Thiery J-P, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G, Lorens JB. A phase II multi-center study of BGB324 in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated, locally advanced and unresectable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) or triple negative inflammatory breast cancer (TN-IBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-01-03.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Yule
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - K Wnuk-Lipinska
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - K Davidsen
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - M Blø
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - L Hodneland
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - A Engelsen
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - J Kang
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - M Lie
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - S Bougnaud
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - K Aguilera
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - L Ahmed
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - A Rybicka
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - E Milde Nævdal
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - P Deyna
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - A Boniecka
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - O Straume
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - J-P Thiery
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - S Chouaib
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - RA Brekken
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - G Gausdal
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - JB Lorens
- BerGenBio ASA, Bergen, Norway; University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Yule M, Davidsen K, Bloe M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Lie M, Bougnaud S, D'Mello S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybika A, Milde Naeval E, Boniecka A, Thiery JP, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G, Lorens J. Combination of bemcentinib (BGB324): A first-in-class selective oral AXL inhibitor, with pembrolizumab in patients with triple negative breast cancer and adenocarcinoma of the lung. J Clin Oncol 2018. [DOI: 10.1200/jco.2018.36.5_suppl.tps43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
TPS43 Background: Activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL has a profound suppressive effect on the innate immune system. AXL is overexpressed on multiple cell types in the tumour immune microenvironment including dendritic cells, NK cells and tumour-associated macrophages. AXL signalling in immune cells supports tumour immune escape by downregulating dendritic cell activity, modulating efferocytosis as well as favouring an immunosuppressive chemokine profile and M-MDSC expansion. AXL is prevalent in tumours resistant to anti-PD-1 therapy (Hugo, 2016). Axl expression in tumour cells confers resistance to effector T cell cytotoxicity. Bemcentinib (BGB324) is a first-in-class, highly selective and orally bioavailable small molecule AXL inhibitor in phase II clinical development. In pre-clinical models of pancreas, breast and lung cancer, inhibition of AXL signalling with bemcentinib reversed multiple tumour immune suppressive mechanisms as evidenced by increased infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, NK and NKT cells and decreased infiltration of M-MDSCs (Wnuk-Lipinska, 2017). Bemcentinib enhanced the effect of immune checkpoint blockade via PD-1 or CTLA-4 in lung and mammary adenocarcinoma mouse models and achieved sustained tumour immunity. Methods: BGBC007 (NCT03184558) and BGBC008 (NCT03184571) are open-label, phase II studies designed to assess the anti-tumour activity of bemcentinib in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated TNBC and adenocarcinoma of the lung respectively. All patients will be treated with bemcentinib in combination with pembrolizumab continuously for up to two years. The primary endpoint is objective response rate, secondary endpoints include duration of response, progression free survival according to RECIST 1.1, pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability. Pretreatment tumour specimens are scheduled to assess AXL expression/signalling and PD-L1 expression; the levels of circulating immune-related cytokines and soluble AXL receptor will also be measured in longitudinal patient plasma samples. Both studies are open to recruitment. Clinical trial information: NCT03184558.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Lie
- University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rolf A. Brekken
- Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgery, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Dallas, TX
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Landolt L, Eikrem Ø, Strauss P, Scherer A, Lovett DH, Beisland C, Finne K, Osman T, Ibrahim MM, Gausdal G, Ahmed L, Lorens JB, Thiery JP, Tan TZ, Sekulic M, Marti HP. Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma is linked to Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and to Fibrosis. Physiol Rep 2017; 5:e13305. [PMID: 28596300 PMCID: PMC5471444 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents the most common type of kidney cancer with high mortality in its advanced stages. Our study aim was to explore the correlation between tumor epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and patient survival. Renal biopsies of tumorous and adjacent nontumorous tissue were taken with a 16 g needle from our patients (n = 26) undergoing partial or radical nephrectomy due to ccRCC RNA sequencing libraries were generated using Illumina TruSeq® Access library preparation protocol and TruSeq Small RNA library preparation kit. Next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on Illumina HiSeq2500. Comparative analysis of matched sample pairs was done using the Bioconductor Limma/voom R-package. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and immunohistochemistry were applied to measure and visualize protein abundance. We detected an increased generic EMT transcript score in ccRCC Gene expression analysis showed augmented abundance of AXL and MMP14, as well as down-regulated expression of KL (klotho). Moreover, microRNA analyses demonstrated a positive expression correlation of miR-34a and its targets MMP14 and AXL Survival analysis based on a subset of genes from our list EMT-related genes in a publicly available dataset showed that the EMT genes correlated with ccRCC patient survival. Several of these genes also play a known role in fibrosis. Accordingly, recently published classifiers of solid organ fibrosis correctly identified EMT-affected tumor samples and were correlated with patient survival. EMT in ccRCC linked to fibrosis is associated with worse survival and may represent a target for novel therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lea Landolt
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Øystein Eikrem
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Philipp Strauss
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Andreas Scherer
- Spheromics, Kontiolahti, Finland
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - David H Lovett
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco VAMC University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Christian Beisland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Urology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kenneth Finne
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Tarig Osman
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | - James B Lorens
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jean Paul Thiery
- Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- INSERM UMR 1186, Integrative Tumor Immunology and Genetic Oncology Gustave Roussy EPHE Fac. de médecine-Univ. Paris-Sud Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| | - Tuan Zea Tan
- Science Institute of Singapore National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Miroslav Sekulic
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hans-Peter Marti
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Landolt L, Marti HP, Gausdal G, Lorens J, Leh S, Eikrem O, Osman T. MP088THERAPY OF RENAL FIBROSIS BY INHIBITION OF THE AXL RECEPTOR TYROSINE KINASE PATHWAY. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/ndt/gfx162.mp088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
31
|
Lorens JB, Lipinska KW, Davidsen K, Blø M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Kang J, Lie MK, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybicka A, Nævdal EM, Deyna P, Boniecka A, Straume O, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G. Abstract P2-04-08: BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in mammary adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.sabcs16-p2-04-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is associated with poor overall survival in breast cancer. Axl signaling is an important regulator of tumor plasticity related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem cell traits that drive metastasis and drug resistance. Signaling via AXL is also a key suppressor of the anti-tumor innate immune response. AXL is expressed on several cells associated with the tumor immune microenvironment including natural killer cells, dendritic cells and tumor-associated macrophages. AXL is required for tumor immune evasion in mammary adenocarcinoma models and EMT-mediated resistance to cytotoxic T cell and natural killer (NK)-cell mediated cell killing. Hence AXL signaling contributes uniquely to both tumor cell intrinsic and microenvironmental anti-tumor immune suppression mechanisms in breast cancer. We evaluated whether blocking AXL signaling with BGB324, a selective clinical-stage small molecule Axl kinase inhibitor, enhances the effect of immune checkpoint blockade in the aggressive mammary adenocarcinoma (4T1) syngeneic (Balb/C) mouse modelthat display limited immunogenicity.
Immune therapy with anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 increased AXL and EMT-marker expression in 4T1 tumors, and correlated with lack of response to immune therapy. Combination treatment with BGB324 (50 mg/kg bid) significantly enhanced responsiveness to anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treatment (10 mg/kg of each, 4 doses) in Balb/C mice bearing established 4T1 tumors. The combination of BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 resulted in durable primary tumor clearance in 23 % of treated mice versus 5.6% obtained with anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 alone (p=0.0157). In a separate study, BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4 treated resulted in 22% long-term primary tumor clearance while no response was observed with anti-CTLA4 treatment alone. The extensive metastasis to the lung, liver and spleen characteristic of this model were concomitantly abrogated in the animals responding to the combination treatment. In addition, BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treated tumors displayed enhanced infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Enhanced presence of CTLs was also detected in spleens from animals responding to treatment. BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treatment increased the number of NK cells, macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils, but decreased the number of mMDSC. Importantly, responding animals rejected orthotopic 4T1 tumor cell re-challenge, demonstrating sustained tumor immunity.
Together with recent results in other tumor types that support a prominent role for AXL in resistance to immune therapy and encouraging results from ongoing clinical trials with BGB324, support combining BGB324 with immune checkpoint inhibitors to improve treatment of breast cancer.
Citation Format: Lorens JB, Lipinska KW, Davidsen K, Blø M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Kang J, Lie MK, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybicka A, Nævdal EM, Deyna P, Boniecka A, Straume O, Chouaib S, Brekken RA, Gausdal G. BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in mammary adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-04-08.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- JB Lorens
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - KW Lipinska
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - K Davidsen
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - M Blø
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - L Hodneland
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - A Engelsen
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - J Kang
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - MK Lie
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - S Bougnaud
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - K Aguilera
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - L Ahmed
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - A Rybicka
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - EM Nævdal
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - P Deyna
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - A Boniecka
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - O Straume
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - S Chouaib
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - RA Brekken
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - G Gausdal
- BerGenBio AS, Bergen, Norway; Biomedicine, Bergen, Norway; Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; INSERM Unité 1186, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Sud, Villejuif, Paris, France; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Wnuk-Lipinska K, Davidsen K, Blø M, Hodneland L, Engelsen A, Kang J, Lie M, Bougnaud S, Aguilera K, Ahmed L, Rybicka A, Milde E, Deyna P, Boniecka A, Straume O, Chouaib S, Brekken R, Gausdal G, Lorens J. Abstract B027: BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. Cancer Immunol Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.imm2016-b027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is expressed by several tumor types and is associated with poor overall survival in patients. AXL signaling is an important regulator of tumor cell plasticity related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stem cell traits that drive metastasis, drug resistance and immune evasion. AXL is also expressed on several cells associated with the inflammatory tumor immune microenvironment including natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells and tumor-associated macrophages. Signaling via AXL is a key suppressor of the anti-tumor innate immune response. Hence, AXL signaling contributes uniquely to tumor cell intrinsic and microenvironmental anti-tumor immune suppression mechanisms in cancer. We evaluated whether blocking AXL signaling with BGB324, a selective clinical-stage small molecule AXL kinase inhibitor, enhanced the effect of immune checkpoint blockade in aggressive adenocarcinomas that display limited immunogenicity.
Immune therapy with anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 increased AXL and EMT-marker expression in the murine lung cancer (Lewis lung, LL2) and mammary adenocarcinoma (4T1) syngeneic models, and correlated with a lack of response to immune checkpoint therapy. Combination treatment with BGB324 (50 mg/kg bid) significantly enhanced responsiveness to anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treatment (10 mg/kg of each, 6 doses for LL2; 4 doses for 4T1) in mice bearing established LL2 or 4T1 tumors respectively. BGB324 in combination with anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 enhanced tumor infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Increased CTLs were also detected in spleens from animals responding to treatment. BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 combination treatment increased the number of NK cells, macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils, but decreased the number of tumor-associated myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC).
In the 4T1 model, the combination of BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 resulted in durable primary tumor clearance in 23% of treated mice versus 5.6% obtained with anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 alone (p = 0.0157). In a separate study, BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4 therapy treated resulted in 22% long-term primary tumor clearance while no response was observed with anti-CTLA4 treatment alone. The extensive metastasis to the lung, liver and spleen characteristic of this model was concomitantly abrogated in the animals responding to the combination treatment. Importantly, responding animals rejected orthotopic 4T1 tumor cell re-challenge, demonstrating sustained tumor immunity
These findings along with the favorable safety profile and clinical activity of BGB324 in ongoing monotherapy clinical trials, support a rationale for clinical testing of BGB324 in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients.
Citation Format: Katarzyna Wnuk-Lipinska, Kjersti Davidsen, Magnus Blø, Linn Hodneland, Agnete Engelsen, Jing Kang, Maria Lie, Sebastien Bougnaud, Kristina Aguilera, Lavina Ahmed, Agata Rybicka, Elina Milde, Paulina Deyna, Anna Boniecka, Oddbjørn Straume, Salem Chouaib, Rolf Brekken, Gro Gausdal, James Lorens. BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of AXL receptor tyrosine kinase, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; 2016 Sept 25-28; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B027.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jing Kang
- 2University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Maria Lie
- 2University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Gausdal G, Davidsen K, Wnuk-Lipinska K, Wiertel K, Hellesøy M, Blø M, Ahmed L, Hodneland L, Kiprijanov S, Brekken RA, Lorens JB. Abstract B014: BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. Cancer Immunol Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1158/2326-6074.cricimteatiaacr15-b014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Signaling via the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase is a key suppressor of anti-tumor innate immune response. AXL is expressed on several cells associated with the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment including natural killer cells, dendritic cells and tumor-associated macrophages. AXL is also an important regulator of tumor plasticity related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that contributes to anti-tumor immune evasion. Hence AXL signaling contributes uniquely to tumor intrinsic and microenvironmental immune suppression in tumors. We therefore evaluated whether blocking AXL signaling with BGB324, a selective clinical-stage small molecule Axl kinase inhibitor, enhances the effect of immune checkpoint blockade in syngeneic cancer mouse models that display limited immunogenicity.
We measured the effect of BGB324 in combination with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 in the mammary adenocarcinoma 4T1/Balb/C syngeneic mouse model. BGB324 (50 mg/kg bid) significantly enhanced responsiveness to anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treatment (10 mg/kg of each, 4 doses) in Balb/C mice bearing 4T1 tumors. The combination of BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 resulted in complete tumor clearance in 46.1 % of mice versus complete tumor clearance in 11.7 % of the mice treated with anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 (p = 0.0087). BGB324 + anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treated tumors displayed enhanced CD8+ T cell tumor infiltration. Combination of BGB324 with immune checkpoint inhibitors is being evaluated in additional models, and detailed interrogation of AXL-dependent immune effector cell activity in tumors is in progress.
In conclusion, AXL inhibition represents a unique opportunity to target anti-tumor immune suppressive mechanisms and supports clinical translation of BGB324 in combination with cancer immunotherapy in human cancer.
Citation Format: Gro Gausdal, Kjersti Davidsen, Katarzyna Wnuk-Lipinska, Kathleen Wiertel, Monica Hellesøy, Magnus Blø, Lavina Ahmed, Linn Hodneland, Sergej Kiprijanov, Rolf A Brekken, James B Lorens. BGB324, a selective small molecule inhibitor of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL, enhances immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B014.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kjersti Davidsen
- 2Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway,
| | | | - Kathleen Wiertel
- 3Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgery, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Dallas, TX
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Rolf A Brekken
- 3Division of Surgical Oncology Department of Surgery, Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, Dallas, TX
| | - James B Lorens
- 2Department of Biomedicine, Center for Cancer Biomarkers, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway,
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Engelsen A, Wnup-Lipinska K, Tiron C, Pelissier F, Jokela T, Haaland G, Gausdal G, Sandal T, Frink R, Liang X, Hinz S, Ahmed L, Hellesøy M, Mickelm D, Minna J, LaBarge M, Brekken R, Lorens J. 362 Phenotypic plasticity in epithelial progenitors and mesenchymal carcinoma is regulated by Axl signaling. Eur J Cancer 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(14)70488-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
35
|
Aasebø E, Vaudel M, Mjaavatten O, Gausdal G, Van der Burgh A, Gjertsen BT, Døskeland SO, Bruserud Ø, Berven FS, Selheim F. Performance of super-SILAC based quantitative proteomics for comparison of different acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines. Proteomics 2014; 14:1971-6. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201300448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 05/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elise Aasebø
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Marc Vaudel
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Olav Mjaavatten
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Gro Gausdal
- Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Arthur Van der Burgh
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | | | | | - Øystein Bruserud
- Department of Clinical Science; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Frode S. Berven
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| | - Frode Selheim
- Proteomics Unit (PROBE), Department of Biomedicine; University of Bergen; Bergen Norway
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Bouaziz Z, Issa S, Gentili J, Gratz A, Bollacke A, Kassack M, Jose J, Herfindal L, Gausdal G, Døskeland SO, Mullié C, Sonnet P, Desgrouas C, Taudon N, Valdameri G, Di Pietro A, Baitiche M, Le Borgne M. Biologically active carbazole derivatives: focus on oxazinocarbazoles and related compounds. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2014; 30:180-8. [DOI: 10.3109/14756366.2014.899594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zouhair Bouaziz
- EA 4446 Biomolécules Cancer et Chimiorésistances, Faculté de Pharmacie - ISPB, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France,
| | - Samar Issa
- Ecole de Biologie Industrielle, EBInnov, Cergy-Pontoise, France,
| | - Jacques Gentili
- EA 4446 Biomolécules Cancer et Chimiorésistances, Faculté de Pharmacie - ISPB, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France,
| | | | | | | | - Joachim Jose
- IPMC, PharmaCampus, WWU Münster, Germany,
- IPMC, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany,
| | - Lars Herfindal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway,
- Translational Signaling Group, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway,
| | - Gro Gausdal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway,
| | | | - Catherine Mullié
- Laboratoire de Glycochimie, des Antimicrobiens et des Agroressources (LG2A), FRE-CNRS 3517, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France,
| | - Pascal Sonnet
- Laboratoire de Glycochimie, des Antimicrobiens et des Agroressources (LG2A), FRE-CNRS 3517, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France,
| | - Camille Desgrouas
- UMR-MD3, Faculté de pharmacie, Aix-Marseille-Université, Marseille, France,
| | - Nicolas Taudon
- UMR-MD3, Faculté de pharmacie, Aix-Marseille-Université, Marseille, France,
| | - Glaucio Valdameri
- Drug Resistance Mechanism and Modulation Group, Bases Moléculaires et Structurales des Systèmes Infectieux (BMSSI), UMR 5086, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, IBCP, Lyon, France,
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UFPR, Curitiba, Brazil, and
| | - Attilio Di Pietro
- Drug Resistance Mechanism and Modulation Group, Bases Moléculaires et Structurales des Systèmes Infectieux (BMSSI), UMR 5086, CNRS, Université Lyon 1, IBCP, Lyon, France,
| | | | - Marc Le Borgne
- EA 4446 Biomolécules Cancer et Chimiorésistances, Faculté de Pharmacie - ISPB, Université Lyon 1, Lyon, France,
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Herfindal L, Myhren L, Gjertsen BT, Døskeland SO, Gausdal G. Functional p53 is required for rapid restoration of daunorubicin-induced lesions of the spleen. BMC Cancer 2013; 13:341. [PMID: 23841896 PMCID: PMC3710475 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tumour suppressor and transcription factor p53 is a major determinant of the therapeutic response to anthracyclines. In healthy tissue, p53 is also considered pivotal for side effects of anthracycline treatment such as lesions in haematopoietic tissues like the spleen. We used a Trp53null mouse to explore the significance of p53 in anthracycline (daunorubicin) induced lesions in the spleen. METHODS Mice with wild type or deleted Trp53 were treated with the daunorubicin (DNR) for three consecutive days. Spleens were collected at various time points after treatment, and examined for signs of chemotherapy-related lesions by microscopic analysis of haematoxylin-eosin or tunel-stained paraffin sections. Expression of death-inducing proteins was analysed by immunoblotting. Changes between Trp53 wild type and null mice were compared by t-tests. RESULTS Signs of cell death (pyknotic nuclei and tunel-positive cells) in the white pulp of the spleen occurred earlier following DNR exposure in wt-mice compared to Trp53-null mice. While the spleen of wt-mice recovered to normal morphology, the spleen of the Trp53-null animals still had lesions with large necrotic areas and disorganised histologic appearance eight days after treatment. Immunoblotting showed that only Trp53-wt mice had significant increase in p21 after DNR treatment. However, both wt and null mice had elevated p63 levels following DNR exposure. CONCLUSIONS p53 protects against severe and enduring cellular damage of the spleen parenchyma after DNR treatment, and initial DNR-induced apoptosis is not predictive of tissue lesions in the spleen. Our data indicate that p53 induction following DNR treatment serves to protect rather than to destroy normal tissue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lars Herfindal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Nguyen E, Gausdal G, Varennes J, Pendino F, Lanotte M, Døskeland SO, Ségal-Bendirdjian E. Activation of both protein kinase A (PKA) type I and PKA type II isozymes is required for retinoid-induced maturation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells. Mol Pharmacol 2013; 83:1057-65. [PMID: 23455313 DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.081034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is characterized by granulopoietic differentiation arrest at the promyelocytic stage. In most cases, this defect can be overcome by treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), leading to complete clinical remission. Cyclic AMP signaling has a key role in retinoid treatment efficacy: it enhances ATRA-induced maturation in ATRA-sensitive APL cells (including NB4 cells) and restores it in some ATRA-resistant cells (including NB4-LR1 cells). We show that the two cell types express identical levels of the Cα catalytic subunit and comparable global cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) enzyme activity. However, the maturation-resistant NB4-LR1 cells have a PKA isozyme switch: compared with the NB4 cells, they have decreased content of the juxtanuclearly located PKA regulatory subunit IIα and PKA regulatory subunit IIβ, and a compensatory increase of the generally cytoplasmically distributed PKA-RIα. Furthermore, the PKA regulatory subunit II exists mainly in the less cAMP-responsive nonautophosphorylated state in the NB4-LR1 cells. By the use of isozyme-specific cAMP analog pairs, we show that both PKA-I and PKA-II must be activated to achieve maturation in NB4-LR1 as well as NB4 cells. Therefore, special attention should be paid to activating not only PKA-I but also PKA-II in attempts to enhance ATRA-induced APL maturation in a clinical setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Nguyen
- Institut National de la Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-S 1007, Homeostasis and Cancer, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Gausdal G, Wergeland A, Skavland J, Nguyen E, Pendino F, Rouhee N, McCormack E, Herfindal L, Kleppe R, Havemann U, Schwede F, Bruserud O, Gjertsen BT, Lanotte M, Ségal-Bendirdjian E, Døskeland SO. Cyclic AMP can promote APL progression and protect myeloid leukemia cells against anthracycline-induced apoptosis. Cell Death Dis 2013; 4:e516. [PMID: 23449452 PMCID: PMC3734820 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2013.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We show that cyclic AMP (cAMP) elevating agents protect blasts from patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) against death induced by first-line anti-leukemic anthracyclines like daunorubicin (DNR). The cAMP effect was reproduced in NB4 APL cells, and shown to depend on activation of the generally cytoplasmic cAMP-kinase type I (PKA-I) rather than the perinuclear PKA-II. The protection of both NB4 cells and APL blasts was associated with (inactivating) phosphorylation of PKA site Ser118 of pro-apoptotic Bad and (activating) phosphorylation of PKA site Ser133 of the AML oncogene CREB. Either event would be expected to protect broadly against cell death, and we found cAMP elevation to protect also against 2-deoxyglucose, rotenone, proteasome inhibitor and a BH3-only mimetic. The in vitro findings were mirrored by the findings in NSG mice with orthotopic NB4 cell leukemia. The mice showed more rapid disease progression when given cAMP-increasing agents (prostaglandin E2 analog and theophylline), both with and without DNR chemotherapy. The all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced terminal APL cell differentiation is a cornerstone in current APL treatment and is enhanced by cAMP. We show also that ATRA-resistant APL cells, believed to be responsible for treatment failure with current ATRA-based treatment protocols, were protected by cAMP against death. This suggests that the beneficial pro-differentiating and non-beneficial pro-survival APL cell effects of cAMP should be weighed against each other. The results suggest also general awareness toward drugs that can affect bone marrow cAMP levels in leukemia patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Gausdal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Oftedal L, Myhren L, Jokela J, Gausdal G, Sivonen K, Døskeland SO, Herfindal L. The lipopeptide toxins anabaenolysin A and B target biological membranes in a cholesterol-dependent manner. Biochim Biophys Acta 2012; 1818:3000-9. [PMID: 22842546 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2012.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2012] [Revised: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The two novel cyanobacterial cyclic lipopeptides, anabaenolysin (Abl) A and B permeabilised mammalian cells, leading to necrotic death. Abl A was a more potent haemolysin than other known biodetergents, including digitonin, and induced discocyte-echinocyte transformation in erythrocytes. The mitochondria of the dead cells appeared intact with regard to both ultrastructure and membrane potential. Also isolated rat liver mitochondria were resistant to Abl, judged by their ultrastructure and lack of cytochrome c release. The sparing of the mitochondria could be related to the low cholesterol content of their outer membrane. In fact, a supplement of cholesterol in liposomes sensitised them to Abl. In contrast, the prokaryote-directed cyclic lipopeptide surfactin lysed preferentially non-cholesterol-containing membranes. In silico comparison of the positions of relevant functional chemical structures revealed that Abl A matched poorly with surfactin in spite of the common cyclic lipopeptide structure. Abl A and the plant-derived glycolipid digitonin had, however, predicted overlaps of functional groups, particularly in the cholesterol-binding tail of digitonin. This may suggest independent evolution of Abl and digitonin to target eukaryotic cholesterol-containing membranes. Sub-lytic concentrations of Abl A or B allowed influx of propidium iodide into cells without interfering with their long-term cell viability. The transient permeability increase allowed the influx of enough of the cyanobacterial cyclic peptide toxin nodularin to induce apoptosis. The anabaenolysins might therefore not only act solely as lysins, but also as cofactors for the internalisation of other toxins. They represent a potent alternative to digitonin to selectively disrupt cholesterol-containing biological membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linn Oftedal
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Huseby S, Gausdal G, Keen TJ, Kjærland E, Krakstad C, Myhren L, Brønstad K, Kunick C, Schwede F, Genieser HG, Kleppe R, Døskeland SO. Cyclic AMP induces IPC leukemia cell apoptosis via CRE-and CDK-dependent Bim transcription. Cell Death Dis 2011; 2:e237. [PMID: 22158476 PMCID: PMC3252733 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2011.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The IPC-81 cell line is derived from the transplantable BNML model of acute myelogenic leukemia (AML), known to be a reliable predictor of the clinical efficiency of antileukemic agents, like the first-line AML anthracycline drug daunorubicin (DNR). We show here that cAMP acted synergistically with DNR to induce IPC cell death. The DNR-induced death differed from that induced by cAMP by (1) not involving Bim induction, (2) being abrogated by GSK3β inhibitors, (3) by being promoted by the HSP90/p23 antagonist geldanamycin and truncated p23 and (4) by being insensitive to the CRE binding protein (CREB) antagonist ICER and to cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) inhibitors. In contrast, the apoptosis induced by cAMP correlated tightly with Bim protein expression. It was abrogated by Bim (BCL2L11) downregulation, whether achieved by the CREB antagonist ICER, by CDK inhibitors, by Bim-directed RNAi, or by protein synthesis inhibitor. The forced expression of BimL killed IPC-81WT cells rapidly, Bcl2-overexpressing cells being partially resistant. The pivotal role of CREB and CDK activity for Bim transcription is unprecedented. It is also noteworthy that newly developed cAMP analogs specifically activating PKA isozyme I (PKA-I) were able to induce IPC cell apoptosis. Our findings support the notion that AML cells may possess targetable death pathways not exploited by common anti-cancer agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Huseby
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
42
|
Gausdal G, Gjertsen BT, Fladmark KE, Demol H, Vandekerckhove J, Døskeland SO. Caspase-dependent, geldanamycin-enhanced cleavage of co-chaperone p23 in leukemic apoptosis. Leukemia 2004; 18:1989-96. [PMID: 15483679 DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2403508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Co-chaperone p23 is a component of the heat-shock protein (Hsp)90 multiprotein-complex and is an important modulator of Hsp90 activity. Hsp90 client proteins involved in oncogenic survival signaling are frequently mutated in leukemia, and the integrity of the Hsp90 complex could therefore be important for leukemic cell survival. We demonstrate here that p23 is cleaved to a stable 17 kDa fragment in leukemic cell lines treated with commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs. The cleavage of p23 paralleled the activation of procaspase-7 and -3 and was suppressed by the caspase-3/-7 inhibitor DEVD-FMK. In vitro translated 35S-p23 (in reticulocyte lysate) was cleaved at D142 and D145 by caspase-7 and -3. Cleavage of p23 occurred in caspase-3-deficient MCF-7 cells, suggesting a role for caspase-7 in intact cells. The Hsp90 inhibitor geldanamycin enhanced caspase-dependent p23 cleavage both in vitro and in intact cells. Geldanamycin also enhanced anthracycline-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. We conclude that p23 is a prominent target in leukemic cell apoptosis. Geldanamycin enhanced p23 cleavage both by rendering p23 more susceptible to caspases and by enhancing chemotherapy-induced caspase activation. These findings underscore the importance of the Hsp90-complex in antileukemic treatment, and suggest that p23 may have a role in survival signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- G Gausdal
- Department of Biomedicine, Section of Anatomy and Cell Biology and PROBE, University of Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Gjertsen BT, Øyan AM, Marzolf B, Hovland R, Gausdal G, Døskeland SO, Dimitrov K, Golden A, Kalland KH, Hood L, Bruserud Ø. Analysis of acute myelogenous leukemia: preparation of samples for genomic and proteomic analyses. J Hematother Stem Cell Res 2002; 11:469-81. [PMID: 12183832 DOI: 10.1089/15258160260090933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
During the last decade, several large clinical studies have demonstrated that analysis of chromosomal abnormalities is an essential basis for therapeutic decisions in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and cytogenetic studies should now be regarded as mandatory both for routine treatment and as a part of clinical investigations in AML. However, new techniques for detailed genetic characterization and analysis of gene expression as well as protein modulation will become important in the further classification of AML subsets and the development of risk-adapted therapeutic strategies. In this context, we emphasize the importance of population-based clinical studies as a basis for future therapeutic guidelines. Such studies will then require the inclusion of patients at small clinical centers without specialized hematological research laboratories. To document a high and uniform quality of the laboratory investigations, it will be necessary to collect material for later analysis in selected laboratories. In this article, we describe current methods for collection of biological samples that can be used for later preparation of DNA, RNA, and proteins. With the use of gradient-separated AML cells, it should be possible to establish the necessary techniques for collection and handling of biological samples even at smaller centers, and complete collections from all included patients should then be possible even in population-based clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Tore Gjertsen
- Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gade Institute, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|