Allosteric Inhibition of HER2 by Moesin-Mimicking Compounds Targets HER2-Positive Cancers and Brain Metastases.
Cancer Res 2021;
81:5464-5476. [PMID:
34493594 DOI:
10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-0162]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Therapies targeting the tyrosine kinase receptor HER2 have significantly improved survival of patients with HER2+ cancer. However, both de novo and acquired resistance remain a challenge, particularly in the brain metastatic setting. Here we report that, unlike other HER tyrosine kinase receptors, HER2 possesses a binding motif in its cytosolic juxtamembrane region that allows interaction with members of the Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family. Under physiologic conditions, this interaction controls the localization of HER2 in ERM-enriched domains and stabilizes HER2 in a catalytically repressed state. In HER2+ breast cancers, low expression of Moesin correlated with increased HER2 expression. Restoring expression of ERM proteins in HER2+ breast cancer cells was sufficient to revert HER2 activation and inhibit HER2-dependent proliferation. A high-throughput assay recapitulating the HER2-ERM interaction allowed for screening of about 1,500 approved drugs. From this screen, we found Zuclopenthixol, an antipsychotic drug that behaved as a Moesin-mimicking compound, because it directly binds the juxtamembrane region of HER2 and specifically inhibits HER2 activation in HER2+ cancers, as well as activation of oncogenic mutated and truncated forms of HER2. Zuclopenthixol efficiently inhibited HER2+ breast tumor progression in vitro and in vivo and, more importantly, showed significant activity on HER2+ brain tumor progression. Collectively, these data reveal a novel class of allosteric HER2 inhibitors, increasing the number of approaches to consider for intervention on HER2+ breast cancers and brain metastases. SIGNIFICANCE: This study demonstrates the functional role of Moesin in maintaining HER2 in a catalytically repressed state and provides novel therapeutic approaches targeting HER2+ breast cancers and brain metastasis using Moesin-mimicking compounds.
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