Dataset Information

Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer and Implications for Treatment.

ABSTRACT: Aberrant signaling of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met pathway has been identified as a promoter of tumorigenesis in several tumor types including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite a relatively low c-Met mutation frequency, overexpression of HGF and its receptor c-Met has been observed in more than 80% of HNSCC tumors, with preclinical and clinical studies linking overexpression with cellular proliferation, invasion, migration, and poor prognosis. c-Met is activated by HGF through a paracrine mechanism to promote cellular morphogenesis enabling cells to acquire mesenchymal phenotypes in part through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, contributing to metastasis. The HGF/c-Met pathway may also act as a resistance mechanism against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition in advanced HNSCC. Furthermore, with the identification of a biologically distinct subset of HNSCC tumors acquired from human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that generally portends a good prognosis, high expression of HGF or c-Met in HPV-negative tumors has been associated with worse prognosis. Dysregulated HGF/c-Met signaling results in an aggressive HNSCC phenotype which has led to clinical investigations for targeted inhibition of this pathway. In this review, HGF/c-Met signaling, pathway alterations, associations with clinical outcomes, and preclinical and clinical therapeutic strategies for targeting HGF/c-Met signaling in HNSCC are discussed.

SUBMITTER: Rothenberger NJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5406714 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer and Implications for Treatment.

Rothenberger Natalie J NJ Stabile Laura P LP

Cancers 20170424 4

Aberrant signaling of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-Met pathway has been identified as a promoter of tumorigenesis in several tumor types including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite a relatively low c-Met mutation frequency, overexpression of HGF and its receptor c-Met has been observed in more than 80% of HNSCC tumors, with preclinical and clinical studies linking overexpression with cellular proliferation, invasion, migration, and poor prognosis. c-Met is activated ...[more]

PMID: 28441771

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Project description:IMPORTANCE:Ficlatuzumab can be used to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by inhibiting c-Met receptor-mediated cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. OBJECTIVE:To understand the effect of ficlatuzumab on HNSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:The effects of ficlatuzumab on HNSCC proliferation, invasion, and migration were tested. Mitigation of c-Met and downstream signaling was assessed by immunoblotting. The tumor microenvironment has emerged as an important factor in HNSCC tumor progression. The most abundant stromal cells in HNSCC tumor microenvironment are tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs). We previously reported that TAFs facilitate HNSCC growth and metastasis. Furthermore, activation of the c-Met tyrosine kinase receptor by TAF-secreted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) facilitates tumor invasion. Ficlatuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that sequesters HGF, preventing it from binding to and activating c-Met. We hypothesized that targeting the c-Met pathway with ficlatuzumab will mitigate TAF-mediated HNSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Representative HNSCC cell lines HN5, UM-SCC-1, and OSC-19 were used in these studies. EXPOSURES FOR OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES:The HNSCC cell lines were treated with ficlatuzumab, 0 to 100 µg/mL, for 24 to 72 hours. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:Ficlatuzumab inhibited HNSCC progression through c-Met and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. RESULTS:Ficlatuzumab significantly reduced TAF-facilitated HNSCC cell proliferation (HN5, P <?.001; UM-SCC-1, P <?.001), migration (HN5, P =?.002; UM-SCC-1, P =?.01; and OSC-19, P =?.04), and invasion (HN5, P =?.047; UM-SCC-1, P =?.03; and OSC-19, P =?.04) through a 3-dimensional peptide-based hydrogel (PGmatrix). In addition, ficlatuzumab also inhibited the phosphorylation of c-Met at Tyr1234/1235 and p44/42 MAPK in HNSCC cells exposed to recombinant HGF. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:We demonstrate that neutralizing TAF-derived HGF with ficlatuzumab effectively mitigates c-Met signaling and decreases HNSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Thus, ficlatuzumab effectively mitigates stromal influences on HNSCC progression.

Dataset Information

Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer and Implications for Treatment.

Publications

Hepatocyte Growth Factor/c-Met Signaling in Head and Neck Cancer and Implications for Treatment.

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