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A small molecule approach to degrade RAS with EGFR repression is a potential therapy for KRAS mutation-driven colorectal cancer resistance to cetuximab.

ABSTRACT: Drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab and panitumumab, have been prescribed for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), but patients harboring KRAS mutations are insensitive to them and do not have an alternative drug to overcome the problem. The levels of ?-catenin, EGFR, and RAS, especially mutant KRAS, are increased in CRC patient tissues due to mutations of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), which occur in 90% of human CRCs. The increases in these proteins by APC loss synergistically promote tumorigenesis. Therefore, we tested KYA1797K, a recently identified small molecule that degrades both ?-catenin and Ras via GSK3? activation, and its capability to suppress the cetuximab resistance of KRAS-mutated CRC cells. KYA1797K suppressed the growth of tumor xenografts induced by CRC cells as well as tumor organoids derived from CRC patients having both APC and KRAS mutations. Lowering the levels of both ?-catenin and RAS as well as EGFR via targeting the Wnt/?-catenin pathway is a therapeutic strategy for controlling CRC and other types of cancer with aberrantly activated the Wnt/?-catenin and EGFR-RAS pathways, including those with resistance to EGFR-targeting drugs attributed to KRAS mutations.

SUBMITTER: Lee SK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6244225 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A small molecule approach to degrade RAS with EGFR repression is a potential therapy for KRAS mutation-driven colorectal cancer resistance to cetuximab.

Lee Sang-Kyu SK Cho Yong-Hee YH Cha Pu-Hyeon PH Yoon Jeong-Soo JS Ro Eun Ji EJ Jeong Woo-Jeong WJ Park Jieun J Kim Hyuntae H Il Kim Tae T Min Do Sik DS Han Gyoonhee G Choi Kang-Yell KY

Experimental & molecular medicine 20181120 11

Drugs targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), such as cetuximab and panitumumab, have been prescribed for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), but patients harboring KRAS mutations are insensitive to them and do not have an alternative drug to overcome the problem. The levels of β-catenin, EGFR, and RAS, especially mutant KRAS, are increased in CRC patient tissues due to mutations of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), which occur in 90% of human CRCs. The increases in these proteins ...[more]

PMID: 30459318

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Project description:AIM:To investigate the prognostic value of KRAS mutation, and phosphatase and tensin (PTEN) expression in Chinese metastatic colorectal cancer metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients treated with cetuximab. METHODS:Ninety Chinese mCRC patients treated with cetuximab were evaluated for KRAS mutation and PTEN protein expression by DNA sequencing of codons 12 and 13 and immunohistochemistry, respectively. We then selected 61 patients treated with cetuximab, either in combination with chemotherapy, or alone as a second-line or third-line regimen to assess whether KRAS mutation or PTEN protein expression is associated with the response and the survival time of mCRC patients treated with cetuximab. RESULTS:KRAS mutation was found in 30 (33.3%) tumor samples from the 90 patients, and positive PTEN expression was detected in 58 (64.4%) of the 90 patients. Among the 61 patients who were treated with cetuximab as a second-line or third-line regimen, the resistance to cetuximab was found in 22 patients with KRAS mutation and in 39 patients without KRAS mutation, with a response rate of 4.5% and 46.1% respectively (P = 0.001), a shorter median progression-free survival (PFS) time of 14 ± 1.3 wk and 32 ± 2.5 wk respectively (P < 0.001), a median overall survival (OS) time of 11 ± 1.2 mo and 19 ± 1.8 mo respectively (P < 0.001), as well as in 24 patients with negative PTEN expression and in 37 patients with positive PTEN expression respectively (P < 0.001), with a responsive rate of 4.2% and 48.6% respectively, a shorter median PFS survival time of 17 ± 2.0 wk and 28 ± 1.9 wk respectively (P = 0.07), and a median OS time of 11 ± 1.3 mo and 18 ± 1.9 mo respectively (P = 0.004). Combined KRAS mutation and PTEN expression analysis showed that the PFS and OS time of patients with two favorable prognostic factors were longer than those of patients with one favorable prognostic factor or no favorable prognostic factor (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION:KRAS mutation and PTEN protein expression are significantly correlated with the response rate and survival time of Chinese mCRC patients treated with cetuximab.

Project description:The selection of colorectal cancer patients for anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody therapy is based on the determination of their RAS mutation status-a strongly negative predictive factor-since the protein target, EGFR, is not a reliable predictor of therapeutic response. In this study, we revisited the EGFR protein issue using a cohort of 90 patients with KRAS exon2 wild-type colorectal cancer who have been treated with cetuximab therapy. Twenty-nine of these patients had metastatic tissue available for analysis. The level of EGFR protein expression in the patients was determined by immunohistochemistry and evaluated by H-score (HS) methodology. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the patients were determined according to the EGFR-HS ranges of both the primary and metastatic tissues using Kaplan-Meyer statistics. In the case of primary tumors, EGFR scores lower than HS = 200 were associated with significantly longer OS. In the case of metastatic tissues, all levels lower than the EGFR-HS range chosen were associated with significantly longer OS. These results are explained by the fact that metastatic tissues rarely maintained the expression levels of the primary tumors. On the other hand, high EGFR expression levels in either primary tumors or metastatic tissues were associated with multiple metastatic disease. This suggests a negative prognostic role of EGFR expression. However, in a multivariate analysis, one-sidedness remained a strong independent predictive factor of survival. Previous studies demonstrated that the EGFR expression level depends on sidedness. Therefore, a subgroup analysis of the left- and right-sided cases was performed on both primary and metastatic tissues. In the case of metastic tissues, an analysis confirmed a better OS in low EGFR protein-expressing cases than in high EGFR protein-expressing cases. Collectively, these data suggest that EGFR protein expression is another negative predictive factor of the efficacy of cetuximab therapy of KRAS exon2 wild-type colorectal cancer.

Project description:BackgroundColorectal cancer (CRC) is associated with resistance to anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies (both acquired and intrinsic), owing to the amplification or mutation of the KRAS oncogene. However, the mechanism underlying this resistance is incompletely understood.MethodsDLD1 cells with WT (+/-) or KRAS G13D mutant allele were treated with different concentrations of Cetuximab (Cet) or panitumumab (Pab) to study the mechanism underlying the KRAS mutation-induced resistance to anti-EGFR antibodies. The function of AMPK in KRAS mutation-induced resistance to anti-EGFR antibodies in CRC cells, and the regulatory role of Bcl-2 family proteins in DLD1 cells with WT or mutated KRAS upon AMPK activation were investigated. In addition, xenograft tumor models with the nude mouse using DLD1 cells with WT or mutated KRAS were established to examine the effects of AMPK activation on KRAS mutation-mediated anti-EGFR antibody resistance.ResultsHigher levels of AMPK activity in CRC cells with wild-type KRAS treated with anti-EGFR antibody resulted in apoptosis induction. In contrast, CRC cells with mutated KRAS showed lower AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity and decreased sensitivity to the inhibitory effect of anti-EGFR antibody. CRC cells with mutated KRAS showed high levels of glycolysis and produced an excessive amount of ATP, which suppressed AMPK activation. The knockdown of AMPK expression in CRC cells with WT KRAS produced similar effects to those observed in cells with mutated KRAS and decreased their sensitivity to cetuximab. On the contrary, the activation of AMPK by metformin (Met) or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) could overcome the KRAS-induced resistance to the anti-EGFR antibody in vivo and in vitro. The activation of AMPK resulted in the inhibition of myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) translation through the suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway.ConclusionThe results established herein indicate that targeting AMPK is a potentially promising and effective CRC treatment strategy. Video abstract.

Project description:BackgroundThe OPUS study demonstrated that addition of cetuximab to 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX4) significantly improved objective response and progression-free survival (PFS) in the first-line treatment of patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In patients with KRAS exon 2 mutations, a detrimental effect was seen upon addition of cetuximab to FOLFOX4. The current study reports outcomes in subgroups defined by extended RAS testing.Patients and methodsSamples from OPUS study KRAS exon 2 wild-type tumours were reanalysed for other RAS mutations in four additional KRAS codons (exons 3-4) and six NRAS codons (exons 2-4) using BEAMing. A cutoff of ⩾5% mutant/wild-type sequences was selected to define RAS status; we also report an analysis using a cutoff based on the technical lower limit for mutation identification (0.1%).ResultsOther RAS mutations were detected in 31/118 (26%) evaluable patients. In the extended analysis of RAS wild-type tumours (n=87), objective response was significantly improved by addition of cetuximab to FOLFOX4 (58% versus 29%; odds ratio 3.33 [95% confidence interval 1.36-8.17]; P=0.0084); although limited by population size, there also appeared to be trends favouring the cetuximab arm in terms of PFS and overall survival in the RAS wild-type group compared with the RAS evaluable group. There was no evidence that patients with other RAS mutations benefited from cetuximab, but small numbers precluded precise estimations of treatment effects. In the combined population of patients with any RAS mutation (KRAS exon 2 or other RAS), a clear detrimental effect was associated with addition of cetuximab to FOLFOX4.ConclusionPatients with RAS-mutant mCRC, as defined by mutations in KRAS and NRAS exons 2-4, derive no benefit and may be harmed by the addition of cetuximab to FOLFOX4. Restricting cetuximab administration to patients with RAS wild-type tumours will further tailor therapy to maximise benefit.

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A small molecule approach to degrade RAS with EGFR repression is a potential therapy for KRAS mutation-driven colorectal cancer resistance to cetuximab.

Publications

A small molecule approach to degrade RAS with EGFR repression is a potential therapy for KRAS mutation-driven colorectal cancer resistance to cetuximab.

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