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Development of resistance to FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer is linked to stromal depletion.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:We investigated how pancreatic cancer developed resistance to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition over time. DESIGN:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumours from KPC mice (p48-CRE; LSL-KRasG12D/wt; p53flox/wt) treated with FAK inhibitor were analysed for the activation of a compensatory survival pathway in resistant tumours. We identified pathways involved in the regulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signalling on FAK inhibition by gene set enrichment analysis and verified these outcomes by RNA interference studies. We also tested combinatorial approaches targeting FAK and STAT3 in syngeneic transplantable mouse models of PDAC and KPC mice. RESULTS:In KPC mice, the expression levels of phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) were increased in PDAC cells as they progressed on FAK inhibitor therapy. This progression corresponded to decreased collagen density, lowered numbers of SMA+ fibroblasts and downregulation of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-?)/SMAD signalling pathway in FAK inhibitor-treated PDAC tumours. Furthermore, TGF-? production by fibroblasts in vitro drives repression of STAT3 signalling and enhanced responsiveness to FAK inhibitor therapy. Knockdown of SMAD3 in pancreatic cancer cells abolished the inhibitory effects of TGF-? on pSTAT3. We further found that tumour-intrinsic STAT3 regulates the durability of the antiproliferative activity of FAK inhibitor, and combinatorial targeting of FAK and Janus kinase/STAT3 act synergistically to suppress pancreatic cancer progression in mouse models. CONCLUSION:Stromal depletion by FAK inhibitor therapy leads to eventual treatment resistance through the activation of STAT3 signalling. These data suggest that, similar to tumour-targeted therapies, resistance mechanisms to therapies targeting stromal desmoplasia may be critical to treatment durability.

SUBMITTER: Jiang H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7167297 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Development of resistance to FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer is linked to stromal depletion.

Jiang Hong H Liu Xiuting X Knolhoff Brett L BL Hegde Samarth S Lee Kyung Bae KB Jiang Hongmei H Fields Ryan C RC Pachter Jonathan A JA Lim Kian-Huat KH DeNardo David G DG

Gut 20190510 1

<h4>Objective</h4>We investigated how pancreatic cancer developed resistance to focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition over time.<h4>Design</h4>Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumours from KPC mice (p48-CRE; LSL-KRas<sup>G12D/wt</sup>; p53<sup>flox/wt</sup>) treated with FAK inhibitor were analysed for the activation of a compensatory survival pathway in resistant tumours. We identified pathways involved in the regulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) sign ...[more]

PMID: 31076405

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Project description:IntroductionFocal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase protein frequently overexpressed in cancer and has been linked to an increase in the stem cell population of tumors, resistance to therapy, and metastatic spread. Pharmacological FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer has received increased attention over the last few years, either alone or in combination with other therapeutics including chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, its prognostic value and its role in radioresistance of pancreatic ducal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unknown.Methods and materialsUsing the TCGA and GTEx databases, we investigated the genetic alterations and mRNA expression levels of PTK2 (the encoding-gene for FAK) in normal pancreatic tissue and pancreatic cancer and its impact on patient survival. Furthermore, we evaluated the expression of FAK and its tyrosine domain Ty-397 in three pancreatic cancer cell lines. We went further and evaluated the role of a commercial FAK tyrosine kinase inhibitor VS-4718 on the viability and radiosensitization of the pancreatic cell lines as well as its effect on the extracellular matrix (ECM) production from the pancreatic stellate cells. Furthermore, we tested the effect of combining radiation with VS-4718 in a three-dimensional (3D) multicellular pancreatic tumor spheroid model.ResultsA database analysis revealed a relevant increase in genetic alterations and mRNA expression of the PTK2 in PDAC, which were associated with lower progression-free survival. In vitro, there was only variation in the basal phosphorylation level of FAK in cell lines. VS-4718 radiosensitized pancreatic cell lines only in the presence of ECM-producing pancreatic stellate cells and markedly reduced the ECM production in the stromal cells. Finally, using a 3D multicellular tumor model, the combination of VS-4718 and radiotherapy significantly reduced the growth of tumor aggregates.ConclusionPharmacological inhibition of FAK in pancreatic cancer could be a novel therapeutic strategy as our results show a radiosensitization effect of VS-4718 in vitro in a multicellular 2D- and in a 3D-model of pancreatic cancer.

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Development of resistance to FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer is linked to stromal depletion.

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Development of resistance to FAK inhibition in pancreatic cancer is linked to stromal depletion.

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