Utilizing the Hippo pathway as a therapeutic target for combating endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Chen J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8194146 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Endometrial cancer, one of the most prevalent malignant cancers tumors of the female reproductive tract, has been increasing in incidence and mortality rates around the world. The Hippo pathway, one of the eight traditional human cancer signaling pathways, is an intricate signaling network that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration as well as restricting organ size in response to a range of intracellular and extracellular signals. Inhibiting the Hippo pathway results in aberrant activation of its downstream core component YAP/TAZ, which can enhance cancer cells' metabolism and maintain their stemness. Additionally, the Hippo pathway can modulate the tumor microenvironment and induce drug resistance, where tumorigenesis and tumor progression occur. However, the Hippo pathway has been little researched in endometrial cancer. Here, we aim to review how the Hippo pathway contributes to the onset, development and the potential treatment of endometrial cancer with the aim of providing new therapeutic targets.
| S-EPMC10625429 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Despite the effectiveness of endocrine therapies in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, approximately 40% of patients relapse. Previously, we identified the Focal-adhesion kinase canonical pathway as a major contributor of resistance to estrogen deprivation and cellular-sarcoma kinase (c-src) as a dominant gene in this pathway. Dasatinib, a pan-src inhibitor, has recently been used in clinical trials to treat ER+ patients but has shown mixed success. In the following study, using isogenic cell line models, we provide a potential explanation for these findings and suggest a sub-group that may benefit. A panel of isogenic cell lines modelling resistance to aromatase inhibitors (LTED) and tamoxifen (TAMR) were assessed for response to dasatinib ± endocrine therapy. Dasatinib caused a dose-dependent decrease in proliferation in MCF7-TAMR cells and resensitized them to tamoxifen and fulvestrant but not in HCC1428-TAMR. In contrast, in estrogen-deprived conditions, dasatinib increased the proliferation rate of parental-MCF7 cells and had no effect on MCF7-LTED or HCC1428-LTED. Treatment with dasatinib caused a decrease in src-phosphorylation and inhibition of downstream pathways, including AKT and ERK1/2 in all cell lines tested, but only the MCF7-TAMR showed a concomitant decrease in markers of cell cycle progression. Inhibition of src also caused a significant decrease in cell migration in both MCF7-LTED and MCF7-TAMR cells. Finally, we showed that, in MCF7-TAMR cells, in contrast to tamoxifen sensitive cell lines, ER is expressed throughout the cell rather than being restricted to the nucleus and that treatment with dasatinib resulted in nuclear shuttling of ER, which was associated with an increase in ER-mediated transcription. These data suggest that src has differential effects in endocrine-resistant cell lines, particularly in tamoxifen resistant models, with low ER genomic activity, providing further evidence of the importance of patient selection for clinical trials testing dasatinib utility in ER+ breast cancer.
| S-EPMC4911087 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The estrogen receptor (ER) pathway plays a critical role in breast cancer development and progression. Endocrine therapy targeting estrogen action is the most important systemic therapy for ER positive breast cancer. However its efficacy is limited by intrinsic and acquired resistance. Mechanisms responsible for endocrine resistance include deregulation of the ER pathway itself, including loss of ER expression, post-translational modification of ER, deregulation of ER co-activators; increased receptor tyrosine kinase signaling leading to activation of various intracellular pathways involved in signal transduction, proliferation and cell survival, including growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, epidermal growth factor receptor, PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Mitogen activated kinase (MAPK)/ERK, fibroblast growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor; alterations in cell cycle and apoptotic machinery; Epigenetic modification including dysregulation of DNA methylation, histone modification, and nucleosome remodeling; and altered expression of specific microRNAs. Functional genomics has helped us identify a catalog of genetic and epigenetic alterations that may be exploited as potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers of response. New treatment combinations targeting ER and such oncogenic signaling pathways which block the crosstalk between these pathways have been proven effective in preclinical models. Results of recent clinical studies suggest that subsets of patients benefit from the combination of inhibitor targeting certain oncogenic signaling pathway with endocrine therapy. Especially, inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway, a key component implicated in mediating multiple signaling cascades, offers a promising approach to restore sensitivity to endocrine therapy in breast cancer. We systematically reviewed important publications cited in PubMed, recent abstracts from ASCO annual meetings and San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, and relevant trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. We present the molecular mechanisms contributing to endocrine resistance, in particular focusing on the biological rationale for the clinical development of novel targeted agents in endocrine resistant breast cancer. We summarize clinical trials utilizing novel strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance, highlighting the need to better identify the appropriate patients whose diseases are most likely to benefit from these specific strategies.
| S-EPMC4127598 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Abstract Several endocrine therapy (ET) resistance mechanisms for ER-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) have been proposed, including acquired ESR1 (ERα gene) mutations. The two most common ESR1 mutations are Y537S and D538G, which give rise to a constitutively active receptor with reduced affinity for agonists and antagonists. The discovery of new effective therapies remains a significant challenge in treating mutated ER+ BC. In this context, Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) has captured considerable interest as a target for therapeutic inhibitors in specific types of cancers. Here, we report that crosstalk between PARP-1 and ERα may represent a novel therapeutic approach for ER+ BC. We have demonstrated that the up-regulation of PARP-1 expression, stimulated by 17-β estradiol (E2), was blocked by treatment with fulvestrant (Ful), a potent ERα antagonist, or ESR1 siRNA in ER+ MCF7 and T47D BC cell models that express both wild type ERα and the Y537S mutation, indicating that ERα regulates the expression of PARP-1. In addition, ERα-mediated transcriptional activity depended on PARP-1 activity in these models, as confirmed by ERα target gene expression and ERE reporter gene analyses +/- niraparib (Nira). Notably, PARP-1 modulates the estrogen-dependent genomic binding of ERα and FoxA1, which play a crucial role in the proliferation of ER+ BC. We also showed that PARP-1 inhibition prevented proliferation and cell cycle activities of ERα WT and ERα Y537S cells upon ERα activation. In vivo, Nira and lasofoxifene (Laso), an ERα antagonist, significantly reduced primary tumor growth versus vehicle, both as single agents and in combination. Moreover, RNA-seq analyses demonstrated the downregulation of ERα signaling in the mammary glands of mice treated with Nira versus Vehicle. Our results provide novel insights into the molecular events through which PARP-1 may serve as a more comprehensive therapeutic approach to target ET BC resistance in women with advanced ER+ BC.
2024-09-30 | GSE277883 | GEO
Project description:PurposeEndocrine resistance remains a major clinical challenge in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Despite the encouraging results from clinical trials for the drugs targeting known survival signaling, relapse is still inevitable. There is an unmet need to discover new drug targets in the unknown escape pathways. Here, we report Nemo-like kinase (NLK) as a new actionable kinase target that endows previously uncharacterized survival signaling in endocrine-resistant breast cancer.Experimental designThe effects of NLK inhibition on the viability of endocrine-resistant breast cancer cell lines were examined by MTS assay. The effect of VX-702 on NLK activity was verified by kinase assay. The modulation of ER and its coactivator, SRC-3, by NLK was examined by immunoprecipitation, kinase assay, luciferase assay, and RNA sequencing. The therapeutic effects of VX-702 and everolimus were tested on cell line- and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor models.ResultsNLK overexpression endows reduced endocrine responsiveness and is associated with worse outcome of patients treated with tamoxifen. Mechanistically, NLK may function, at least in part, via enhancing the phosphorylation of ERα and its key coactivator, SRC-3, to modulate ERα transcriptional activity. Through interrogation of a kinase profiling database, we uncovered and verified a highly selective dual p38/NLK inhibitor, VX-702. Coadministration of VX-702 with the mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect in cell line-derived xenograft and PDX tumor models of acquired or de novo endocrine resistance.ConclusionsTogether, this study reveals the potential of therapeutic modulation of NLK for the management of the endocrine-resistant breast cancers with active NLK signaling.
| S-EPMC8653766 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Amplification of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) occurs in approximately 10% of breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. However, it is uncertain whether overexpression of FGFR1 is causally linked to the poor prognosis of amplified cancers. Here, we show that FGFR1 overexpression is robustly associated with FGFR1 amplification in two independent series of breast cancers. Breast cancer cell lines with FGFR1 overexpression and amplification show enhanced ligand-dependent signaling, with increased activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-AKT signaling pathways in response to FGF2, but also show basal ligand-independent signaling, and are dependent on FGFR signaling for anchorage-independent growth. FGFR1-amplified cell lines show resistance to 4-hydroxytamoxifen, which is reversed by small interfering RNA silencing of FGFR1, suggesting that FGFR1 overexpression also promotes endocrine therapy resistance. FGFR1 signaling suppresses progesterone receptor (PR) expression in vitro, and likewise, amplified cancers are frequently PR negative, identifying a potential biomarker for FGFR1 activity. Furthermore, we show that amplified cancers have a high proliferative rate assessed by Ki67 staining and that FGFR1 amplification is found in 16% to 27% of luminal B-type breast cancers. Our data suggest that amplification and overexpression of FGFR1 may be a major contributor to poor prognosis in luminal-type breast cancers, driving anchorage-independent proliferation and endocrine therapy resistance.
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Project description:BackgroundEndocrine treatment is one of the most effective therapies for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. However, most tumors will develop resistance to endocrine therapy as the cancer progresses. This review focuses on the mechanisms and markers of endocrine-resistant breast cancer. In addition, current and future strategies to overcome endocrine resistance are discussed.SummarySeveral molecular mechanisms of endocrine resistance have been identified, including alterations in the ESR1 gene or in the PIK3CA/mTOR pathway. Meanwhile, CDK4/6, mTOR, and PI3K inhibition have shown to improve the efficacy of endocrine treatment and new promising approaches are being developed.Key messageOvercoming primary or acquired resistance to endocrine treatment remains a major challenge. Since the molecular mechanisms of endocrine resistance are manifold, optimal combination and sequencing strategies will have to be developed in the future.
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Project description:Endocrine resistance is a major challenge in the management of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancers. Although multiple mechanisms leading to endocrine resistance have been proposed, the poor outcome of patients developing resistance to endocrine therapy warrants additional studies. Here we show that noncanonical Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is an alternative growth promoting mechanism that is activated in tamoxifen-resistant tumors. Importantly, phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway plays a key role in regulating Hh signaling by protecting key components of this pathway from proteasomal degradation. The levels of Hh-signaling molecules SMO and GLI1 and the targets were significantly elevated in tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 cells and T47D cells. Serial passage of the resistant cells in mice resulted in aggressive tumors that metastasized to distant organs with concurrent increases in Hh marker expression and epithelial mesenchymal transition. RNAi-mediated depletion of SMO or GLI1 in the resistant cells resulted in reduced proliferation, clonogenic survival and delayed G(1)-S transition. Notably, treatment of resistant cells with PI3K inhibitors decreased SMO and GLI1 protein levels and activity that was rescued upon blocking GSK3β and proteasomal degradation. Furthermore, treatment of tamoxifen-resistant xenografts with anti-Hh compound GDC-0449 blocked tumor growth in mice. Importantly, high GLI1 expression correlated inversely with disease-free and overall survival in a cohort of 315 patients with breast cancer. In summary, our results describe a signaling event linking PI3K/AKT pathway with Hh signaling that promotes tamoxifen resistance. Targeting Hh pathway alone or in combination with PI3K/AKT pathway could therefore be a novel therapeutic option in treating endocrine-resistant breast cancer.
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Project description:Three-dimensional (3D) epigenome remodeling is an important mechanism of gene deregulation in cancer. However, its potential as a target to counteract therapy resistance remains largely unaddressed. Here, we show that epigenetic therapy with decitabine (5-Aza-mC) suppresses tumor growth in xenograft models of pre-clinical metastatic estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast tumor. Decitabine-induced genome-wide DNA hypomethylation results in large-scale 3D epigenome deregulation, including de-compaction of higher-order chromatin structure and loss of boundary insulation of topologically associated domains. Significant DNA hypomethylation associates with ectopic activation of ER-enhancers, gain in ER binding, creation of new 3D enhancer-promoter interactions and concordant up-regulation of ER-mediated transcription pathways. Importantly, long-term withdrawal of epigenetic therapy partially restores methylation at ER-enhancer elements, resulting in a loss of ectopic 3D enhancer-promoter interactions and associated gene repression. Our study illustrates the potential of epigenetic therapy to target ER+ endocrine-resistant breast cancer by DNA methylation-dependent rewiring of 3D chromatin interactions, which are associated with the suppression of tumor growth.
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Project description:Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma are the most prevalent bone pediatric tumors. Despite intensive basic and medical research studies to discover new therapeutics and to improve current treatments, almost 40% of osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma patients succumb to the disease. Patients with poor prognosis are related to either the presence of metastases at diagnosis or resistance to chemotherapy. Over the past ten years, considerable interest for the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway has taken place within the cancer research community. This signaling pathway operates at different steps of tumor progression: Primary tumor growth, angiogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and metastatic dissemination. This review discusses the current knowledge about the involvement of the Hippo signaling pathway in cancer and specifically in paediatric bone sarcoma progression.
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