Anti-proliferative effects of continued mitogen activated protein kinase pathway inhibition following acquired resistance to BRAF and/or MEK inhibition in melanoma: Implications for treatment beyond disease progression

ABSTRACT: Inhibitors of the MAPKs, BRAF and MEK, induce tumor regression in the majority of patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. The clinical benefit of MAPK inhibitors is restricted by the development of acquired resistance with half of those who benefit having progressed by 6-7 months and long-term responders uncommon. There remains no agreed treatment strategy on disease progression in these patients. Without published evidence, fears of accelerated disease progression on inhibitor withdrawal have led to the continuation of drugs beyond formal disease progression. We now demonstrate that treatment with MAPK inhibitors beyond disease progression can provide significant clinical benefit, and the withdrawal of these inhibitors led to a marked increase in the rate of disease progression in two patients. We also show that MAPK inhibitors retain partial activity in acquired resistant melanoma by examining drug-resistant clones generated to dabrafenib, trametinib or the combination of these drugs. All resistant sublines displayed a markedly slower rate of proliferation when exposed to MAPK inhibitors, and this coincided with a reduction in MAPK signalling, decrease in BrdU incorporation and S-phase inhibition. This cytostatic effect was also associated diminished levels of cyclin D1 and p-pRb.. Two short-term melanoma cultures generated from resistant tumour biopsies also responded to MAPK inhibition with comparable inhibitory changes in proliferation and MAPK signalling. These data provide a rationale for the continuation of BRAF and MEK inhibitors after disease progression and support the development of clinical trials to examine this strategy.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE44753 | GEO | 2013/06/30

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA191555

REPOSITORIES: GEO