Project description:Breast cancers with HER2 overexpression are sensitive to drugs targeting the receptor or its kinase activity. HER2-targeting drugs are initially effective against HER2- positive breast cancer, but resistance inevitably occurs. We previously found that nuclear factor kappa B is hyper-activated in the subset of HER-2 positive breast cancer cells and tissue specimens. In this study, we report that constitutively active NF-κB rendered HER2-positive cancer cells resistant to anti-HER2 drugs, and cells selected for Lapatinib resistance up-regulated NF-κB. In both circumstances, cells were anti-apoptotic and grew rapidly as xenografts. Lapatinib-resistant cells were refractory to HER2 and NF-κB inhibitors alone but were sensitive to their combination, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy. A subset of NF-κB-responsive genes was overexpressed in HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers, and patients with this NF-κB signature had poor clinical outcome. Anti-HER2 drug resistance may be a consequence of NF-κB activation, and selection for resistance results in NF-κB activation, suggesting this transcription factor is central to oncogenesis and drug resistance. Clinically, the combined targeting of HER2 and NF-κB suggests a potential treatment paradigm for patients who relapse after anti-HER2 therapy. Patients with these cancers may be treated by simultaneously suppressing HER2 signaling and NF-κB activation. We used microarrays to detail the gene expression differences underlying the characterictic survival differences between the SKR6, SKR6-Vector, SKR6CA, and SKR6LR cell lines, which are defined as follows: SKR6: A clonal derivative of SKBR3 cells isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to enrich for elevated HER2 levels, SKR6CA: SKR6 cells retrovirally transduced with constitutively active NF-κB relA/p65 (CAp65) and selected with puromycin, SKR6 vector: SKR6 cells transduced with the pQCXIP empty retroviral vector and selected with puromycin, and SKR6LR: SKR6 cells treated with increasing lapatinib concentrations (0.2 to 5 μM) for several months. We sorted SKBR-3 cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to enriched for cell population with elevated HER2 expression, which we termed SKR6. The following cell lines were then created from SKR6 cells: SKR6CA: SKR6 cells retrovirally transduced with constitutively active NF-κB relA/p65 (CAp65), SKR6 vector: SKR6 cells transduced with the pQCXIP empty retroviral vector and selected with puromycin, and SKR6LR: SKR6 cells treated with increasing lapatinib concentrations (0.2 to 5 μM) for several months.
Project description:Breast cancers with HER2 overexpression are sensitive to drugs targeting the receptor or its kinase activity. HER2-targeting drugs are initially effective against HER2- positive breast cancer, but resistance inevitably occurs. We previously found that nuclear factor kappa B is hyper-activated in the subset of HER-2 positive breast cancer cells and tissue specimens. In this study, we report that constitutively active NF-κB rendered HER2-positive cancer cells resistant to anti-HER2 drugs, and cells selected for Lapatinib resistance up-regulated NF-κB. In both circumstances, cells were anti-apoptotic and grew rapidly as xenografts. Lapatinib-resistant cells were refractory to HER2 and NF-κB inhibitors alone but were sensitive to their combination, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy. A subset of NF-κB-responsive genes was overexpressed in HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers, and patients with this NF-κB signature had poor clinical outcome. Anti-HER2 drug resistance may be a consequence of NF-κB activation, and selection for resistance results in NF-κB activation, suggesting this transcription factor is central to oncogenesis and drug resistance. Clinically, the combined targeting of HER2 and NF-κB suggests a potential treatment paradigm for patients who relapse after anti-HER2 therapy. Patients with these cancers may be treated by simultaneously suppressing HER2 signaling and NF-κB activation. We used microarrays to detail the gene expression differences underlying the characterictic survival differences between the SKR6, SKR6-Vector, SKR6CA, and SKR6LR cell lines, which are defined as follows: SKR6: A clonal derivative of SKBR3 cells isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to enrich for elevated HER2 levels, SKR6CA: SKR6 cells retrovirally transduced with constitutively active NF-κB relA/p65 (CAp65) and selected with puromycin, SKR6 vector: SKR6 cells transduced with the pQCXIP empty retroviral vector and selected with puromycin, and SKR6LR: SKR6 cells treated with increasing lapatinib concentrations (0.2 to 5 μM) for several months.
Project description:The aberrant activation of HER2 has a pivotal role in bone metastasis implantation and progression in several tumor types, in-cluding prostate cancer (PC). Trastuzumab and other anti-HER2 therapies, such as lapatinib, have been used in human breast cancer HER2 positive. Although HER2 overexpression has been reported in PC, anti-HER2 therapy response has revealed conflicting results. We investigated the potential of lapatinib in inhibiting cell migration and inducing apoptosis in two human (LNCaP and PC3) and two canine PC cell lines (PC1 and PC2). Cell migration and apoptosis were evaluated by Annexin V/PI analysis after lapatinib treatment. The transcriptome analysis of all cell lines before and after treatment with lapatinib was also performed. We found increased apoptosis and migration inhibition in LNCaP cells (androgen-sensitive cell line), while PC1, PC2, and PC3 cells showed no alterations after the treatment. The transcriptome analysis of LNCaP and PC3 cell lines showed 158 dysregulated transcripts in common, while PC1 and PC2 cell lines presented 82. At the doses of lapatinib used, we observed transcriptional modifications in all cell lines. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were enriched in human PC cells, while canine PC cells showed en-richment of tyrosine kinase antitumor response and HER2-related pathways. In canine PC cells, the apoptosis failed after lapatinib treatment, possibly due to the downregulation of MAPK genes. Prostate cancer cells insensitive to androgens may be resistant to lapatinib through PI3K gene dysregulation. The association of lapatinib with PI3K inhibitors may provide a more effective anti-tumor response and clinical benefits to PC patients.
Project description:The aberrant activation of HER2 has a pivotal role in bone metastasis implantation and progression in several tumor types, in-cluding prostate cancer (PC). Trastuzumab and other anti-HER2 therapies, such as lapatinib, have been used in human breast cancer HER2 positive. Although HER2 overexpression has been reported in PC, anti-HER2 therapy response has revealed conflicting results. We investigated the potential of lapatinib in inhibiting cell migration and inducing apoptosis in two human (LNCaP and PC3) and two canine PC cell lines (PC1 and PC2). Cell migration and apoptosis were evaluated by Annexin V/PI analysis after lapatinib treatment. The transcriptome analysis of all cell lines before and after treatment with lapatinib was also performed. We found increased apoptosis and migration inhibition in LNCaP cells (androgen-sensitive cell line), while PC1, PC2, and PC3 cells showed no alterations after the treatment. The transcriptome analysis of LNCaP and PC3 cell lines showed 158 dysregulated transcripts in common, while PC1 and PC2 cell lines presented 82. At the doses of lapatinib used, we observed transcriptional modifications in all cell lines. PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway were enriched in human PC cells, while canine PC cells showed en-richment of tyrosine kinase antitumor response and HER2-related pathways. In canine PC cells, the apoptosis failed after lapatinib treatment, possibly due to the downregulation of MAPK genes. Prostate cancer cells insensitive to androgens may be resistant to lapatinib through PI3K gene dysregulation. The association of lapatinib with PI3K inhibitors may provide a more effective anti-tumor response and clinical benefits to PC patients.
Project description:Background: Central nervous system (CNS) metastases represent a major problem in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer due to the disappointing efficacy of HER2-targeted therapies in the brain microenvironment. The antibody-drug conjugate ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has shown efficacy in trastuzumab-resistant systemic breast cancer. Here, we tested the hypothesis that T-DM1 could overcome trastuzumab resistance in preclinical models of brain metastases. Methods: We treated mice bearing BT474 or MDA-MB-361 tumors in the CNS (N=9-11 per group), or cancer cells grown in organotypic brain slice cultures with trastuzumab or T-DM1 at equivalent or equipotent doses. Using intravital imaging, molecular techniques and histological analysis we determined tumor growth, mouse survival, cancer cell apoptosis and proliferation, tumor drug distribution, and HER2 signaling. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: T-DM1 significantly delayed the growth of HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases compared to trastuzumab. These findings were consistent between HER2-driven and PI3K-driven tumors. The activity of T-DM1 resulted in a striking survival benefit (median survival for BT474 tumors: 28d for trastuzumab vs 112d for T-DM1, HR=6.2, 95% CI=6.1 to 85.84; P<.001). No difference in drug distribution and HER2-signaling was revealed between the two groups. However, T-DM1 led to a significant increase in tumor cell apoptosis (One-way ANOVA for ApopTag, p<.001), which was associated with mitotic catastrophe. Conclusions: T-DM1 can overcome resistance to trastuzumab therapy in HER2-driven and PI3K-driven breast cancer brain lesions due to the cytotoxicity of the DM1 component. Clinical investigation of T-DM1 for patients with CNS metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer is warranted. Comparison of trastuzumab (n=4) and TDM-1 (n=4) treated BT-474 human breast carcinoma cells growing in murine brain
Project description:Despite significant advances in HER2-targeted therapies, therapeutic resistance in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer remains a significant clinical problem, especially in the metastatic setting. “Drug tolerant persisters” (DTPs), a sub-population of cancer cells that survive via reversible, non-genetic mechanisms, are implicated in resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in several cancer models, but DTPs for HER2-targeted TKIs (e.g., lapatinib, neratinib, tucatinib) have not been characterized extensively. Here, we report that HER2+ER+ and HER2+ER- breast cancer lines give rise to distinct types of “lapatinib-DTPs,” characterized by different transcriptional programs and sensitivity to lapatinib/anti-estradiol combination. Lapatinib-DTPs from HER2+/ER+ cells rewire the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 pathway via transcriptional induction of SGK3 to enable AKT-independent mTORC1 activation and survival. Lentiviral barcoding experiments, combined with single cell RNA-sequencing, suggest that HER2+ cells stochastically cycle through a cell state (“pre-DTP”) capable of transition to DTPs. Collectively, our results provide insight into DTP ontogeny and therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Project description:Despite significant advances in HER2-targeted therapies, therapeutic resistance in HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer remains a significant clinical problem, especially in the metastatic setting. “Drug tolerant persisters” (DTPs), a sub-population of cancer cells that survive via reversible, non-genetic mechanisms, are implicated in resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in several cancer models, but DTPs for HER2-targeted TKIs (e.g., lapatinib, neratinib, tucatinib) have not been characterized extensively. Here, we report that HER2+ER+ and HER2+ER- breast cancer lines give rise to distinct types of “lapatinib-DTPs,” characterized by different transcriptional programs and sensitivity to lapatinib/anti-estradiol combination. Lapatinib-DTPs from HER2+/ER+ cells rewire the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 pathway via transcriptional induction of SGK3 to enable AKT-independent mTORC1 activation and survival. Lentiviral barcoding experiments, combined with single cell RNA-sequencing, suggest that HER2+ cells stochastically cycle through a cell state (“pre-DTP”) capable of transition to DTPs. Collectively, our results provide insight into DTP ontogeny and therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Project description:Background: Central nervous system (CNS) metastases represent a major problem in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer due to the disappointing efficacy of HER2-targeted therapies in the brain microenvironment. The antibody-drug conjugate ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) has shown efficacy in trastuzumab-resistant systemic breast cancer. Here, we tested the hypothesis that T-DM1 could overcome trastuzumab resistance in preclinical models of brain metastases. Methods: We treated mice bearing BT474 or MDA-MB-361 tumors in the CNS (N=9-11 per group), or cancer cells grown in organotypic brain slice cultures with trastuzumab or T-DM1 at equivalent or equipotent doses. Using intravital imaging, molecular techniques and histological analysis we determined tumor growth, mouse survival, cancer cell apoptosis and proliferation, tumor drug distribution, and HER2 signaling. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: T-DM1 significantly delayed the growth of HER2-positive breast cancer brain metastases compared to trastuzumab. These findings were consistent between HER2-driven and PI3K-driven tumors. The activity of T-DM1 resulted in a striking survival benefit (median survival for BT474 tumors: 28d for trastuzumab vs 112d for T-DM1, HR=6.2, 95% CI=6.1 to 85.84; P<.001). No difference in drug distribution and HER2-signaling was revealed between the two groups. However, T-DM1 led to a significant increase in tumor cell apoptosis (One-way ANOVA for ApopTag, p<.001), which was associated with mitotic catastrophe. Conclusions: T-DM1 can overcome resistance to trastuzumab therapy in HER2-driven and PI3K-driven breast cancer brain lesions due to the cytotoxicity of the DM1 component. Clinical investigation of T-DM1 for patients with CNS metastases from HER2-positive breast cancer is warranted.
Project description:Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from an autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta-cells. Based on findings suggesting NF-kappa B plays a role in beta cell apoptosis, we blocked NF-kappa B activation in cytokine-exposed FACS sorted beta cells by a recombinant adenovirus (AdI kappa B((SA)2)) containing an inhibitor of NF kappa B alpha (I kappa Bac) super-repressor (S32A/S36A). The expression profile was then analyzed with the Affymetrix RG U34a microarray.