scholarly journals Structure, activation and dysregulation of fibroblast growth factor receptor kinases: perspectives for clinical targeting

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1753-1770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan Farrell ◽  
Alexander L. Breeze

The receptor tyrosine kinase family of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) play crucial roles in embryonic development, metabolism, tissue homeostasis and wound repair via stimulation of intracellular signalling cascades. As a consequence of FGFRs’ influence on cell growth, proliferation and differentiation, FGFR signalling is frequently dysregulated in a host of human cancers, variously by means of overexpression, somatic point mutations and gene fusion events. Dysregulation of FGFRs is also the underlying cause of many developmental dysplasias such as hypochondroplasia and achondroplasia. Accordingly, FGFRs are attractive pharmaceutical targets, and multiple clinical trials are in progress for the treatment of various FGFR aberrations. To effectively target dysregulated receptors, a structural and mechanistic understanding of FGFR activation and regulation is required. Here, we review some of the key research findings from the last couple of decades and summarise the strategies being explored for therapeutic intervention.

Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3029
Author(s):  
Maria Francesca Santolla ◽  
Marcello Maggiolini

One of the major challenges in the treatment of breast cancer is the heterogeneous nature of the disease. With multiple subtypes of breast cancer identified, there is an unmet clinical need for the development of therapies particularly for the less tractable subtypes. Several transduction mechanisms are involved in the progression of breast cancer, therefore making the assessment of the molecular landscape that characterizes each patient intricate. Over the last decade, numerous studies have focused on the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to target the main pathways dysregulated in breast cancer, however their effectiveness is often limited either by resistance to treatments or the appearance of adverse effects. In this context, the fibroblast growth factor/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF/FGFR) system represents an emerging transduction pathway and therapeutic target to be fully investigated among the diverse anti-cancer settings in breast cancer. Here, we have recapitulated previous studies dealing with FGFR molecular aberrations, such as the gene amplification, point mutations, and chromosomal translocations that occur in breast cancer. Furthermore, alterations in the FGF/FGFR signaling across the different subtypes of breast cancer have been described. Next, we discussed the functional interplay between the FGF/FGFR axis and important components of the breast tumor microenvironment. Lastly, we pointed out the therapeutic usefulness of FGF/FGFR inhibitors, as revealed by preclinical and clinical models of breast cancer.


Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Navid Sobhani ◽  
Anna Ianza ◽  
Alberto D’Angelo ◽  
Giandomenico Roviello ◽  
Fabiola Giudici ◽  
...  

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy and second only to lung cancer in terms of mortality in women. Despite the incredible progress made in this field, metastatic breast cancer has a poor prognosis. In an era of personalized medicine, there is an urgent need for better knowledge of the biology leading to the disease, which can lead to the design of increasingly accurate drugs against patients’ specific molecular aberrations. Among one of the actionable targets is the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) pathway, triggered by specific ligands. The Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptors/Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFRs/FGFs) axis offers interesting molecular targets to be pursued in clinical development. This mini-review will focus on the current knowledge of FGFR mutations, which lead to tumor formation and summarizes the state-of-the-art therapeutic strategies for targeted treatments against the FGFRs/FGFs axis in the context of BC.


2002 ◽  
Vol 361 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sujata G. PANDIT ◽  
Prasanthi GOVINDRAJ ◽  
Joachim SASSE ◽  
Peter J. NEAME ◽  
John R. HASSELL

Point mutations in the human fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor 3 gene (Fgfr3) produce a constitutively active receptor, which disrupts chondrocyte differentiation in the growth plate and results in skeletal dysplasias with severe shortening of the limbs. Alternative splicing of the Fgfr3 transcript gives rise to two isoforms, IIIc and IIIb, which vary in their specificity for FGF ligands. We examined the expression of these FGFR3 isoforms in the bovine fetal rib growth plate to determine whether levels of FGFR3 expression are zone-related. Transcripts for both Fgfr3 isoforms are expressed in rib growth plate, with maximum expression in the hypertrophic region and the least expression in the reserve zone. Fgfr3 IIIc is the predominant isoform in the growth plate. Western-blot analysis revealed the presence of full-length FGFR3 (135kDa) for both isoforms in the reserve zone, a major 98kDa fragment in all zones and smaller fragments primarily in the hypertrophic zone. Immunostaining localized FGFR3 to the pericellular region of reserve chondrocytes and to the extracellular matrix in the hypertrophic zone. These results suggest that the transmembrane form of FGFR3 increasingly undergoes proteolytic cleavage towards the hypertrophic zone to produce an extracellular-domain fragment of FGFR3, which is present in large amounts in the matrix of hypertrophic cells. These findings suggest a proteolytic regulatory mechanism for FGFR3, whereby Fgfr3 fragments could control availability of FGF for the intact receptor, and by which proteolysis could inactivate the receptor.


Author(s):  
Navid Sobhani ◽  
Anna Ianza ◽  
Alberto D'Angelo ◽  
Giandomenico Roviello ◽  
Fabiola Giudici ◽  
...  

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy and second only to lung cancer in terms of mortality in women. Despite the incredible progress made in this field, the metastatic breast cancer leaves a poor prognosis. In an era of personalized medicine, there is an urgent need for a better knowledge of the biology leading to the disease, which can lead to the design of always more accurate drugs against patients’ specific molecular aberrations. Among one of the actionable targets is the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor (FGFR) pathway, triggered by specific ligands. The FGFRs/FGFs axis offers interesting molecular targets to be pursued in clinical development. This mini-review will focus on the current knowledge of the FGFRs mutations leading to tumour formation and summarizes the state-of-the-art of therapeutic strategies for targeted treatments against the FGFRs/FGFs axis in the context of BC.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikito Inokuchi ◽  
Yoshitaka Fujimori ◽  
Sho Otsuki ◽  
Yuya Sato ◽  
Masatoshi Nakagawa ◽  
...  

Chemotherapy has become the global standard treatment for patients with metastatic or unresectable gastric cancer (GC), although outcomes remain unfavorable. Many molecular-targeted therapies inhibiting signaling pathways of various tyrosine kinase receptors have been developed, and monoclonal antibodies targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) have become standard therapy for HER2-positive GC. An inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 or MET has also produced promising results in patients with GC. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) play key roles in tumor growth via activated signaling pathways in GC. Genomic amplification of FGFR2 leads to the aberrant activation found in GC tumors and is related to survival in patients with GC. This review discusses the clinical relevance of FGFR in GC and examines FGFR as a potential therapeutic target in patients with GC. Preclinical studies in animal models suggest that multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), including FGFR inhibitor, suppress tumor cell proliferation and delay tumor progression. Several TKIs are now being evaluated in clinical trials as treatment for metastatic or unresectable GC harboring FGFR2 amplification.


2004 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 338-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salil Nair ◽  
Simon Watts ◽  
Liam Flood

The cytokine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and its receptors (FGFR) have a pivotal role in wound repair and have been demonstrated in the perimatrix of active cholesteatoma. Aural polyps are a recognized inflammatory reaction of middle-ear mucosa to cholesteatoma, but may arise in its absence. This study examines 28 archival aural polyp specimens, seeking an increased expression for FGFR1 and FGFR3 in polyps associated with cholesteatoma, when compared with those arising in non-cholesteatomatous, mucosal disease, but produced a null result. There was no difference demonstrated in staining intensity between those polyps associated with cholesteatoma and those without. There was a strong correlation between staining patterns of FGFR1 and FGFR3 (r = 0.4, p <0.03). The expression pattern, of nuclear and perinuclear localization, may support the view that nuclear translocation of growth factors, and their receptors, could be related to the cellular proliferation that is associated with cholesteatoma.


2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (2) ◽  
pp. F245-F251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlton M. Bates

Fibroblast growth factor receptors (Fgfrs) consist of four signaling family members and one nonsignaling “decoy” receptor, Fgfr-like 1 (Fgfrl1), all of which are expressed in the developing kidney. Several studies have shown that exogenous fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) affect growth and maturation of the metanephric mesenchyme (MM) and ureteric bud (UB) in cultured tissues. Transgenic and conditional knockout approaches in whole animals have shown that Fgfr1 and Fgfr2 (predominantly the IIIc isoform) in kidney mesenchyme are critical for early MM and UB formation. Conditional deletion of the ligand, Fgf8, in nephron precursors or global deletion of Fgfrl1 interrupts nephron formation. Fgfr2 (likely the IIIb isoform signaling downstream of Fgf7 and Fgf10) is critical for ureteric morphogenesis. Moreover, Fgfr2 appears to act independently of Frs2α (the major signaling adapter for Fgfrs) in regulating UB branching. Loss of Fgfr2 in the MM leads to many kidney and urinary tract anomalies, including vesicoureteral reflux. Thus Fgfr signaling is critical for patterning of virtually all renal lineages at early and later stages of development.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (12) ◽  
pp. 4111-4119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linlin Wang ◽  
Thomas C. Schulz ◽  
Eric S. Sherrer ◽  
Derek S. Dauphin ◽  
Soojung Shin ◽  
...  

Abstract Despite progress in developing defined conditions for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) cultures, little is known about the cell-surface receptors that are activated under conditions supportive of hESC self-renewal. A simultaneous interrogation of 42 receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in hESCs following stimulation with mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) conditioned medium (CM) revealed rapid and prominent tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R); less prominent tyrosine phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family members, including ERBB2 and ERBB3; and trace phosphorylation of fibroblast growth factor receptors. Intense IGF1R and IR phosphorylation occurred in the absence of MEF conditioning (NCM) and was attributable to high concentrations of insulin in the proprietary KnockOut Serum Replacer (KSR). Inhibition of IGF1R using a blocking antibody or lentivirus-delivered shRNA reduced hESC self-renewal and promoted differentiation, while disruption of ERBB2 signaling with the selective inhibitor AG825 severely inhibited hESC proliferation and promoted apoptosis. A simple defined medium containing an IGF1 analog, heregulin-1β (a ligand for ERBB2/ERBB3), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), and activin A supported long-term growth of multiple hESC lines. These studies identify previously unappreciated RTKs that support hESC proliferation and self-renewal, and provide a rationally designed medium for the growth and maintenance of pluripotent hESCs.


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