Acquired resistance to oestrogen deprivation: role for growth factor signalling kinases/oestrogen receptor cross-talk revealed in new MCF-7X model

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S85-S97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy M Staka ◽  
Robert I Nicholson ◽  
Julia M W Gee

In vitro models of long-term oestrogen deprivation utilise increased oestrogen receptor (ER) and are oestrogen hypersensitive, with emerging evidence that growth factor signalling contributes and interacts with ER. However, such models are commonly derived in the presence of serum growth factors that may force the resistance mechanism. Our new in vitro model, MCF-7X, has thus been developed under conditions of both oestrogen and growth factor depletion. ER expression, serine 118 phosphorylation on this receptor and its transcriptional activity were modestly increased compared to the parental MCF-7 cells, although MCF-7X cells were not oestrogen hypersensitive. Faslodex (0.1 μM) partially decreased ER and its transcriptional activity, with associated decreases in serine 118 phosphorylation. Faslodex inhibited MCF-7X growth by 50% for 10 weeks. Classical growth factor receptors did not impact on MCF-7X growth and only a modest contribution for MAP kinase was revealed using PD98059 (25 μM; 35% inhibition for 3 weeks). However, the phosphatidylinositol-3-OH (PI3)-kinase inhibitor LY294002 (5 μM) inhibited MCF-7X growth by 65% for 10 weeks. In contrast to PD98059, LY294002 also partially-inhibited ER transcriptional activity and decreased serine 167 ER phosphorylation. Co-treatment with faslodex plus LY294002 to decrease activity of both serine 118 and 167 proved superior vs the single agents in decreasing ER transcriptional activity and MCF-7X growth (90% inhibition for 25 weeks). However, triple treatment including PD98059 was required to prevent resistance in MCF-7X, an event dependent on maximal depletion of serine 118 phosphorylation and ER transcriptional activity. Kinases clearly contribute in resistance to oestrogen deprivation, cross-talking with ER signalling via AF-1 phosphorylation. While inhibiting each pathway has potential to treat this state, combined therapy targeting all regulators of ER phosphorylation may be required to block subsequent emergence of resistance.

2005 ◽  
Vol 12 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S29-S36 ◽  
Author(s):  
R I Nicholson ◽  
I R Hutcheson ◽  
S E Hiscox ◽  
J M Knowlden ◽  
M Giles ◽  
...  

De novo insensitivity and acquired resistance to the selective oestrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen and the pure anti-oestrogen fulvestrant (faslodex) severely limit their effectiveness in breast cancer patients. This is a major clinical problem, since each year upward of 1 million women are dispensed anti-oestrogenic drugs. In order to investigate the phenomenon of anti-oestrogen resistance and to rapidly screen drugs that target the resistance mechanism(s), we have previously established several in vitro breast cancer models that have acquired resistance to anti-hormones. Such cells commonly develop an ability to proliferate after approximately 3 months of exposure to 4-hydroxytamoxifen or fulvestrant, despite an initial endocrine-responsive (i.e. growth-suppressive) phase. The current paper explores the role that growth factor signalling plays in the transition of oestrogen receptor-positive endocrine-responsive breast cancer cells to anti-oestrogen resistance or insensitivity and how we might, in the future, most effectively use anti-growth factor therapies to treat or delay endocrine-resistant states.


2001 ◽  
pp. 175-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
R I Nicholson ◽  
I R Hutcheson ◽  
M E Harper ◽  
J M Knowlden ◽  
D Barrow ◽  
...  

There is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating that growth factor networks are highly interactive with oestrogen receptor (ER) signalling in the control of breast cancer growth. As such, tumour responses to anti- hormones are likely to be a composite of the ER and growth factor inhibitory activity of these agents. The current article examines the modulation of growth factor networks during endocrine response, and presents in vitro and clinical evidence that epidermal growth factor receptor signalling, maintained in either an ER-dependent or -independent manner, is critical to anti- hormonal-resistant breast cancer cell growth. The considerable potential of the epidermal growth factor receptor-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor, ZD 1839 (Iressa; AstraZeneca) to efficiently treat, and perhaps even prevent, endocrine-resistant breast cancer is highlighted.


Oncogenesis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruize Gao ◽  
David Buechel ◽  
Ravi K. R. Kalathur ◽  
Marco F. Morini ◽  
Mairene Coto-Llerena ◽  
...  

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanisms underlying evasive resistance in cancer is an unmet medical need to improve the efficacy of current therapies. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), aberrant expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α (HIF1α) and increased aerobic glycolysis metabolism are drivers of resistance to therapy with the multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib. However, it has remained unknown how HIF1α is activated and how its activity and the subsequent induction of aerobic glycolysis promote Sorafenib resistance in HCC. Here, we report the ubiquitin-specific peptidase USP29 as a new regulator of HIF1α and of aerobic glycolysis during the development of Sorafenib resistance in HCC. In particular, we identified USP29 as a critical deubiquitylase (DUB) of HIF1α, which directly deubiquitylates and stabilizes HIF1α and, thus, promotes its transcriptional activity. Among the transcriptional targets of HIF1α is the gene encoding hexokinase 2 (HK2), a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway. The absence of USP29, and thus of HIF1α transcriptional activity, reduces the levels of aerobic glycolysis and restores sensitivity to Sorafenib in Sorafenib-resistant HCC cells in vitro and in xenograft transplantation mouse models in vivo. Notably, the absence of USP29 and high HK2 expression levels correlate with the response of HCC patients to Sorafenib therapy. Together, the data demonstrate that, as a DUB of HIF1α, USP29 promotes Sorafenib resistance in HCC cells, in parts by upregulating glycolysis, thereby opening new avenues for therapeutically targeting Sorafenib-resistant HCC in patients.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirti Kandhwal Chahal ◽  
Jie Li ◽  
Irina Kufareva ◽  
Donald Durden ◽  
Robert Wechsler Reya ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION Dysregulation of the 7-transmembrane receptors Smoothened (SMO) and other components of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway causes several cancers, including medulloblastoma (MB) and glioblastoma. However, SMO-specific antagonists produced mixed results in clinical trials, marked by a limited efficacy and a high rate of acquired resistance in tumors. METHODS Computational modeling of protein docking sites, analytical configuration modeling of crystallographic data, and in Vitro and in Vivo xenograft experiments. RESULTS Using computational modeling of SMO structure, we discovered that Nilotinib, an FDA-approved receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, directly binds to SMO. Furthermore, Nilotinib was more efficacious than the SMO-specific antagonist Vismodegib in inhibiting cell growth and Gli-1 mRNA and protein levels in Hh-dependent MB cells and glioblastoma cells. It also reduced tumor growth in the Hh-dependent MB and glioblastoma mouse xenograft models. These results indicate that in addition to its ability to inhibit several tyrosine kinase-mediated proliferative pathways, Nilotinib is active against the Hh pathway. CONCLUSION The newly discovered extension of Nilotinib target profile holds promise for the treatment of Hh-dependent cancers. It also calls for comprehensive characterization of pharmacology for other drugs and incorporation of their multitarget profiles into drug-disease matching criteria for personalized medicine.


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 3448-3448
Author(s):  
Amit Verma ◽  
Tony A. Navas ◽  
Jing Ying ◽  
Aaron N. Nguyen ◽  
Perry Pahanish ◽  
...  

Abstract Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) is a myelosuppressive cytokine that has been implicated in the ineffective hematopoiesis seen in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Overactivation of TGF-β signaling in this disease was demonstrated immunohistochemically by significantly higher nuclear SMAD2 phosphorylation observed in 20 MDS bone marrows when compared with 7 non MDS anemic controls (P < 0.0001, 2 Tailed T Test, Image Pro Plus software). This data along with high levels of membrane-bound and plasma TGF-β observed in MDS patients in previous studies support the development of therapeutics targeting the TGF-β signaling pathways in this disease. SD-208 is a novel, potent and specific inhibitor of TGF-β Receptor I (TGFβ-RI) kinase. We demonstrate that SD-208 blocks the phosphorylation of SMAD2 in hematopoietic progenitors which are at the colony forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E) stage of differentiation. SD-208 also abrogates the G0/G1 cell cycle arrest induced by TGF-β in bone marrow progenitors. SD-208 treatment leads to reversal of the myelosuppressive effects of TGF-β on erythroid and myeloid colony formation from primary human CD34+ cells. Selectivity of SD-208 in inhibiting TGF-β-mediated effects on hematopoiesis was supported by similar results observed with siRNAs targeting SMAD2, a major component of the TGF-b signaling pathway. Finally, the efficacy of SD-208 in MDS was evaluated by treating bone marrow mononuclear cells from 15 patients with early low grade MDS. SD-208 treatment led to dose-dependent increases in erythroid and myeloid colonies after 14 days of in vitro culture. The effect was most notable in patients with high levels of activated SMAD-2, as assessed by immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow biopsies. Stimulation of hematopoiesis in MDS-derived marrow culture by SD-208 demonstrates a novel concept and potential therapeutic role for TGFβ-RI inhibition in this disease. Supported by VISN-17 grant, Harris Methodist Foundation Grant and ASCO YIA to AV


2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 2574-2581 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Plasencia ◽  
N. Borrell ◽  
M. D. Maciá ◽  
B. Moya ◽  
J. L. Pérez ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT We studied the mechanisms and dynamics of the development of resistance to ceftazidime (CAZ) alone or combined with tobramycin (TOB) or ciprofloxacin (CIP) in vitro and in vivo (using a mouse model of lung infection with human antibiotic regimens). Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 and its hypermutable derivative PAOΔmutS were used, and the results were compared with those previously obtained with CIP, TOB, and CIP plus TOB (CIP-TOB) under the same conditions. An important (200-fold) amplification of the number of resistant mutant cells was documented for PAOΔmutS-infected mice that were under CAZ treatment compared to the number for mice that received placebo, whereas the median number of resistant mutant cells was below the detection limits for mice infected by PAO1. These results were intermediate between the high amplification with CIP (50,000-fold) and the low amplification with TOB (10-fold). All CAZ-resistant single mutant cells selected in vitro or in vivo hyperproduced AmpC. On the other hand, the three combinations studied were found to be highly effective in the prevention of in vivo resistance development in mice infected with PAOΔmutS, although the highest therapeutic efficacy (in terms of mortality and total bacterial load reduction) compared to those of the individual regimens was obtained with CIP-TOB and the lowest was with CAZ-CIP. Nevertheless, mutant cells that were resistant to the three combinations tested were readily selected in vitro for PAOΔmutS (mutation rates from 1.2 × 10−9 to 5.8 × 10−11) but not for PAO1, highlighting the potential risk for antimicrobial resistance development associated with the presence of hypermutable strains, even when combined therapy was used. All five independent CAZ-TOB-resistant PAOΔmutS double mutants studied presented the same resistance mechanism (AmpC hyperproduction plus an aminoglycoside resistance mechanism not related to MexXY), whereas four different combinations of resistance mechanisms were documented for the five CAZ-CIP-resistant double mutants.


2006 ◽  
Vol 290 (5) ◽  
pp. F1202-F1212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil G. Docherty ◽  
Orfhlaith E. O'Sullivan ◽  
Declan A. Healy ◽  
Madeline Murphy ◽  
Amanda J. O'Neill ◽  
...  

Apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) occur in stressed tubular epithelial cells and contribute to renal fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 promotes these responses and we examined whether the processes were interdependent in vitro. Direct (caspase inhibition) and indirect [epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor stimulation] strategies were used to block apoptosis during TGF-β1 stimulation, and the subsequent effect on EMT was assessed. HK-2 cells were exposed to TGF-β1 with or without preincubation with ZVAD-FMK (pan-caspase inhibitor) or concomitant treatment with EGF plus or minus preincubation with LY-294002 (PI3-kinase inhibitor). Cells were then assessed for apoptosis and proliferation by flow cytometry, crystal violet assay, and Western blotting. Markers of EMT were assessed by microscopy, immunofluorescence, real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, PAI-1 reporter assay, and collagen gel contraction assay. TGF-β1 caused apoptosis and priming for staurosporine-induced apoptosis. This was blocked by ZVAD-FMK. However, ZVAD-FMK did not prevent EMT following TGF-β1 treatment. EGF inhibited apoptosis and facilitated TGF-β1 induction of EMT by increasing proliferation and accentuating E-cadherin loss. Additionally, EGF significantly enhanced TGF-β1-induced collagen I gel contraction. EGF increased Akt phosphorylation during EMT, and the prosurvival effect of this was confirmed using LY-294002, which reduced EGF-induced Akt phosphorylation and reversed its antiapoptotic and proproliferatory effects. TGF-β1 induces EMT independently of its proapoptotic effects. TGF-β1 and EGF together lead to EMT. EGF increases proliferation and resistance to apoptosis during EMT in a PI3-K Akt-dependent manner. In vivo, EGF receptor activation may assist in the selective survival of a transdifferentiated, profibrotic cell type.


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