11 research outputs found
MET Signaling: Novel Targeted Inhibition and Its Clinical Development in Lung Cancer
MET is a versatile receptor tyrosine kinase within the human kinome which is activated by its specific natural ligand hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). MET signaling plays an important physiologic role in embryogenesis and early development, whereas its deregulation from an otherwise quiescent signaling state in mature adult tissues can lead to upregulated cell proliferation, survival, scattering, motility and migration, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Studies have shown that MET pathway is activated in many solid and hematological malignancies, including lung cancer, and can be altered through ligand or receptor overexpression, genomic amplification, MET mutations, and alternative splicing. The MET signaling pathway is known to be an important novel target for therapeutic intervention in human cancer. A number of novel therapeutic agents that target the MET/HGF pathway have been tested in early-phase clinical studies with promising results. Phase 3 studies of MET targeting agents have just been initiated. We will review the MET signaling pathway and biology in lung cancer and the recent clinical development and advances of MET/HGF targeting agents with emphasis on discussion of issues and strategies needed to optimize the personalized therapy and further clinical development
Transcriptomic-metabolomic reprogramming in EGFR-mutant NSCLC early adaptive drug escape linking TGFβ2-bioenergetics-mitochondrial priming.
The impact of EGFR-mutant NSCLC precision therapy is limited by acquired resistance despite initial excellent response. Classic studies of EGFR-mutant clinical resistance to precision therapy were based on tumor rebiopsies late during clinical tumor progression on therapy. Here, we characterized a novel non-mutational early adaptive drug-escape in EGFR-mutant lung tumor cells only days after therapy initiation, that is MET-independent. The drug-escape cell states were analyzed by integrated transcriptomic and metabolomics profiling uncovering a central role for autocrine TGFβ2 in mediating cellular plasticity through profound cellular adaptive Omics reprogramming, with common mechanistic link to prosurvival mitochondrial priming. Cells undergoing early adaptive drug escape are in proliferative-metabolic quiescent, with enhanced EMT-ness and stem cell signaling, exhibiting global bioenergetics suppression including reverse Warburg, and are susceptible to glutamine deprivation and TGFβ2 inhibition. Our study further supports a preemptive therapeutic targeting of bioenergetics and mitochondrial priming to impact early drug-escape emergence using EGFR precision inhibitor combined with broad BH3-mimetic to interrupt BCL-2/BCL-xL together, but not BCL-2 alone
Five-Part Pentameric Nanocomplex Shows Improved Efficacy of Doxorubicin in CD44+ Cancer Cells
The
CD44 receptor is common among
many cancer types where overexpression is synonymous with poor prognosis
in prostate, glioma, and breast cancer. More notably CD44 overexpression
has been shown in a number of different cancer stem cells (CSC) which
are present in many solid tumors and drive growth, recurrence, and
resistance to conventional therapies. Triple negative breast cancer
CSCs correlate to worse prognosis and early relapse due to higher
drug resistance and increased tumor heterogeneity and thus are prime
targets for anticancer therapy. To specifically target cells overexpressing
CD44 receptors, including CSCs, we synthesized a pentameric nanocomplex
(PNC) containing gold nanoparticles, doxorubicin (Dox) conjugated
to thiolated hyaluronic acid via an acid-labile hydrazone bond, and
thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) DNA CD44 aptamer. In vitro drug release
was highest at 8 h time point at acidic pH (pH 4.7) and in 10 mM glutathione.
The PNC is almost an order of magnitude more effective than Dox alone
in CD44+ cells versus CD44 low cells. Functionally, the PNC reduced
CSC self-renewal. The PNC provides a therapeutic strategy that can
improve the efficiency of Dox and decrease nontargeted toxicity thereby
prolonging its use to individual patients
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Transcriptomic-metabolomic reprogramming in EGFR-mutant NSCLC early adaptive drug escape linking TGFβ2-bioenergetics-mitochondrial priming.
The impact of EGFR-mutant NSCLC precision therapy is limited by acquired resistance despite initial excellent response. Classic studies of EGFR-mutant clinical resistance to precision therapy were based on tumor rebiopsies late during clinical tumor progression on therapy. Here, we characterized a novel non-mutational early adaptive drug-escape in EGFR-mutant lung tumor cells only days after therapy initiation, that is MET-independent. The drug-escape cell states were analyzed by integrated transcriptomic and metabolomics profiling uncovering a central role for autocrine TGFβ2 in mediating cellular plasticity through profound cellular adaptive Omics reprogramming, with common mechanistic link to prosurvival mitochondrial priming. Cells undergoing early adaptive drug escape are in proliferative-metabolic quiescent, with enhanced EMT-ness and stem cell signaling, exhibiting global bioenergetics suppression including reverse Warburg, and are susceptible to glutamine deprivation and TGFβ2 inhibition. Our study further supports a preemptive therapeutic targeting of bioenergetics and mitochondrial priming to impact early drug-escape emergence using EGFR precision inhibitor combined with broad BH3-mimetic to interrupt BCL-2/BCL-xL together, but not BCL-2 alone