Combined SHP2 and ERK inhibition for the treatment of KRAS-driven Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin J Ciecielski ◽  
Antonio Mulero-Sanchez ◽  
Alexandra Berninger ◽  
Laura Ruiz Canas ◽  
Astrid Bosma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Tumor Regression ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Good Tolerability ◽  
Recent Emergence ◽  
Erk Inhibition

Mutant KRAS is present in over 90% of pancreatic as well as 30-40% of lung and colorectal cancers and is one of the most common oncogenic drivers. Despite decades of research and the recent emergence of isoform-specific KRASG12C-inhibitors, most mutant KRAS isoforms, including the ones frequently associated with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), cannot be targeted directly. Moreover, targeting single RAS downstream effectors induces adaptive mechanisms leading to tumor recurrence or resistance. We report here on the combined inhibition of SHP2, a non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase upstream of KRAS, and ERK, a serine/threonine kinase and a key molecule downstream of KRAS in PDAC. This combination shows synergistic anticancer activity in vitro, superior disruption of the MAPK pathway, and significantly increased apoptosis induction compared to single-agent treatments. In vivo, we demonstrate good tolerability and efficacy of the combination. Concurrent inhibition of SHP2 and ERK induces significant tumor regression in multiple PDAC mouse models. Finally, we show evidence that 18F-FDG PET scans can be used to detect and predict early drug responses in animal models. Based on these compelling results, we will investigate this drug combination in a clinical trial (SHERPA, SHP2 and ERK inhibition in pancreatic cancer, NCT04916236), enrolling patients with KRAS-mutant PDAC.

scholarly journals Tumor -Associated MUC1 Regulates TGF-β Signaling and Function in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Grover ◽  
Sritama Nath ◽  
Mukulika Bose ◽  
Alexa J. Sanders ◽  
Cory Brouwer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Beta ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Mapk Pathway ◽  
Tumor Promoter ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Potential Biomarker ◽  
Tgf Β1

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is one of the most lethal human cancers. Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-β) is a cytokine that switches from a tumor-suppressor to a tumor promoter throughout tumor development, by a yet unknown mechanism. Tumor associated MUC1 (tMUC1) is aberrantly glycosylated and overexpressed in >80% of PDAs and is associated with poor prognosis. The cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 (MUC1-CT) interacts with other oncogenic proteins promoting tumor progression and metastasis. We hypothesize that tMUC1 levels regulate TGF-β functions in PDA in vitro and in vivo. We report that high-tMUC1 expression positively correlates to TGF-βRII and negatively to TGF-βRI receptors. In response to TGF-β1, high tMUC1 expressing PDA cells undergo c-Src phosphorylation, and activation of the Erk/MAPK pathway; while low tMUC1 expressing cells activate the Smad2/3 pathway, enhancing cell death. Correspondingly, mice bearing tMUC1-high tumors responded to TGF-β1 neutralizing antibody in vivo showing significantly retarded tumor growth. Analysis of clinical data from TCGA revealed significant alterations in gene-gene correlations in the TGF-β pathway in tMUC1 high versus tMUC1 low samples. This study deepens our understanding of tMUC1-regulated TGF-β’s paradoxical function in PDA and establishes tMUC1 as a potential biomarker to predict response to TGF-β-targeted therapies.

scholarly journals Combining in Vitro Diagnostics with in Vivo Imaging for Earlier Detection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Challenges and Solutions

Radiology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 277 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul F. Laeseke ◽  
Ru Chen ◽  
R. Brooke Jeffrey ◽  
Teresa A. Brentnall ◽  
Jürgen K. Willmann
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
In Vivo Imaging ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
In Vitro Diagnostics

scholarly journals GLRX3, a novel cancer stem cell-related secretory biomarker of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jung Hyun Jo ◽  
Sun A Kim ◽  
Jeong Hoon Lee ◽  
Yu Rang Park ◽  
Chanyang Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Biomarker Discovery ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
Tumor Formation ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Curative Surgery ◽  
In Vitro Proliferation

Abstract Background Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are implicated in carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and recurrence. Several biomarkers have been described for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) CSCs; however, their function and mechanism remain unclear. Method In this study, secretome analysis was performed in pancreatic CSC-enriched spheres and control adherent cells for biomarker discovery. Glutaredoxin3 (GLRX3), a novel candidate upregulated in spheres, was evaluated for its function and clinical implication. Results PDAC CSC populations, cell lines, patient tissues, and blood samples demonstrated GLRX3 overexpression. In contrast, GLRX3 silencing decreased the in vitro proliferation, migration, clonogenicity, and sphere formation of cells. GLRX3 knockdown also reduced tumor formation and growth in vivo. GLRX3 was found to regulate Met/PI3K/AKT signaling and stemness-related molecules. ELISA results indicated GLRX3 overexpression in the serum of patients with PDAC compared to that in healthy controls. The sensitivity and specificity of GLRX3 for PDAC diagnosis were 80.0 and 100%, respectively. When GLRX3 and CA19–9 were combined, sensitivity was significantly increased to 98.3% compared to that with GLRX3 or CA19–9 alone. High GLRX3 expression was also associated with poor disease-free survival in patients receiving curative surgery. Conclusion Overall, these results indicate GLRX3 as a novel diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for PDAC targeting CSCs.

scholarly journals Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Preclinical in vitro and ex vivo Models

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beate Gündel ◽  
Xinyuan Liu ◽  
Matthias Löhr ◽  
Rainer Heuchel
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
3D Cell Culture ◽  
Therapy Resistance ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
The Past ◽  
Slow Progress

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most overlooked cancers despite its dismal median survival time of 6 months. The biggest challenges in improving patient survival are late diagnosis due to lack of diagnostic markers, and limited treatment options due to almost complete therapy resistance. The past decades of research identified the dense stroma and the complex interplay/crosstalk between the cancer- and the different stromal cells as the main culprits for the slow progress in improving patient outcome. For better ex vivo simulation of this complex tumor microenvironment the models used in PDAC research likewise need to become more diverse. Depending on the focus of the investigation, several in vitro and in vivo models for PDAC have been established in the past years. Particularly, 3D cell culture such as spheroids and organoids have become more frequently used. This review aims to examine current PDAC in vitro models, their inherent limitations, and their successful implementations in research.

scholarly journals Positive Crosstalk Between Hedgehog and NF-κB Pathways Is Dependent on KRAS Mutation in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuqiong Wang ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
Yanmiao Dai ◽  
Xiangyu Kong ◽  
Xian Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Growth ◽  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Signaling Pathways ◽  
Kras Mutation ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Hh Signaling

It has been shown that aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways plays an important role in the pancreatic carcinogenesis, and KRAS mutation is a hallmark of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Until now, the role of KRAS mutation in the context of crosstalk between Hh and NF-κB signaling pathways in PDAC has not been investigated. This study was to determine whether the crosstalk between the Hh and NF-κB pathways is dependent on KRAS mutation in PDAC. The correlation between Gli1, Shh, NF-κB p65 expression and KRAS mutation in PDAC tissues was firstly examined by immunohistochemistry. Next, Western blotting, qPCR, and immunofluorescence were conducted to examine the biological effects of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as NF-κB signaling agonists, Shh as an Hh ligand alone or in combination with KRAS small interfering RNA (si-KRAS) in KRAS-mutant PDAC cells (MT-KRAS; SW1990 and Panc-1), wild-type KRAS PDAC cells (WT-KRAS; BxPC-3) and mutant KRAS knock-in BxPC-3 cells in vitro as well as tumor growth in vivo. KRAS mutation-dependent crosstalk between Hh and NF-κB in PDAC cells was further assessed by Ras activity and luciferase reporter assays. The aberrant Hh and NF-κB pathway activation was found in PDAC tissues with KRAS mutation. The same findings were confirmed in MT-KRAS PDAC cells and MT-KRAS knock-in BxPC-3 cells, whereas this activation was not observed in WT-KRAS PDAC cells. However, the activation was significantly down-regulated by KRAS silencing in MT-KRAS PDAC cells. Furthermore, MT-KRAS cancer cell proliferation and survival in vitro and tumor growth after inoculation with MT-KRAS cells in vivo were promoted by NF-κB and Hh signaling activation. The pivotal factor for co-activation of NF-κB and Hh signaling is MT-KRAS protein upregulation, showing that positive crosstalk between Hh and NF-κB pathways is dependent upon KRAS mutation in PDAC.

scholarly journals The ATR Inhibitor AZD6738 Synergizes with Gemcitabine In Vitro and In Vivo to Induce Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Regression

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 1670-1682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yann Wallez ◽  
Charles R. Dunlop ◽  
Timothy Isaac Johnson ◽  
Siang-Boon Koh ◽  
Chiara Fornari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma

scholarly journals KIF4A Regulates the Progression of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma through Proliferation and Invasion

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Jing Chen ◽  
Cui-Cui Zhao ◽  
Fei-Ran Chen ◽  
Guo-Wei Feng ◽  
Fei Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Cell Proliferation ◽  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Disease Free Survival ◽  
High Expression ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Migration And Invasion

Background. Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive tract, which is difficult to diagnose and treat due to bad early diagnosis. We aimed to explore the role of kinesin superfamily 4A (KIF4A) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods. We first used the bioinformatic website to screen the data of pancreatic cancer in TCGA, and KIF4A protein was detected among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital combined with clinic-pathological characteristics and survival analysis. KIF4A loss-expression cell lines were established by RNA interference (RNAi). In addition, we performed in vitro cell assays to detect the changes in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The proteins involved in the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells were also detected by western blot. The above results could be proved in vivo. Further, the correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L was analyzed by TCGA and IHC data. Results. We first found a high expression of KIF4A in pancreatic cancer, suggesting a role of KIF4A in the development of pancreatic cancer. KIF4A was found to be differentially expressed ( P < 0.05 ) among the 86 specimens of patients in our hospital and was significantly associated with PDAC TNM stages and tumor size. High KIF4A expression also significantly worsened overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rate (DFS) ( P < 0.05 , respectively). In addition, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were inhibited by the KIF4A-shRNA group compared with the control ( P < 0.05 , respectively). In the end, knockdown of KIF4A could inhibit tumor development and metastasis in vivo. Further, the positive correlation between KIF4A and CDC5L existed, and KIF4A might promote pancreatic cancer proliferation by affecting CDC5L expression. Conclusion. In conclusion, the high expression level of KIF4A in PDAC was closely related to poor clinical and pathological status, lymphatic metastasis, and vascular invasion. KIF4A might be involved in promoting the development of PDAC in vitro and in vivo, which might be a new therapeutic target of PDAC.

scholarly journals Unbiased in vivo preclinical evaluation of anticancer drugs identifies effective therapy for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (48) ◽  
pp. 30670-30678
Author(s):  
Olivera Grbovic-Huezo ◽  
Kenneth L. Pitter ◽  
Nicolas Lecomte ◽  
Joseph Saglimbeni ◽  
Gokce Askan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Single Agent ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
In Vivo Model ◽  
Cancer Therapies ◽  
Hsp90 Inhibition ◽  
Dismal Prognosis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage, which limits surgical options and portends a dismal prognosis. Current oncologic PDAC therapies confer marginal benefit and, thus, a significant unmet clinical need exists for new therapeutic strategies. To identify effective PDAC therapies, we leveraged a syngeneic orthotopic PDAC transplant mouse model to perform a large-scale, in vivo screen of 16 single-agent and 41 two-drug targeted therapy combinations in mice. Among 57 drug conditions screened, combined inhibition of heat shock protein (Hsp)-90 and MEK was found to produce robust suppression of tumor growth, leading to an 80% increase in the survival of PDAC-bearing mice with no significant toxicity. Mechanistically, we observed that single-agent MEK inhibition led to compensatory activation of resistance pathways, including components of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling axis, which was overcome with the addition of HSP90 inhibition. The combination of HSP90(i) + MEK(i) was also active in vitro in established human PDAC cell lines and in vivo in patient-derived organoid PDAC transplant models. These findings encourage the clinical development of HSP90(i) + MEK(i) combination therapy and highlight the power of clinically relevant in vivo model systems for identifying cancer therapies.

scholarly journals Modulation of FoxO1 Expression by miR-21 to Promote Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weifeng Song ◽  
Qi Li ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Liwei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Reporter Assay ◽  
Primary Tumors ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Infusion System

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal primary tumors in humans, with undetermined tumorigenesis. Although previous work by us, and by others, has clearly demonstrated an involvement of miR-21 in the growth of PDAC, the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Methods: Here we analyzed the regulation of FoxO1 by miR-21 in vitro and in vivo, using luciferase-reporter assay and pancreatic intraductal infusion of antisense of miR-21, respectively. Results: We found that overexpression of miR-21 in PDAC cells decreased FoxO1 protein levels, whereas inhibition of miR-21 increased FoxO1 levels. Further, miR-21 bound to FoxO1 mRNA to prevent its translation through its 3'UTR. Moreover, administration of antisense of miR-21 through an intraductal infusion system significantly decreased miR-21 levels and increased FoxO1 levels in implanted PDAC, resulting in a significant decrease in PDAC growth. Conclusion: Taken together, our data highlight miR-21/FoxO1 axis as a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting the growth of PDAC.

scholarly journals MCOLN1 Promotes Proliferation and Predicts Poor Survival of Patients with Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhan-Dong Hu ◽  
Jun Yan ◽  
Kai-Yue Cao ◽  
Zhi-Qi Yin ◽  
Wei-Wei Xin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Expression Level ◽  
Nuclear Antigen ◽  
Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽  
Proliferation Capacity ◽  
Late Endosomes ◽  
Tumor Tissues ◽  
High Level

Background. MCOLN1 (mucolipin subfamily, member 1) was first identified as an autophagic regulator, which was essential for efficient fusion of both autophagosomes and late endosomes with lysosomes. This study is aimed at investigating the role of MCOLN1 in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was conducted to evaluate the expression level of MCOLN1 in 82 human PDAC tumor tissues. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis was performed to assess the prognosis of patients. Colony formation and MTT assays [3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide] were performed to measure the proliferation capacity of tumor cells. The expression level of related genes was measured by RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and western blot assays. The animal model was used to examine the effects of indicated protein on tumorigenesis in vivo. Results. The results of IHC showed that a high level of MCOLN1 expression was associated with the poor clinical characteristics of PDAC patients. OS and RFS were significantly worse in patients with high MCOLN1 expression. Silencing of MCOLN1 dramatically blocked the proliferation of PDAC cells. Mechanism studies confirmed that knockdown of MCOLN1 decreased the expression of Ki67 and PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), two markers of cell proliferation. In vivo, MCOILN1 depletion reduced the formation and growth of tumors in mice. Conclusion. The high level of MCOLN1 expression was associated with poor clinical outcomes of PDAC patients. MCOLN1 ablation could inhibit PDAC proliferation of both in vitro and in vivo, which provide a new insight and novel therapeutic target for the treatment of PDAC.

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