scholarly journals Targeting Oncogenic BRAF: Past, Present, and Future

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaman ◽  
Wu ◽  
Bivona

Identifying recurrent somatic genetic alterations of, and dependency on, the kinase BRAF has enabled a “precision medicine” paradigm to diagnose and treat BRAF-driven tumors. Although targeted kinase inhibitors against BRAF are effective in a subset of mutant BRAF tumors, resistance to the therapy inevitably emerges. In this review, we discuss BRAF biology, both in wild-type and mutant settings. We discuss the predominant BRAF mutations and we outline therapeutic strategies to block mutant BRAF and cancer growth. We highlight common mechanistic themes that underpin different classes of resistance mechanisms against BRAF-targeted therapies and discuss tumor heterogeneity and co-occurring molecular alterations as a potential source of therapy resistance. We outline promising therapy approaches to overcome these barriers to the long-term control of BRAF-driven tumors and emphasize how an extensive understanding of these themes can offer more pre-emptive, improved therapeutic strategies.

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter T. Harrison ◽  
Paul H. Huang

Drug resistance remains one of the greatest challenges facing precision oncology today. Despite the vast array of resistance mechanisms that cancer cells employ to subvert the effects of targeted therapy, a deep understanding of cancer signalling networks has led to the development of novel strategies to tackle resistance both in the first-line and salvage therapy settings. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the major classes of resistance mechanisms to targeted therapy, including signalling reprogramming and tumour evolution; our discussion also focuses on the use of different forms of polytherapies (such as inhibitor combinations, multi-target kinase inhibitors and HSP90 inhibitors) as a means of combating resistance. The promise and challenges facing each of these polytherapies are elaborated with a perspective on how to effectively deploy such therapies in patients. We highlight efforts to harness computational approaches to predict effective polytherapies and the emerging view that exceptional responders may hold the key to better understanding drug resistance. This review underscores the importance of polytherapies as an effective means of targeting resistance signalling networks and achieving durable clinical responses in the era of personalised cancer medicine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 8529
Author(s):  
Jorge Esteban-Villarrubia ◽  
Juan José Soto-Castillo ◽  
Javier Pozas ◽  
María San Román-Gil ◽  
Inmaculada Orejana-Martín ◽  
...  

Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) comprise more than 60 molecules that play an essential role in the molecular pathways, leading to cell survival and differentiation. Consequently, genetic alterations of TKRs may lead to tumorigenesis and, therefore, cancer development. The discovery and improvement of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) against TKRs have entailed an important step in the knowledge-expansion of tumor physiopathology as well as an improvement in the cancer treatment based on molecular alterations over many tumor types. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive review of the different families of TKRs and their role in the expansion of tumor cells and how TKIs can stop these pathways to tumorigenesis, in combination or not with other therapies. The increasing growth of this landscape is driving us to strengthen the development of precision oncology with clinical trials based on molecular-based therapy over a histology-based one, with promising preliminary results.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 2548-2548
Author(s):  
Vera Grossmann ◽  
Alexander Kohlmann ◽  
Sandra Weissmann ◽  
Susanne Schnittger ◽  
Valentina Artusi ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 2548 Introduction: At present, the diagnosis of T-ALL is based on immunophenotyping and specific chromosomal rearrangements. However, the knowledge about recurrent somatic mutations is limited. Patients and Methods: We studied a cohort of 78 adult T-ALL cases (n=33 early, n=33 cortical, n=2 mature T-ALL, n=10 subtype not available), including 57 males and 21 females. Age ranged from 18.8–87.7 yrs (median: 42 yrs). A deep-sequencing assay was used to investigate for specific molecular alterations in genes involved in transcriptional regulation: NOTCH1, FBXW7, CDKN2A, DNMT3A, FLT3-ITD, FLT3-TKD, NPM1, PTEN, and RUNX1. Further, chromosome banding analysis and FISH with probes for DNMT3A (2p23), SEC63 (6q21), MYB (6q23), CDKN2A (9p21), PTEN (10q23), CDKN1B (12p13) and TP53 (17p13), as well as CDKN2B promoter methylation analyses were performed. Results: Cytogenetic data was available in 68 patients: normal karyotype: n=22 (2 of these harbored a PICALM-MLLT10-rearrangement), SIL-TAL1-rearrangement: n=3, t(5;14)(q35;q32): n=2, t(10;14)(q24;q11)/t(7;10)(q34;q24): n=9, t(10;11)(p13;q21): n=3, other abnormalities n=29. Importantly, molecular mutations were detected in 67/78 patients (85.6%). In detail, NOTCH1 was the most frequently mutated gene (55/77 cases, 71.4%). Other alterations were detected in DNMT3A (16/78; 20.5%); RUNX1 (13/78; 16.6%); FBXW7 (11/75; 14.6%); PTEN (7/78; 10.0%); CDKN2A (3/58; 5.2%); FLT3-ITD (2/78; 2.5%); and FLT3-TKD (1/70; 1.4%). By FISH analyses, heterozygous deletions of the following loci were observed: DNMT3A (1/43; 2.3%), SEC63 (7/43; 16.3%), PTEN (1/32, 3.1%), CDKN1B (8/43; 18.6%) and TP53 (3/43; 7.0%). CDKN2A deletions were detected in 30/72 (41.6%) cases: n=14 heterozygous, n=15 homozygous, n=1 showed a clone with a heterozygous and a subclone with a homozygous deletion. Further, the CDKN2B promoter methylation status was analyzed. Here, 36/74 (48.6%) cases demonstrated hypermethylation. As such, when combining molecular mutations, CDKN2A deletions, and CDKN2B hypermethylation, in median 2 alterations per case were observed (range 1–5). Moreover, almost every patient (76/78) harbored at least one aberration resulting in a mutation rate of 97.4%. Interestingly, considering alterations in the group of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKN2A/1B deletions, CDKN2A mutations, and CDKN2B hypermethylation), 61/78 (78.2%) cases carried at least one such alteration. With respect to associations amongst molecular mutations, no specific pattern was observed except for a strong correlation between RUNX1 and DNMT3A mutations, i.e. 6/13 RUNX1 mutated cases concomitantly harbored DNMT3A mutations (p=0.021). Furthermore, we observed that DNMT3A and RUNX1 alterations were associated with higher age (DNMT3A: mean±SD 60.9±16 vs. 39.6±16 years; p<0.001; RUNX1: mean±SD 55.4±18 vs. 41.7±18 yrs; p=0.013) whereas PTENmut were associated with younger age (mean±SD 32.9±10 vs. 45.0±19 yrs; p=0.019). With regard to cytogenetics, DNMT3A was significantly correlated with normal karyotype (9/23, 39.1% vs. 6/45, 13.3%; p=0.028). Moreover, RUNX1mut were associated with lower WBC count (mean±SD 26.4±41 vs. 63.4±90 cell count G/L; p=0.025). With respect to immunophenotypes, cases with RUNX1mut showed a trend to be associated with early T-ALLs (9/23, 39.1% vs. 6/45, 13.3%; p=0.082). CDKN2B hypermethylation was significantly correlated with early T-ALLs (21/32, 65.6% vs. 10/31, 32.2%; p=0.012). In contrast, FBXW7mut were associated with the cortical subgroup (1/32, 3.1% vs. 9/32, 28.1%; p=0.013). With regard to clinical outcome, patients with RUNX1mut had a shorter overall survival (OS) compared to RUNX1wt patients (alive at 2 yrs: 44.4% mutated vs. 64.0% wild-type, p=0.011). Further, for NOTCH1mut cases (alive at 2 yrs: 67.4% mutated vs. 33.6% wild-type, p=0.060) a trend towards a better OS was detectable. Conclusions: 1. T-ALL is characterized by a high number of genetic alterations since 46/68 (67.6%) showed cytogenetic aberrations. In addition, at least one molecular alteration was observed in 76/78 (97.4%) patients. 2. The most frequent alterations observed were mutations in NOTCH1, DNMT3A, RUNX1 and FBXW7. 3. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors were altered by deletion, mutation or hypermethylation in 78.2% of cases. 4. RUNX1 mutations are associated with shorter and NOTCH1 mutations with longer OS. Disclosures: Grossmann: MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Kohlmann:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Weissmann:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Schnittger:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership. Artusi:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Schindela:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Stadler:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment. Haferlach:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership. Kern:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership. Haferlach:MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory: Employment, Equity Ownership.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e15527-e15527
Author(s):  
Ting Xu ◽  
Xicheng Wang ◽  
Qi Changsong ◽  
Zhenghang Wang ◽  
Jian Li ◽  
...  

e15527 Background: BRAF mutations are present in 5-10% of metastatic colorectal cancers (mCRCs). Patients with mCRC whose tumors harbor BRAF V600 mutation generally respond poorly to standard chemotherapy. Treatment with BRAF inhibitors has been shown to improve outcomes, whereas the resistance develops through undefined mechanisms. Therefore, it is imperative to accurately comprehend the genomic profiling of resistance mechanisms to BRAF inhibitors in mCRC for exploring its clinical treatment strategies. Methods: We analyzed next-generation sequencing results in 520 cancer-associated genes for 22 patients who had BRAF V600E mutant mCRC in order to characterize genomic predictors of treatment outcome and track the acquired resistance (AR) mechanisms during the vemurafenib/dabrafenib/encorafenib treatment in combination with cetuximab +/- trametinib. The median age of the patients was 61 years old, 54.5% were male, 54.5% had right-sided mCRC, and 81.8% received one or more prior chemotherapy lines. Tissue and/or plasma samples were collected at baseline (prior to anti-BRAF treatment) and upon disease progression (PD). Objective tumor responses were radiologically assessed every 6 weeks according to RECIST v1. 1. Results: By Feb 2021, treatment had been discontinued in 15 (63.2%) of the patients due to disease progression, while the other 7 cases were still under treatment. The median PFS (mPFS) for all patients was 4.5 months. The overall response rate was 32%, and the disease control rate was 86%. In addition to BRAF V600E, the most common concomitant mutations were identified in TP53 (20/22), RNF43 (8/22), LRP18 (7/22), APC (7/22) and PIK3CA (5/22). Patients with baseline alterations in RNF43 (n = 8; p = 0.0466), or RECQL4 (n = 4; p = 0.0406) had significantly longer PFS than their respective wild type counterparts. In contrast, baseline alterations in PPP2R2A (n = 3; p = 0.0131), RUNX1T1 (n = 3; p = 0.0147), and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathway genes (n = 6; p = 0.0057) were each significantly associated with shorter PFS. Among the 15 patients whose disease progressed, 9 were identified with newly developed AR mutations in PD tumor or plasma samples. MET amplification was the most common AR mechanism (n = 4) followed by BRAF amplification, KRAS, NRAS mutations (n = 3 each), and MAP2K1, PIK3R1 mutations (n = 1 each). Q61 substitution was the most dominant form for both KRAS and NRAS AR mutations (83%, 5/6). In terms of signaling pathway, MAPK (67%, 6/9) and RTK (44%, 4/9) pathway alterations were most frequently observed. Conclusions: Our study illustrated the landscape of genetic alterations in patients with BRAF V600E mutant mCRC upon BRAF inhibitor treatment, which could be critical to predict responses to BRAF inhibitors and guide personalized clinical decision-making after disease progression.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11022-11022
Author(s):  
C. Tsai ◽  
T. Chen ◽  
K. Chang ◽  
S. Hsiao

11022 Background: Four phase III large scale randomized controlled trials combining standard chemotherapeutics and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in advanced NSCLC have failed to show benefit. The mechanism for the failure is still yet not clear. Methods: Seventeen NSCLC cell lines were tested; two had induced P-glycoprotein (Pgp) over-expression. Three of the 4 EGFR mutants exhibited activating mutations. All lines were simultaneously treated with gefitinib plus cisplatin (GC). Selected 4 lines were tested with paclitaxel plus cisplatin (PC) or gefitinib (PG) and three-drug combination (PCG). The MTT assay with application of classical isobole method and statistical analysis was used and dose-log response curves (DRCs) were examined for evaluating the possible resistance mechanisms. Results: We found that combined GC regimen had significant antagonism at the IC50 level (13/15 lines; mean CI=1.184±0.037, P=0.001). The mean CI values of PCG were higher than or comparable with those of PC or PG in either EGFR wild type or mutant cells. DRC analysis mainly showed non-saturable passive resistance, suggesting that gefitinib 0.001–0.3 μM could interfere with cisplatin cell entry in a dose dependent fashion when cisplatin concentrations over 1–3μM, thus leaded to antagonism. Giving gefitinib 24 hours after administration of cisplatin could abolish the antagonism. Conclusions: In NSCLC cells, combination of GC showed antagonistic interaction likely because gefitinib interfered with cisplatin cell entry. Three-drug combination PCG was not better than two-drug combination PC or PG in either EGFR wild type or mutant cells. Clinically, simultaneously combined EGFR TKI with platinum in NSCLC should be avoided regardless of EGFR mutation status. [Table: see text]


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 830-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse M. E. Beck ◽  
Wim Vanden Berghe ◽  
Linda Vermeulen ◽  
Keith R. Yamamoto ◽  
Guy Haegeman ◽  
...  

Abstract Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroidal ligands for the GC receptor (GR), which can function as a ligand-activated transcription factor. These steroidal ligands and derivatives thereof are the first line of treatment in a vast array of inflammatory diseases. However, due to the general surge of side effects associated with long-term use of GCs and the potential problem of GC resistance in some patients, the scientific world continues to search for a better understanding of the GC-mediated antiinflammatory mechanisms. The reversible phosphomodification of various mediators in the inflammatory process plays a key role in modulating and fine-tuning the sensitivity, longevity, and intensity of the inflammatory response. As such, the antiinflammatory GCs can modulate the activity and/or expression of various kinases and phosphatases, thus affecting the signaling efficacy toward the propagation of proinflammatory gene expression and proinflammatory gene mRNA stability. Conversely, phosphorylation of GR can affect GR ligand- and DNA-binding affinity, mobility, and cofactor recruitment, culminating in altered transactivation and transrepression capabilities of GR, and consequently leading to a modified antiinflammatory potential. Recently, new roles for kinases and phosphatases have been described in GR-based antiinflammatory mechanisms. Moreover, kinase inhibitors have become increasingly important as antiinflammatory tools, not only for research but also for therapeutic purposes. In light of these developments, we aim to illuminate the integrated interplay between GR signaling and its correlating kinases and phosphatases in the context of the clinically important combat of inflammation, giving attention to implications on GC-mediated side effects and therapy resistance.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros Christopoulos ◽  
Steffen Dietz ◽  
Martina Kirchner ◽  
Anna-Lena Volckmar ◽  
Volker Endris ◽  
...  

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) sequencing can identify resistance mechanisms and guide next-line therapy in ALK+ non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the clinical significance of other rebiopsy findings remains unclear. We analysed all stage-IV ALK+ NSCLC patients with longitudinally assessable TP53 status treated in our institutions (n = 62). Patients with TP53 mutations at baseline (TP53mutbas, n = 23) had worse overall survival (OS) than patients with initially wild-type tumours (TP53wtbas, n = 39, 44 vs. 62 months in median, p = 0.018). Within the generally favourable TP53wtbas group, detection of TP53 mutations at progression defined a “converted” subgroup (TP53mutconv, n = 9) with inferior OS, similar to that of TP53mutbas and shorter than that of patients remaining TP53 wild-type (TP53wtprogr, 45 vs. 94 months, p = 0.043). Progression-free survival (PFS) under treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) for TP53mutconv was comparable to that of TP53mutbas and also shorter than that of TP53wtprogr cases (5 and 8 vs. 13 months, p = 0.0039). Fewer TP53wtprogr than TP53mutbas or TP53mutconv cases presented with metastatic disease at diagnosis (67% vs. 91% or 100%, p < 0.05). Thus, acquisition of TP53 mutations at progression is associated with more aggressive disease, shorter TKI responses and inferior OS in ALK+ NSCLC, comparable to primary TP53 mutated cases.


Cancers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geeta Sharma ◽  
Ines Mota ◽  
Luca Mologni ◽  
Enrico Patrucco ◽  
Carlo Gambacorti-Passerini ◽  
...  

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a validated molecular target in several ALK-rearranged malignancies, particularly in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has generated considerable interest and effort in developing ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Crizotinib was the first ALK inhibitor to receive FDA approval for ALK-positive NSCLC patients treatment. However, the clinical benefit observed in targeting ALK in NSCLC is almost universally limited by the emergence of drug resistance with a median of occurrence of approximately 10 months after the initiation of therapy. Thus, to overcome crizotinib resistance, second/third-generation ALK inhibitors have been developed and received, or are close to receiving, FDA approval. However, even when treated with these new inhibitors tumors became resistant, both in vitro and in clinical settings. The elucidation of the diverse mechanisms through which resistance to ALK TKI emerges, has informed the design of novel therapeutic strategies to improve patients disease outcome. This review summarizes the currently available knowledge regarding ALK physiologic function/structure and neoplastic transforming role, as well as an update on ALK inhibitors and resistance mechanisms along with possible therapeutic strategies that may overcome the development of resistance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta M. Urbanska ◽  
Jens B. Sørensen ◽  
Linea C. Melchior ◽  
Junia C. Costa ◽  
Eric Santoni-Rugiu

Anaplastic lymphoma-kinase (ALK)-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is prone to developing heterogeneous, only partly known mechanisms of resistance to ALK-tyrosine-kinase-inhibitors (ALK-TKIs). We present a case of a 38-year old male, who never smoked with disseminated ALK-rearranged (EML4 (20) – ALK (20) fusion variant 2) lung adenocarcinoma, who received four sequentially different ALK-TKIs and two lines of chemotherapy in-between. We observed significant clinical benefit by the first three ALK-TKIs (Crizotinib, Ceritinib, Alectinib) and chemotherapy with Pemetrexed, resulting in overall survival over 3 years. Longitudinal assessment of progressions by rebiopsies from hepatic metastases showed different mechanisms of resistance to each ALK-TKI, including secondary ALK-mutations and the downstream p.V600E BRAF-mutation that had not been linked to second-generation ALK-TKIs before. Ultimately, in connection with terminal rapid progression and resistance to Alectinib and Lorlatinib, we identified phenotypical epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of newly occurred metastatic cells, a phenomenon not previously related to these two ALK-TKIs. This resistance heterogeneity suggests a continuously changing disease state. Sequential use of different generation’s ALK-TKIs and combination therapies may yield prolonged responses with satisfactory quality of life in patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. However, the development of EMT is a major hurdle and may explain rapid disease progression and lack of response to continued ALK-inhibition.


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