Cited by 264Breast Cancer Treatment StudiesProtein Tyrosine PhosphatasesMelanoma and MAPK Pathways

Profiling of residual breast cancers after neoadjuvant chemotherapy identifies DUSP4 deficiency as a mechanism of drug resistance

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Balko, Justin M, Cook, Rebecca S, Vaught, David B, Kuba, María G, Miller, Todd W, Bhola, Neil E, Sanders, Melinda E, Granja-Ingram, Nara M +10 more·2012·Nature Medicine

Abstract

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) induces a pathological complete response (pCR) in ~30% of patients with breast cancer. However, many patients have residual cancer after chemotherapy, which correlates with a higher risk of metastatic recurrence and poorer outcome than those who achieve a pCR. We hypothesized that molecular profiling of tumors after NAC would identify genes associated with drug resistance. Digital transcript counting was used to profile surgically resected breast cancers after NAC. Low concentrations of dual specificity protein phosphatase 4 (DUSP4), an ERK phosphatase, correlated with high post-NAC tumor cell proliferation and with basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) status. BLBC had higher DUSP4 promoter methylation and gene expression patterns of Ras-ERK pathway activation relative to other breast cancer subtypes. DUSP4 overexpression increased chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, whereas DUSP4 depletion dampened the response to chemotherapy. Reduced DUSP4 expression in primary tumors after NAC was associated with treatment-refractory high Ki-67 scores and shorter recurrence-free survival. Finally, inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) synergized with docetaxel treatment in BLBC xenografts. Thus, DUSP4 downregulation activates the Ras-ERK pathway in BLBC, resulting in an attenuated response to anti-cancer chemotherapy.

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  1. [45]Stickeler E Basal-like molecular subtype and HER4 up-regulation and response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer Oncol Rep 26 1037 1045 2011 21769435

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Authors
Balko, J. M., Cook, R. S., Vaught, D. B., Kuba, M. G., Miller, T. W., Bhola, N. E., Sanders, M. E., Granja-Ingram, N. M., Smith, J. J., Meszoely, I. M., Salter, J., Dowsett, M., Stemke-Hale, K., González-Angulo, A. M., Mills, G. B., Pinto, J. A., Gómez, H. L., & Arteaga, C. L.
Affiliations
  • Vanderbilt University (US)
  • Institute of Cancer Research (GB)
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
  • Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas (PE)
Corresponding author
Arteaga, Carlos L
Venue
Nature Medicine
Published
2012-06-10
Volume
18
Issue
7
Pages
1052-1059
ISSN
  • 1078-8956 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-170X
OpenAlex
W2063432148
Cited by
262
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 4
FWCI
7.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Cancer Institute (P50 CA98131, P30 CA 68485, R01CA143126, P50CA098258, K99CA142899, R00CA142899, P01CA099031, P50CA098131, P30CA016672, P30CA068485)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Breast Cancer Treatment Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
Keywords
residual breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, drug resistance, DUSP4, Ras/ERK pathway, MEK inhibitors, basal-like breast cancer, chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, Ki-67, tumor recurrence, docetaxel, tumor cell proliferation
MeSH terms
Animals, Breast Neoplasms, Cell Survival, Enzyme Activation, Female, Humans, RNA, Messenger, Tissue Banks, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Paraffin Embedding, Tissue Fixation, Treatment Outcome, Apoptosis, Neoplasm, Residual, ras Proteins, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, Ki-67 Antigen, Neoadjuvant Therapy, Gene Expression Profiling, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases, MAP Kinase Signaling System, Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases, Mice, Genes, Neoplasm, Dual-Specificity Phosphatases, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases, Gene Knockdown Techniques

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