Cited by 294Lung Cancer Treatments and MutationsHER2/EGFR in Cancer ResearchMelanoma and MAPK Pathways

Reactivation of ERK signaling causes resistance to EGFR kinase inhibitors.

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Ercan, Dalia, Xu, Chunxiao, Yanagita, Masahiko, Monast, Calixte S., Pratilas, Christine A., Montero, Joan, Butaney, Mohit, Shimamura, Takeshi +15 more·2012·Cancer Discovery

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Abstract The clinical efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitors is limited by the development of drug resistance. The irreversible EGFR kinase inhibitor WZ4002 is effective against the most common mechanism of drug resistance mediated by the EGFR T790M mutation. Here, we show, in multiple complementary models, that resistance to WZ4002 develops through aberrant activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling caused by either an amplification of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) or by downregulation of negative regulators of ERK signaling. Inhibition of MAP–ERK kinase (MEK) or ERK restores sensitivity to WZ4002 and prevents the emergence of drug resistance. We further identify MAPK1 amplification in an erlotinib-resistant EGFR-mutant non–small cell lung carcinoma patient. In addition, the WZ4002-resistant MAPK1-amplified cells also show an increase both in EGFR internalization and a decrease in sensitivity to cytotoxic chemotherapy. Our findings provide insights into mechanisms of drug resistance to EGFR kinase inhibitors and highlight rational combination therapies that should be evaluated in clinical trials. Significance: Our study identifies activated ERK signaling as a mediator of resistance to irreversible pyrimidine EGFR inhibitors in EGFR T790M-bearing cancers. We further provide a therapeutic strategy to both treat and prevent the emergence of this resistance mechanism. Cancer Discov; 2(10); 934–47. ©2012 AACR. Read the Commentary on this article by Blakely and Bivona, p. 872. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 857.

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  1. [11]Miller VA Hirsh V Cadranel J Chen Y-M Park K Kim S-W Phase IIB/III Double-Blind Randomized Trial of Afatinib (BIBW2992, an Irreversible Inhibitor of EGFR/HER1 and HER2) + Best Supportive Care (BSC) Versus Placebo + BSC in Patients with NSCLC Failing 1–2 Lines of Chemotherapy and Erlotinib or Gefitinib (LUX-LUNG 1) Annals of Oncology 2010 21 LBA1

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Authors
Ercan, D., Xu, C., Yanagita, M., Monast, C. S., Pratilas, C. A., Montero, J., Butaney, M., Shimamura, T., Sholl, L., Ivanova, E. V., Tadi, M., Rogers, A., Repellin, C., Capelletti, M., Maertens, O., Goetz, E. M., Letai, A., Garraway, L. A., Lazzara, M. J., Rosen, N., Gray, N. S., Wong, K.-K., & Jänne, P. A.
Affiliations
  • Broad Institute (US)
  • Authors' Affiliations: 1Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, 2Center for Cancer Genome Discovery, 3Department of Medical Oncology, 4Department of Cancer Biology, and 5Belfer Institute for Applied Cancer Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; 6Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School; Departments of 7Medicine, 8Pathology, and 9Genetics Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston; 10Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts; 11Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Departments of 12Pediatrics, 13Medicine, and 14Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York; and 15Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois
Venue
Cancer Discovery
Published
2012-10-01
Volume
2
Issue
10
Pages
934-947
ISSN
  • 2159-8274 (ISSN-L)
  • 2159-8290
OpenAlex
W2169460814
Cited by
294
References
49
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 35 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 3
FWCI
22.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cancer Discovery (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (IRG-78-002-30, PO1 CA154303)
  • Foundation Medicine
  • National Cancer Institute (IRG-78-002-30, R01CA114465, P50CA090578, R01CA135257, P01CA154303, K08CA127350, PO1CA154303)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Lung Cancer Treatments and Mutations
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › HER2/EGFR in Cancer Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
Keywords
EGFR kinase inhibitors, drug resistance, ERK signaling, MEK inhibition, WZ4002, erlotinib, T790M mutation, non-small cell lung cancer, EGFR internalization, combination therapy
MeSH terms
Erlotinib Hydrochloride, Gefitinib, Acrylamides, Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung, Humans, Lung Neoplasms, Mutation, Pyrimidines, Quinazolines, Receptor, ErbB-2, Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1, MAP Kinase Signaling System, Cell Line, Tumor, Protein Kinase Inhibitors, Cell Proliferation, Mice, Molecular Targeted Therapy, ErbB Receptors

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