RAF1-MEK1-ERK/AKT axis may confer NSCLC cell lines resistance to erlotinib.

Abstract

The fact that advanced NSCLC patients with wild type (wt) EGFR can benefit from erlotinib therapy makes it critical to find out biomarkers for effective selection of patients and improving the therapy effects. In present study, 3 NSCLC cell lines (U1752, Calu-6 and NCI-H292) with wt EGFR and different sensitivities to erlotinib were used for microarray analysis. The differential basal gene expression between 2 NSCLC cell lines was analyzed, about 353 genes were expression-altered with higher than 2-fold changes between Calu-6 and U1752. And Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) showed that these genes were mainly enriched in regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway, Wnt-β catenin signaling, Tec kinase signaling and some types of cancer-related signaling. More interestingly, RAF1 (c-raf), MAP2K1 (MEK1), SNAI and downstream signaling molecules ERK and AKT were predicted to be activated in erlotinib-resistant cell line by IPA. Subsequent immunoblotting experiments showed that the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT were exactly increased stepwise from erlotinib sensitive cell line to erlotinib resistant cell lines. Collectively, activation of RAF1-MEK1-ERK/AKT axis may determine the resistance of NSCLC cell lines bearing wt EGFR to erlotinib. Our work provides potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for NSCLC patients harboring wt EGFR.

• Authors: Zhi-Hong Xu, Jun-Biao Hang, Jia-An Hu, Bei-Li Gao
• Journal: International journal of clinical and experimental pathology (Int J Clin Exp Pathol) Vol. 6 Issue 8 Pg. 1493-504 ( 2013) ISSN: 1936-2625 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23923067 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Quinazolines
• Erlotinib Hydrochloride
• EGFR protein, human
• ErbB Receptors
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf
• MAP Kinase Kinase 1
• MAP2K1 protein, human

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Biomarkers, Tumor (analysis, genetics, metabolism)
• Blotting, Western
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (genetics, metabolism)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm (physiology)
• ErbB Receptors (genetics, metabolism)
• Erlotinib Hydrochloride
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism)
• MAP Kinase Kinase 1 (genetics, metabolism)
• MAP Kinase Signaling System (drug effects, physiology)
• Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt (genetics, metabolism)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-raf (genetics, metabolism)
• Quinazolines (pharmacology)
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Transcriptome