Missing content? – Request curation!
Request curation for specific Genes, Variants, or PubMed publications.
Have questions, comments, or suggestions? - Let us know!
Email us at : ckbsupport@genomenon.com
Ref Type | Journal Article | ||||||||||||
PMID | (27636997) | ||||||||||||
Authors | Queralt B, Cuyàs E, Bosch-Barrera J, Massaguer A, de Llorens R, Martin-Castillo B, Brunet J, Salazar R, Menendez JA | ||||||||||||
Title | Synthetic lethal interaction of cetuximab with MEK1/2 inhibition in NRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. | ||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
URL | |||||||||||||
Abstract Text | KRAS mutations are an established predictor of lack of response to EGFR-targeted therapies in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, little is known about the role of the rarer NRAS mutations as a mechanism of primary resistance to the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab in wild-type KRAS mCRC. Using isogenic mCRC cells with a heterozygous knock-in of the NRAS activating mutation Q61K, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which mutant NRAS blocks cetuximab from inhibiting mCRC growth. NRASQ61K/+ cells were refractory to cetuximab-induced growth inhibition. Pathway-oriented proteome profiling revealed that cetuximab-unresponsive ERK1/2 phosphorylation was the sole biomarker distinguishing cetuximab-refractory NRASQ61K/+ from cetuximab-sensitive NRAS+/+ cells. We therefore employed four representative MEK1/2 inhibitors (binimetinib, trametinib, selumetinib, and pimasertib) to evaluate the therapeutic value of MEK/ERK signaling in cetuximab-refractory NRAS mutation-induced mCRC. Co-treatment with an ineffective dose of cetuximab augmented, up to more than 1,300-fold, the cytotoxic effects of pimasertib against NRASQ61K/+ cells. Simultaneous combination of MEK1/2 inhibitors with cetuximab resulted in extremely high and dose-dependent synthetic lethal effects, which were executed, at least in part, by exacerbated apoptotic cell death. Dynamic monitoring of real-time cell growth rates confirmed that cetuximab synergistically sensitized NRASQ61K/+ cellsto MEK1/2 inhibition. Our discovery of a synthetic lethal interaction of cetuximab in combination with MEK1/2 inhibition for the NRAS mutant subgroup of mCRC underscores the importance of therapeutic intervention both in the MEK-ERK and EGFR pathways to achieve maximal therapeutic efficacy against NRAS-mutant mCRC tumors. |
Molecular Profile | Treatment Approach |
---|
Gene Name | Source | Synonyms | Protein Domains | Gene Description | Gene Role |
---|
Therapy Name | Drugs | Efficacy Evidence | Clinical Trials |
---|
Drug Name | Trade Name | Synonyms | Drug Classes | Drug Description |
---|
Gene | Variant | Impact | Protein Effect | Variant Description | Associated with drug Resistance |
---|
Molecular Profile | Indication/Tumor Type | Response Type | Therapy Name | Approval Status | Evidence Type | Efficacy Evidence | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NRAS Q61K | colon cancer | sensitive | Cetuximab + Pimasertib | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, Erbitux (cetuximab) and Pimasertib (MSC19363669B) synergistically induced apoptosis and inhibited proliferation and viability of a colon cancer cell line expressing NRAS Q61K in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |
NRAS Q61K | colon cancer | sensitive | Cetuximab + Selumetinib | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, Erbitux (cetuximab) and Koselugo (selumetinib) synergistically induced apoptosis and inhibited viability of a colon cancer cell line expressing NRAS Q61K in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |
NRAS Q61K | colon cancer | resistant | Cetuximab | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, a colon cancer cell line expressing NRAS Q61K was resistant to Erbitux (cetuximab) in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |
PIK3CA H1047R | colon cancer | sensitive | Pimasertib | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, Pimasertib (MSC1936369B) inhibited viability of a colon cancer cell line expressing PIK3CA H1047R in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |
NRAS Q61K | colon cancer | sensitive | Cetuximab + Trametinib | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, Erbitux (cetuximab) and Mekinist (trametinib) synergistically induced apoptosis and inhibited viability of a colon cancer cell line expressing NRAS Q61K in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |
PIK3CA H1047R | colon cancer | sensitive | Selumetinib | Preclinical - Cell culture | Actionable | In a preclinical study, Koselugo (selumetinib) inhibited viability of a colon cancer cell line expressing PIK3CA H1047R in culture (PMID: 27636997). | 27636997 |