IGF1R signaling drives antiestrogen resistance through PAK2/PIX activation in luminal breast cancer

Oncogene. 2018 Apr;37(14):1869-1884. doi: 10.1038/s41388-017-0027-9. Epub 2018 Jan 22.

Abstract

Antiestrogen resistance in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer is associated with increased expression and activity of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R). Here, a kinome siRNA screen has identified 10 regulators of IGF1R-mediated antiestrogen with clinical significance. These include the tamoxifen resistance suppressors BMPR1B, CDK10, CDK5, EIF2AK1, and MAP2K5, and the tamoxifen resistance inducers CHEK1, PAK2, RPS6KC1, TTK, and TXK. The p21-activated kinase 2, PAK2, is the strongest resistance inducer. Silencing of the tamoxifen resistance inducing genes, particularly PAK2, attenuates IGF1R-mediated resistance to tamoxifen and fulvestrant. High expression of PAK2 in ER+ metastatic breast cancer patients is correlated with unfavorable outcome after first-line tamoxifen monotherapy. Phospho-proteomics has defined PAK2 and the PAK-interacting exchange factors PIXα/β as downstream targets of IGF1R signaling, which are independent from PI3K/ATK and MAPK/ERK pathways. PAK2 and PIXα/β modulate IGF1R signaling-driven cell scattering. Targeting PIXα/β entirely mimics the effect of PAK2 silencing on antiestrogen re-sensitization. These data indicate PAK2/PIX as an effector pathway in IGF1R-mediated antiestrogen resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Estrogen Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • HEK293 Cells
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • RNA, Small Interfering / pharmacology
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1
  • Receptors, Somatomedin / genetics
  • Receptors, Somatomedin / physiology*
  • Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / genetics
  • Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Tamoxifen / therapeutic use
  • p21-Activated Kinases / genetics
  • p21-Activated Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Estrogen Antagonists
  • IGF1R protein, human
  • PIX protein, human
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Somatomedin
  • Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors
  • Tamoxifen
  • Receptor, IGF Type 1
  • PAK2 protein, human
  • p21-Activated Kinases