Combined c-Met/Trk Inhibition Overcomes Resistance to CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Glioblastoma

Cancer Res. 2018 Aug 1;78(15):4360-4369. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-17-3124. Epub 2018 May 29.

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain malignancy and carries an extremely poor prognosis. Recent molecular studies revealed the CDK4/6-Rb-E2F axis and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling to be deregulated in most GBM, creating an opportunity to develop more effective therapies by targeting both pathways. Using a phospho-RTK protein array, we found that both c-Met and TrkA-B pathways were significantly activated upon CDK4/6 inhibition in GBM cells. We therefore investigated the efficacy of combined CDK4/6 and c-Met/TrkA-B inhibition against GBM. We show that both c-Met and TrkA-B pathways transactivate each other, and targeting both pathways simultaneously results in more efficient pathway suppression. Mechanistically, inhibition of CDK4/6 drove NF-κB-mediated upregulation of hepatocyte growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and nerve growth factor that in turn activated both c-Met and TrkA-B pathways. Combining the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib with the c-Met/Trk inhibitor altiratinib or the corresponding siRNAs induced apoptosis, leading to significant synergy against GBM. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the activation of c-Met/TrkA-B pathways is a novel mechanism involved in therapeutic resistance of GBM to CDK4/6 inhibition and that dual inhibition of c-Met/Trk with CDK4/6 should be considered in future clinical trials.Significance: CDK4/6 inhibition in glioblastoma activates the c-Met and TrkA-B pathways mediated by NF-κB and can be reversed by a dual c-Met/Trk inhibitor. Cancer Res; 78(15); 4360-9. ©2018 AACR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4 / metabolism*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / diet therapy
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, SCID
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / metabolism*
  • Receptor, trkA / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • MET protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Receptor, trkA
  • CDK4 protein, human
  • CDK6 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6