Preclinical efficacy of a HER2 synNotch/CEA-CAR combinatorial immunotherapy against colorectal cancer with HER2 amplification.

HER2 amplification occurs in approximately 5% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and is associated only partially with clinical response to combined human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted treatment. An alternative approach based on adoptive cell therapy using T cells engineered with anti-HER2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) proved to be toxic due to on-target/off-tumor activity. Here we describe a combinatorial strategy to safely target HER2 amplification and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expression in CRC using a synNotch-CAR-based artificial regulatory network. The natural killer (NK) cell line NK-92 was engineered with an anti-HER2 synNotch receptor driving the expression of a CAR against CEA only when engaged. After being transduced and sorted for HER2-driven CAR expression, cells were cloned. The clone with optimal performances in terms of specificity and amplitude of CAR induction demonstrated significant activity in vitro and in vivo specifically against HER2-amplified (HER2amp)/CEA+ CRC models, with no effects on cells with physiological HER2 levels. The HER2-synNotch/CEA-CAR-NK system provides an innovative, scalable, and safe off-the-shelf cell therapy approach with potential against HER2amp CRC resistant or partially responsive to HER2/EGFR blockade.

Phosphoproteomics of patient-derived xenografts identifies targets and markers associated with sensitivity and resistance to EGFR blockade in colorectal cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a well-exploited therapeutic target in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Unfortunately, not all patients benefit from current EGFR inhibitors. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics and phosphoproteomics were performed on 30 genomically and pharmacologically characterized mCRC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) to investigate the molecular basis of response to EGFR blockade and identify alternative drug targets to overcome resistance. Both the tyrosine and global phosphoproteome as well as the proteome harbored distinctive response signatures. We found that increased pathway activity related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibition and abundant tyrosine phosphorylation of cell junction proteins, such as CXADR and CLDN1/3, in sensitive tumors, whereas epithelial-mesenchymal transition and increased MAPK and AKT signaling were more prevalent in resistant tumors. Furthermore, the ranking of kinase activities in single samples confirmed the driver activity of ERBB2, EGFR, and MET in cetuximab-resistant tumors. This analysis also revealed high kinase activity of several members of the Src and ephrin kinase family in 2 CRC PDX models with genomically unexplained resistance. Inhibition of these hyperactive kinases, alone or in combination with cetuximab, resulted in growth inhibition of ex vivo PDX-derived organoids and in vivo PDXs. Together, these findings highlight the potential value of phosphoproteomics to improve our understanding of anti-EGFR treatment and response prediction in mCRC and bring to the forefront alternative drug targets in cetuximab-resistant tumors.

Synthetic Lethal Interaction with BCL-XL Blockade Deepens Response to Cetuximab in Patient-Derived Models of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

PURPOSE: Approximately 20% of patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) experience objective responses to the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab, but disease eradication is seldom achieved. The extent of tumor shrinkage correlates with long-term outcome. We aimed to find rational combinations that potentiate cetuximab efficacy by disrupting adaptive dependencies on antiapoptotic molecules (BCL2, BCL-XL, MCL1). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Experiments were conducted in patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and organoids (PDXO). Apoptotic priming was analyzed by BH3 profiling. Proapoptotic and antiapoptotic protein complexes were evaluated by co-immunoprecipitation and electroluminescence sandwich assays. The effect of combination therapies was assessed by caspase activation in PDXOs and by monitoring PDX growth. RESULTS: A population trial in 314 PDX cohorts, established from as many patients, identified 46 models (14.6%) with appreciable (>50% tumor shrinkage) but incomplete response to cetuximab. From these models, 14 PDXOs were derived. Cetuximab primed cells for apoptosis, but only concomitant blockade of BCL-XL precipitated cell death. Mechanistically, exposure to cetuximab induced upregulation of the proapoptotic protein BIM and its sequestration by BCL-XL. Inhibition of BCL-XL resulted in displacement of BIM, which was not buffered by MCL1 and thereby became competent to induce apoptosis. In five PDX models, combination of cetuximab and a selective BCL-XL inhibitor triggered apoptosis and led to more pronounced tumor regressions and longer time to relapse after treatment discontinuation than cetuximab alone. CONCLUSIONS: In mCRC tumors that respond to cetuximab, antibody treatment confers a synthetic-lethal dependency on BCL-XL. Targeting this dependency unleashes apoptosis and increases the depth of response to cetuximab.

Combined blockade of MEK and PI3KCA as an effective antitumor strategy in HER2 gene amplified human colorectal cancer models.

BACKGROUND: Targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) either alone or in combination with chemotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, only a small percentage of mCRC patients receive clinical benefits from anti-EGFR therapies, due to the development of resistance mechanisms. In this regard, HER2 has emerged as an actionable target in the treatment of mCRC patients with resistance to anti-EGFR therapy. METHODS: We have used SW48 and LIM1215 human colon cancer cell lines, quadruple wild-type for KRAS, NRAS, BRAF and PI3KCA genes, and their HER2-amplified (LIM1215-HER2 and SW48-HER2) derived cells to perform in vitro and in vivo studies in order to identify novel therapeutic strategies in HER2 gene amplified human colorectal cancer. RESULTS: LIM1215-HER2 and SW48-HER2 cells showed over-expression and activation of the HER family receptors and concomitant intracellular downstream signaling including the pro-survival PI3KCA/AKT and the mitogenic RAS/RAF/MEK/MAPK pathways. HER2-amplified cells were treated with several agents including anti-EGFR antibodies (cetuximab, SYM004 and MM151); anti-HER2 (trastuzumab, pertuzumab and lapatinib) inhibitors; anti-HER3 (duligotuzumab) inhibitors; and MEK and PI3KCA inhibitors, such as refametinib and pictilisib, as single agents and in combination. Subsequently, different in vivo experiments have been performed. MEK plus PI3KCA inhibitors treatment determined the best antitumor activity. These results were validated in vivo in HER2-amplified patient derived tumor xenografts from three metastatic colorectal cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that combined therapy with MEK and PI3KCA inhibitors could represent a novel and effective treatment option for HER2-amplified colorectal cancer.

The genomic landscape of response to EGFR blockade in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, with 1.2 million patients diagnosed annually. In late-stage colorectal cancer, the most commonly used targeted therapies are the monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab, which prevent epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation. Recent studies have identified alterations in KRAS and other genes as likely mechanisms of primary and secondary resistance to anti-EGFR antibody therapy. Despite these efforts, additional mechanisms of resistance to EGFR blockade are thought to be present in colorectal cancer and little is known about determinants of sensitivity to this therapy. To examine the effect of somatic genetic changes in colorectal cancer on response to anti-EGFR antibody therapy, here we perform complete exome sequence and copy number analyses of 129 patient-derived tumour grafts and targeted genomic analyses of 55 patient tumours, all of which were KRAS wild-type. We analysed the response of tumours to anti-EGFR antibody blockade in tumour graft models and in clinical settings and functionally linked therapeutic responses to mutational data. In addition to previously identified genes, we detected mutations in ERBB2, EGFR, FGFR1, PDGFRA, and MAP2K1 as potential mechanisms of primary resistance to this therapy. Novel alterations in the ectodomain of EGFR were identified in patients with acquired resistance to EGFR blockade. Amplifications and sequence changes in the tyrosine kinase receptor adaptor gene IRS2 were identified in tumours with increased sensitivity to anti-EGFR therapy. Therapeutic resistance to EGFR blockade could be overcome in tumour graft models through combinatorial therapies targeting actionable genes. These analyses provide a systematic approach to evaluating response to targeted therapies in human cancer, highlight new mechanisms of responsiveness to anti-EGFR therapies, and delineate new avenues for intervention in managing colorectal cancer.

HER2 activating mutations are targets for colorectal cancer treatment.

UNLABELLED: The Cancer Genome Atlas project identified HER2 somatic mutations and gene amplification in 7% of patients with colorectal cancer. Introduction of the HER2 mutations S310F, L755S, V777L, V842I, and L866M into colon epithelial cells increased signaling pathways and anchorage-independent cell growth, indicating that they are activating mutations. Introduction of these HER2 activating mutations into colorectal cancer cell lines produced resistance to cetuximab and panitumumab by sustaining MAPK phosphorylation. HER2 mutants are potently inhibited by low nanomolar doses of the irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitors neratinib and afatinib. HER2 gene sequencing of 48 cetuximab-resistant, quadruple (KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA) wild-type (WT) colorectal cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX) identified 4 PDXs with HER2 mutations. HER2-targeted therapies were tested on two PDXs. Treatment with a single HER2-targeted drug (trastuzumab, neratinib, or lapatinib) delayed tumor growth, but dual HER2-targeted therapy with trastuzumab plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors produced regression of these HER2-mutated PDXs. SIGNIFICANCE: HER2 activating mutations cause EGFR antibody resistance in colorectal cell lines, and PDXs with HER2 mutations show durable tumor regression when treated with dual HER2-targeted therapy. These data provide a strong preclinical rationale for clinical trials targeting HER2 activating mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer.

IGF2 is an actionable target that identifies a distinct subpopulation of colorectal cancer patients with marginal response to anti-EGFR therapies.

Among patients with colorectal cancer who benefit from therapy targeted to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), stable disease (SD) occurs more frequently than massive regressions. Exploring the mechanisms of this incomplete sensitivity to devise more efficacious treatments will likely improve patients' outcomes. We tested therapies tailored around hypothesis-generating molecular features in patient-derived xenografts ("xenopatients"), which originated from 125 independent samples that did not harbor established resistance-conferring mutations. Samples from xenopatients that responded to cetuximab, an anti-EGFR agent, with disease stabilization displayed high levels of EGFR family ligands and receptors, indicating high EGFR pathway activity. Five of 21 SD models (23.8%) characterized by particularly high expression of EGFR and EGFR family members regressed after intensified EGFR blockade by cetuximab and a small-molecule inhibitor. In addition, a subset of cases in which enhanced EGFR inhibition was unproductive (6 of 16, 37.5%) exhibited marked overexpression of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2). Enrichment of IGF2 overexpressors among cases with SD was demonstrated in the entire xenopatient collection and was confirmed in patients by mining clinical gene expression data sets. In functional studies, IGF2 overproduction attenuated the efficacy of cetuximab. Conversely, interception of IGF2-dependent signaling in IGF2-overexpressing xenopatients potentiated the effects of cetuximab. The clinical implementation of IGF inhibitors awaits reliable predictors of response, but the results of this study suggest rational combination therapies for colorectal cancer and provide evidence for IGF2 as a biomarker of reduced tumor sensitivity to anti-EGFR therapy and a determinant of response to combined IGF2/EGFR targeting.

Intrinsic resistance to MEK inhibition in KRAS mutant lung and colon cancer through transcriptional induction of ERBB3.

There are no effective therapies for the ~30% of human malignancies with mutant RAS oncogenes. Using a kinome-centered synthetic lethality screen, we find that suppression of the ERBB3 receptor tyrosine kinase sensitizes KRAS mutant lung and colon cancer cells to MEK inhibitors. We show that MEK inhibition results in MYC-dependent transcriptional upregulation of ERBB3, which is responsible for intrinsic drug resistance. Drugs targeting both EGFR and ERBB2, each capable of forming heterodimers with ERBB3, can reverse unresponsiveness to MEK inhibition by decreasing inhibitory phosphorylation of the proapoptotic proteins BAD and BIM. Moreover, ERBB3 protein level is a biomarker of response to combinatorial treatment. These data suggest a combination strategy for treating KRAS mutant colon and lung cancers and a way to identify the tumors that are most likely to benefit from such combinatorial treatment.