Abstract 3085
Background
AXL and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signalling pathways play a key role in modulating tumour microenvironment by promoting epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), stromal activation and regulating immune response in colorectal cancer (CRC). Here we have evaluated the effect of double blockade of TGF-β and AXL receptors, as an innovative therapeutic strategy for CRC.
Methods
We assessed the correlation of TGF-β and AXL by an in silico analysis of a human CRC gene expression profile database. Afterwards, an evaluation of AXL expression of in a panel of human CRC cell lines by Western Blot (WB) and Real time PCR was performed. The sensitivity of HCT116 and LOVO cells to treatment with galunisertib (LY21209761), a TGF-β R1 inhibitor, and R428, an AXL inhibitor, was assessed by MTT, cell migration, and colony forming assays. Furthermore we generated patient derived 3D spheroid cultures from primary CRC, and tested their susceptibility to galunisertib and R428 by MTT assay. Finally, in vivo experiments were done with HCT116 and LOVO tumour xenografts in immunodeficient mice.
Results
In silico analysis showed an association between high expression levels of AXL and TGF-β R1 in CMS4 CRC. AXL was differently expressed on cell lines, and interestingly it resulted increased in HCT116 and LOVO after TGF-β inhibition, probably representing a mechanism of cancer cell escape. Dual blockade with galunisertib and R428 determined a reduction in cell migration of 50% in HCT116 and 37% in LOVO cells, respectively, and colony formation of approximately 90 % in both cell lines. Moreover, combined treatment displayed a strong synergistic activity in 3D cultures derived from five human CRC samples, resulting in the inhibition of proliferation ranging from 80 to 90%. The in vivo experiments of HCT116 and LOVO subcutaneous xenograft models are currently on going and results will be presented.
Conclusions
Combined TGF-β and AXL inhibition showed a promising activity in preclinical models of CRC and could represent a novel potential therapeutic strategy for patients with CRC.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Università degli studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli".
Funding
ICURE project, Università degli studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli".
Disclosure
D. Melisi: Research grant/Funding (self): Lilly.
Resources from the same session
1613 - Lerociclib (G1T38), an oral CDK4/6 inhibitor, dosed continuously in combination with osimertinib for EGFRmut non-small cell lung cancer: initial Phase 1b results
Presenter: David Berz
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2853 - Real-world implementation of sequential targeted therapies for EGFR-mutated NSCLC
Presenter: Petros Christopoulos
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1974 - A Phase II Open-Label, Multicentre Study to Assess the Anti-tumour Activity of Afatinib in Patients with Activating Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mutation (EGFRm) from Circulating Tumor DNA (CtDNA)
Presenter: Young-Chul Kim
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
3370 - Influence of cow’s milk on the absorption and exposure of erlotinib in NSCLC patients
Presenter: Geerten Veerman
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5900 - PTEN loss as Predictor of Tumor Heterogeneity (TH) and Poor Prognosis in EGFR-mutant Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (ANSCLC) Patients (pts) Receiving Tyrosine-Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs).
Presenter: Miriam Ferrara
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1302 - Safety of lorlatinib in subgroups of patients from a phase 1/2 trial
Presenter: Enriqueta Felip
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1497 - Brigatinib (BRG) in Asian vs non-Asian patients (pts) with crizotinib (CRZ)-refractory ALK+ NSCLC in the phase 2 ALTA trial
Presenter: Dae Ho Lee
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
2349 - The safety assessment of crizotinib and alectinib from real world data of 840 ALK-inhibitor naïve patients with NSCLC harboring ALK-rearrangement (WJOG9516L).
Presenter: Kei Kunimasa
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1120 - Brigatinib in ALK TKI-pretreated ALK+ metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC): the Use Via Expanded Access to Brigatinib (UVEA-Brig) study
Presenter: Silvia Novello
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5239 - Treatment patterns and outcomes for patients (pts) with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in US clinical practice
Presenter: Matthew Krebs
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract