Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are key regulators of growth, differentiation and survival of epithelial cells and play a significant role in the development and progression of cancers derived from these tissues. In malignant cells, these receptors and their downstream signalling pathways are often deregulated, leading to cell hyper-proliferation, enhanced cell survival and increased metastatic potential. Furthermore, endothelial expressed RTKs regulate tumor angiogenesis allowing for tumor growth and maintenance by promoting their vascularization. Epithelial malignancies such as squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), non-small cell lung (NSCLC) and malignant mesotheliomas have very limited treatment options when presenting as metastatic disease. RTKs, particularly the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR) receptors, have been shown to play significant roles in the pathogenesis of these tumor types. Statins are potent inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, that are widely used as hypercholesterolemia treatments. The mevalonate pathway produces a variety of end products that are critical for many different cellular pathways, thus, targeting this pathway can affect multiple signalling pathways. Our laboratory has previously shown that lovastatin can induce tumor specific apoptosis especially in SCC and that 23% of recurrent SCC patients treated with lovastatin as a single agent showed disease stabilization in our Phase I clinical trial. Subsequently, our lab was able to demonstrate that lovastatin in combination with gefitinib, a potent inhibitor of the EGFR showed co-operative cytotoxicity when combined (Chapter 2). Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic and cytotoxic effects of these agents were found to be synergistic and to be manifested in several types of tumor cell lines including SCC, NSCLC and glioblastoma. I was able to expand upon these important findings and demonstrated that lovastatin, through its ability to disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, inhibited EGFR dimerization and activation (Chapter 3). This novel mechanism targeting this receptor has clinical implications as lovastatin treatment combined with gefitinib showed co-operative inhibitory effects on EGFR activation and downstream signalling. The RTK family of proteins share similar features with respect to activation, internalization and downstream signalling effectors. I further demonstrated that lovastatin can inhibit the VEGFR-2 in endothelial cells and mesotheliomas, where VEGF and its receptor are co-expressed driving their proliferation, and induces synergistic cytotoxicity in mesothelioma cells in combination with VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Chapter 4). These findings suggest that statins may augment the effects of a variety of RTK inhibitors in a similar fashion representing a novel combinational therapeutic approach in a wide repertoire of human cancers. More importantly, based on this work, we initiated a Phase I/II study evaluating high dose rosuvastatin and the EGFR inhibitor tarceva in SCC and NSCLC patients at our institute. This clinical evaluation will provide invaluable data that will play a role in developing this novel therapeutic strategy. Together, the work embodied in this thesis provides a model for the regulation of EGFR/VEGFR-2 activation and signalling by targeting the rho family of proteins that demonstrates a novel mechanism that can be exploited to refine current therapeutic paradigms.

Growth factor receptors have significant effects on various normal function of body such as cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. They are also involved in neuronal function and dysfunction, cardiovascular diseases, and malignancies. Recently, multiple G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been shown to transactivate receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Since both classes of receptors have complicated downstream cascades individually, understanding the signaling differences between GPCR-induced growth factor receptor transactivation and direct ligand activation is an important challenge. To clarifying this phenomenon we investigated the phosphorylation profile and downstream effectors of ligand-activated vs. transactivated PDGF?? receptors. Dopamine receptors (one of the receptors of the GPCRs family) were used to compare the PDGF?? receptor phosphorylation and activity during direct activation and transactivation. Dose-response and time-course data between these two stimuli were evaluated. Furthermore, the phosphorylation site profiles and the intracellular signaling pathways of PDGF?? receptor after direct activation and transactivation were examined. In addition, possible synergic effects between transactivation and direct activation were explored. The results of this project showed that the phosphorylation profile and downstream effectors of ligand activated receptors versus transactivated receptors are different. Our data indicated that transactivation-induced pathways are more involved in survival and proliferation effects compared to ligand activation. This research answered basic questions about transactivation phenomena and proposes that these transactivation pathways could be exploited as a therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are key regulators of growth, differentiation and survival of epithelial cells and play a significant role in the development and progression of cancers derived from these tissues. In malignant cells, these receptors and their downstream signalling pathways are often deregulated, leading to cell hyper-proliferation, enhanced cell survival and increased metastatic potential. Furthermore, endothelial expressed RTKs regulate tumor angiogenesis allowing for tumor growth and maintenance by promoting their vascularization. Epithelial malignancies such as squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), non-small cell lung (NSCLC) and malignant mesotheliomas have very limited treatment options when presenting as metastatic disease. RTKs, particularly the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR) receptors, have been shown to play significant roles in the pathogenesis of these tumor types. Statins are potent inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, that are widely used as hypercholesterolemia treatments. The mevalonate pathway produces a variety of end products that are critical for many different cellular pathways, thus, targeting this pathway can affect multiple signalling pathways. Our laboratory has previously shown that lovastatin can induce tumor specific apoptosis especially in SCC and that 23% of recurrent SCC patients treated with lovastatin as a single agent showed disease stabilization in our Phase I clinical trial. Subsequently, our lab was able to demonstrate that lovastatin in combination with gefitinib, a potent inhibitor of the EGFR showed co-operative cytotoxicity when combined (Chapter 2). Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic and cytotoxic effects of these agents were found to be synergistic and to be manifested in several types of tumor cell lines including SCC, NSCLC and glioblastoma. I was able to expand upon these important findings and demonstrated that lovastatin, through its ability to disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, inhibited EGFR dimerization and activation (Chapter 3). This novel mechanism targeting this receptor has clinical implications as lovastatin treatment combined with gefitinib showed co-operative inhibitory effects on EGFR activation and downstream signalling. The RTK family of proteins share similar features with respect to activation, internalization and downstream signalling effectors. I further demonstrated that lovastatin can inhibit the VEGFR-2 in endothelial cells and mesotheliomas, where VEGF and its receptor are co-expressed driving their proliferation, and induces synergistic cytotoxicity in mesothelioma cells in combination with VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Chapter 4). These findings suggest that statins may augment the effects of a variety of RTK inhibitors in a similar fashion representing a novel combinational therapeutic approach in a wide repertoire of human cancers. More importantly, based on this work, we initiated a Phase I/II study evaluating high dose rosuvastatin and the EGFR inhibitor tarceva in SCC and NSCLC patients at our institute. This clinical evaluation will provide invaluable data that will play a role in developing this novel therapeutic strategy. Together, the work embodied in this thesis provides a model for the regulation of EGFR/VEGFR-2 activation and signalling by targeting the rho family of proteins that demonstrates a novel mechanism that can be exploited to refine current therapeutic paradigms.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) are key regulators of growth, differentiation and survival of epithelial cells and play a significant role in the development and progression of cancers derived from these tissues. In malignant cells, these receptors and their downstream signalling pathways are often deregulated, leading to cell hyper-proliferation, enhanced cell survival and increased metastatic potential. Furthermore, endothelial expressed RTKs regulate tumor angiogenesis allowing for tumor growth and maintenance by promoting their vascularization. Epithelial malignancies such as squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), non-small cell lung (NSCLC) and malignant mesotheliomas have very limited treatment options when presenting as metastatic disease. RTKs, particularly the epidermal growth factor (EGFR) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGFR) receptors, have been shown to play significant roles in the pathogenesis of these tumor types. Statins are potent inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, that are widely used as hypercholesterolemia treatments. The mevalonate pathway produces a variety of end products that are critical for many different cellular pathways, thus, targeting this pathway can affect multiple signalling pathways. Our laboratory has previously shown that lovastatin can induce tumor specific apoptosis especially in SCC and that 23% of recurrent SCC patients treated with lovastatin as a single agent showed disease stabilization in our Phase I clinical trial. Subsequently, our lab was able to demonstrate that lovastatin in combination with gefitinib, a potent inhibitor of the EGFR showed co-operative cytotoxicity when combined (Chapter 2). Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic and cytotoxic effects of these agents were found to be synergistic and to be manifested in several types of tumor cell lines including SCC, NSCLC and glioblastoma. I was able to expand upon these important findings and demonstrated that lovastatin, through its ability to disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, inhibited EGFR dimerization and activation (Chapter 3). This novel mechanism targeting this receptor has clinical implications as lovastatin treatment combined with gefitinib showed co-operative inhibitory effects on EGFR activation and downstream signalling. The RTK family of proteins share similar features with respect to activation, internalization and downstream signalling effectors. I further demonstrated that lovastatin can inhibit the VEGFR-2 in endothelial cells and mesotheliomas, where VEGF and its receptor are co-expressed driving their proliferation, and induces synergistic cytotoxicity in mesothelioma cells in combination with VEGFR-2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Chapter 4). These findings suggest that statins may augment the effects of a variety of RTK inhibitors in a similar fashion representing a novel combinational therapeutic approach in a wide repertoire of human cancers. More importantly, based on this work, we initiated a Phase I/II study evaluating high dose rosuvastatin and the EGFR inhibitor tarceva in SCC and NSCLC patients at our institute. This clinical evaluation will provide invaluable data that will play a role in developing this novel therapeutic strategy. Together, the work embodied in this thesis provides a model for the regulation of EGFR/VEGFR-2 activation and signalling by targeting the rho family of proteins that demonstrates a novel mechanism that can be exploited to refine current therapeutic paradigms.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第24781号 / 医博第4973号 / 新制||医||1066(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 中島 貴子, 教授 溝脇 尚志, 教授 武藤 学 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

Integrins and discoidin domain receptors (DDRs) 1 and 2 promote cell adhesion and migration on both fibrillar and non fibrillar collagens. Collagen I contains DDR and integrin selective binding motifs; however, the relative contribution of these two receptors in regulating cell migration is unclear. DDR1 has five isoforms (DDR1a-e), with most cells expressing the DDR1a and DDR1b isoforms. We show that human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing DDR1b migrate more than DDR1a expressing cells on DDR selective substrata as well as on collagen I in vitro. In addition, DDR1b expressing cells show increased lung colonization after tail vein injection in nude mice. DDR1a and DDR1b differ from each other by an extra 37 amino acids in the DDR1b cytoplasmic domain. Interestingly, these 37 amino acids contain an NPxY motif which is a central control module within the cytoplasmic domain of β integrins and acts by binding scaffold proteins, including talin. Using purified recombinant DDR1 cytoplasmic tail proteins, we show that DDR1b directly binds talin with higher affinity than DDR1a. In cells, DDR1b, but not DDR1a, colocalizes with talin and integrin β1 to focal adhesions and enhances integrin β1-mediated cell migration. Moreover, we show that DDR1b promotes cell migration by enhancing Rac1 activation. Mechanistically DDR1b interacts with the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Breakpoint cluster region protein (BCR) thus reducing its GAP activity and enhancing Rac activation. Our study identifies DDR1b as a major driver of cell migration and talin and BCR as key players in the interplay between integrins and DDR1b in regulating cell migration.

No description available.

Le récepteur à activité tyrosine kinase MET et son ligand le facteur de croissance des hepatocytes (Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scattor Factor (HGF/SF)) sont essentiels pour la migration, la morphogenèse et la survie des cellules épithéliales. En plus de son implication et son importance physiologiques, la dérégulation de la signalisation de MET favorise la progression et l’invasion tumorales dans plusieurs types de cancers. Au sein des tumeurs, l’hypoxie est également un phénomène crucial qui induit une réponse adaptative menant à l’invasion, la métastase cancéreuses et la résistance aux traitements.Nous avons démontré que dans des conditions hypoxiques, la phosphorylation de MET induite par sa liaison au ligand, des mutations activatrices ou sa surexpression, est diminuée de manière importante in vitro et in vivo dans des modèles de tumeurs expérimentales chez la souris. Cette baisse de phosphorylation est très rapide et est réversible quand les cellules sont replacées en normoxie. Alors que la phosphorylation de GAB1, principal partenaire de MET, est également diminuée en hypoxie, l’activation des voies de signalisation en aval AKT et ERK n’est pas affectée et reste bien dépendante de l’activité du récepteur et du recrutement de GAB1. De la même façon, l’HGF/SF induit des réponses de motilité, de dispersion, de morphogenèse et de survie similaires en normoxie et en hypoxie. De manière intéressante, le traitement par deux inhibiteurs de tyrosine kinase (ITK) ciblant MET (PHA-665752 et SU11274) est moins efficace en hypoxie pour inhiber les voies de signalisation AKT et ERK ainsi les réponses cellulaires induites par MET. Comme pour la phosphorylation de MET, la résistance à ces ITK est un phénomène réversible. Ainsi, alors que l’hypoxie n’affecte pas les voies de signalisation en aval ni les effets biologiques, elle diminue la sensibilité de MET aux ITK induisant donc une résistance immédiate. L’ensemble de ces données pourrait fournir de nouvelles perspectives dans l’utilisation des thérapies ciblant MET dans les tumeurs solides. / The receptor tyrosine kinase MET and its ligand the Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scattor Factor (HGF/SF) are essential for migration, morphogenesis and survival of epithelial cells. Beside its physiological involvement, deregulation of MET signaling has been shown to promote tumor progression and invasion in many cancers. Inside the tumors, hypoxia is also a crucial phenomenon promoting an adaptive response able to induce invasion, metastasis and resistance to treatment.We show that under hypoxia, MET phosphorylation induced by ligand-stimulation, activating mutation or overexpression, is drastically decreased both in cell culture and in experimental tumors. This decrease in MET phosphorylation occurs within minutes and is reversible when cells are returned to normoxia. While phosphorylation of the proximal signaling adaptor GAB1 is also decreased in hypoxia, activation of the downstream kinases ERK and AKT is not affected, but is still dependent on MET receptor activity. Consistently, several cellular responses induced by HGF/SF, including motility, morphogenesis or survival, are still efficiently induced. Interestingly, treatment with two tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting MET (PHA-665752 and SU11274) are less efficient to inhibit the downstream kinases ERK and AKT and cellular responses induced by MET in hypoxia compared to normoxia. Similarly to MET phosphorylation, this resistance to TKI is a reversible phenomenon. Therefore, while hypoxia does not affect downstream signaling and cellular responses, it decreases MET sensitivity to TKIs targeting the receptor thus providing an immediate resistance. This may provide new insights in the use of MET targeted therapies in solid tumors.

The membrane mucin Muc4 is a heterodimer, bi-functional glycoprotein complex that is normally expressed in epithelial tissue. Functional studies on the extracellular mucin subunit of Muc4 have shown that it acts to promote anti-adhesion properties by sterically interfering with cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and that the extent of this effect is directly associated with the number of tandem repeats on this subunit. Functional studies on the transmembrane subunit of Muc4 have shown that this subunit participates in intracellular signaling through interaction with the receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB2. This role of Muc4 was shown to be mediated by stabilizing the heregulin ligand-induced ErbB2-ErbB3 heterodimer through interference with the internalization process of these receptors, thus potentiating the PI3K, a survival-signaling pathway that is mediated by this heterodimer. However, Muc4 was also shown to potentiate ErbB2 phosphorylation in the absence of heregulin by an unknown mechanism. The aim of this work was to examine the role of Muc4 in intracellular signaling by evaluating the ligand-independent Muc4-ErbB2 interaction. Biochemical analyses of A375 human melanoma cells expressing Muc4 under different cell treatments, and probed with phospho-specific antibodies, were used to understand the mechanism. An antibody microarray screen was used to decipher the intracellular activated signaling pathways. The results of the mechanistic analysis indicated that Muc4 potentiates ErbB2 signaling significantly by interacting with ErbB2 and ErbB3 and by stabilizing the kinase active ErbB2 receptor, thus increasing its phosphorylation signal half-life and resulting in sustained ErbB2 signaling. The signaling pathway analysis suggests that through Muc4 direct interaction with ErbB2, signaling pathways that promote loss of cell polarity are activated. Loss of cell-cell adhesion is mediated by interference with the cadherin-catenin complex stability, and loss of cell-matrix adhesion is mediated by facilitating focal adhesion turnover. Together, these results suggest that Muc4 is a potent oncogenic factor, and further enhance our understanding of the role that Muc4 plays in ligand-independent intracellular signaling.