Introdução: O Erlotinibe é um inibidor oral da tirosina quinase localizada no domínio intracelular do receptor do fator de crescimento epidérmico (EGFR). É uma droga ativa contra o carcinoma epidermóide de cabeça e pescoço (CECCP) que apresenta alta expressão deste receptor, demonstrando desta forma possível sinergismo com a quimioterapia e a radioterapia. Objetivo: Avaliar a expressão do EGFR e da proteína Akt fosforilada por imuno-histoquímica como fator preditivo a resposta terapêutica ao Erlotinibe em um estudo fase II que incluiu 32 pacientes com CECCP localmente avançado; também foram analisados mutações do gene EGFR nos éxons 18,19,20 e 21. Pacientes e métodos: Neste estudo pacientes portadores de CECCP localmente avançado foram tratados com uma combinação de Cisplatina 100mg/m2 intravenoso, administrada nos dias 8, 29 e 50 do tratamento; e radioterapia na dose de 70 Gy administrada em 39 frações a partir do dia 8. O Erlotinibe foi iniciado uma semana antes da radioterapia e mantido até o último dia da radioterapia. Biópsias pré-tratamento, extraídas dos blocos de parafina, foram analisadas por imunohistoquímica para avaliar a expressão do EGFR e da Akt fosforilada. O resultado dessas amostras foi quantificado por um programa de análise digital de imagem. O status mutacional do gene EGFR (nos éxons 18, 19,20 e 21) foi analisado utilizando PCR convencional e sequenciamento. Resultados: A resposta completa ao tratamento ocorreu em vinte pacientes (62,5%), sendo que dois foram tratados com Laringectomia de resgate e ficaram sem evidência de doença. A análise de sobrevida com relação ao estadiamento e com o sítio anatômico evidenciou diferença estatisticamente significativa (p= 0.05). A análise das proteínas EGFR e p-Akt por imuno-histoquímica, quando os sítios estavam agrupados não apresentou valor preditivo de resposta ao tratamento; no entanto ao avaliarmos os sítios anatômicos separadamente, apenas a quantificação de EGFR em hipofaringe foi uma variável preditiva de resposta ao tratamento com erlotinibe (p=0.05). Em relação às análises moleculares nenhuma mutação foi detectada no seqüenciamento dos éxons estudados da proteína EGFR. Conclusão: A expressão do EGFR parece ser um fator preditivo à reposta terapêutica, no entanto outros estudos com identificação de outros biomarcadores e amostras maiores são necessários para elucidar quais pacientes com CECCP podem ser beneficiados com este tratamento / Purpose: Erlotinib, an oral tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, is active against squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) and possibly has a synergistic interaction with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We investigated the expression of EGFR and phosphorylated AKT by immunohistochemistry as predictors of response to Erlotinib in a cohort of 32 locally advanced HNSCC, enrolled in a Phase II trial. In addition, we assessed mutation on hotspots of EGFR gene (exons18,19,20,21). Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in a Phase I/II trial of cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 8, 29 and 50; and radiotherapy 70 Gy starting on day 8. Erlotinib was started orally 1 week before chemo radiation and continued daily just to the last day of chemo radiation. Pretreatment archival tumor specimens were evaluated for EGFR and phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt) by immunohistochemistry. These immunostains were quantified by digital image analysis. EGFR gene mutational status was also assessed using conventional PCR and sequencing. Results: Complete response to treatment occurred in twenty patients (62.5%), and two were treated with salvage laryngectomy and were without evidence of disease. Survival analysis in relation to the staging and the tumor site showed a statistically significant difference (p = 0.05). Analysis of EGFR protein and p-Akt by immunohistochemistry, when sites were grouped showed no predictive value for treatment response, however when evaluating the anatomical sites separately, only the quantification of EGFR in the hypopharynx was a significant predictor of response to treatment with erlotinib (p = 0.05). Regarding the molecular analysis no mutations were detected in the sequencing of the exons studied EGFR protein. Conclusion: The expression of EGFR seems to be a predictive factor for response to therapy, although other studies with identification of other biomarkers and larger samples are needed to elucidate which patients may benefit HNSCC with this treatment

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80–85% of all lung cancers and is associated with significant mortality. As epidermal-growth-factor receptor (EGFR) is over-expressed in 80-90% of NSCLC, its inhibition via EGFR-Tyrosine Kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is a main therapeutic strategy. However, patients with mutations in KRAS are resistant to EGFR-TKIs. A study in mutant KRAS-driven lung cancer in transgenic mice showed that tumor growth was dependent on the activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Therefore, we hypothesized that KRAS-mutant NSCLC will be sensitive to FAK-TKIs and, given known FAK-EGFR cross-talk, FAK inhibition will sensitize KRAS-mutant NSCLC to EGFR-TKIs. We performed cell viability assays of WT versus mutant KRAS NSCLC cell lines following treatment with FAK-TKI alone or in combination with a clinically relevant EGFR-TKI. We found that KRAS-mutant cells were more sensitive to FAK-TKI than KRAS-WT NSCLC. In addition, we found that the combination treatment including FAK and EGFR TKIs resulted in reduced tumor cell viability as compared to treatment with either drug alone. This enhanced anti-tumor response could be due to FAK-TKI’s ability to down-regulate EGFR downstream targets. Our preliminary data suggests that in KRAS-mutant cells the drug combination appears to more effectively inhibit Akt activity than single drug treatment alone. This suggests an enhanced ability to impair cell survival following treatment with the drug combination. We also found that treatment with FAK TKI in KRAS mutant NSCLC cells resulted in increased activation of EGFR which was due in part to modulation of EGFR recycling and production of endogenous EGFR ligands. Thus, the combination of FAK- and EGFR-TKIs may be more effective in KRAS mutant NSCLC as treatment with EGFR-TKI overcomes the unexpected ‘side effect’ of treatment with FAK-TKI, namely activation of the EGFR pathway by this drug. The findings of our study are novel and have uncovered previously unrecognized outcomes of FAK inhibition on EGFR activity. Moreover, our data support the notion that the combination of FAK- and EGFR-TKIs could be an effective treatment for KRAS mutant NSCLC patients.

No description available.

Overall survival of the metastatic forms of epithelial derived cancers, especially head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), has not significantly improved even with the application of aggressive combined modality approaches incorporating radiation and chemotherapy. Cumulative evidence implicates the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as an important therapeutic target in HNSCC. We have previously demonstrated that the combination of lovastatin, a potent inhibitor of the mevalonate pathway, with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors induced robust synergistic cytotoxicity. However, the use of high dose statins in our clinical trial was associated with significant toxicities including higher than anticipated rate of muscle pathologies. Our goal was to uncover novel downstream targets of the mevalonate pathway that may enhance the efficacy or limit toxicities of this novel combination therapeutic approach. In this study we have demonstrated that GGTI-298, an inhibitor of protein geranylgeranylation, through its ability to disrupt the actin cytoskeleton, inhibits EGFR dimerization and cellular trafficking. This novel mechanism targeting the EGFR has clinical implications as GGTI-298 in combination with tarceva, a clinically relevant EGFR inhibitor, showed enhanced cytotoxicity and inhibitory effects on EGFR activation and its downstream signaling.

Orientador: Luis Otavio Zanatta Sarian / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-28T02:45:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Baptista_MauricioZuccolotto_D.pdf: 4237946 bytes, checksum: b677fee05d5d510e473e6b4c4c856a53 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Introdução: A via de sinalização intracelular PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R e EGFR exerce papel prognóstico importante no câncer de mama. Embora muitos estudos tenham analisado a correlação entre as alterações gênicas de PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R e EGFR e o mau prognóstico em câncer de mama, há uma lacuna na literatura com relação ao valor prognóstico dessas proteínas na adjuvância do câncer de mama. Apesar de existirem fatores prognósticos e preditivos conhecidos, como os receptores hormonais e o HER-2, no campo imunológico, o câncer de mama é um dos tumores menos imunogênicos. As proteínas PD-L1 e PD-L2 fazem parte de uma importante resposta imune antitumoral. Em câncer de mama, o valor prognóstico de PD-L1 e PD-L2 ainda não está definido. Objetivos: Investigar a expressão das proteínas PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R e EGFR e das proteínas PD-L1 e PD-L2, e a correlação com as características clínicas e patológicas do câncer de mama, sobrevida livre de doença e sobrevida global. Métodos: Foi realizada uma coorte que avaliou 192 casos de câncer de mama, estadios I, II e III, tratadas entre 1994 e 2014 no Hospital da Mulher (CAISM) da UNICAMP. Os dados clínicos e de sobrevida foram retirados de prontuários. Blocos de parafina foram utilizados para construção do microarranjo de tecidos (TMA). No TMA foi utilizada a técnica de imunohistoquímica (IHQ) para estudo da expressão dessas proteínas. A terapia adjuvante foi administrada de acordo com o protocolo de tratamento institucional. Resultados: A expressão de PTEN foi encontrada em 40.6% (77/190); mTOR em 47.4% (90/190); PI3K em 29.8% (57/191); IGF-1R em 35.8% (68/190) e EGFR em 25.7% (49/191). Nas células do câncer de mama, a expressão de PTEN ocorreu no citoplasma e na região nuclear; a expressão de mTOR foi constatada de modo intenso na região nuclear e também no citoplasma. A expressão de PI3K foi mais intensa na membrana celular e menos intensa no citoplasma. A expressão de IGF-1R foi detectada na membrana celular das células tumorais. A expressão de todas essas proteínas foi significativamente associada à presença de linfonodos positivos. A idade mais jovem ao diagnóstico foi associada à expressão de PTEN e PI3K. A presença de tumores maiores foi associada à expressão de PTEN. Os receptores de progesterona negativos foram associados à expressão de PI3K. Receptores de estrógeno negativos e recorrência à distância foram ambos associados à expressão de EGFR. As expressões de PTEN, PI3K e EGFR foram fortemente associadas a características clínicas e patológicas de pior prognóstico. A expressão de PI3K foi significativamente associada à pior sobrevida livre de progressão (p=0.04) e pior sobrevida global (p=0.04). A expressão de EGFR foi também significativamente associada à pior sobrevida livre de progressão (p=0.03) e pior sobrevida global (p=0.04). A expressão de PTEN não foi associada à sobrevida. A expressão de PD-L1 foi identificada em 56.7% (107/189) e a de PD-L2 em 50.8% (97/192). Enquanto a expressão de PD-L1 foi detectada na membrana celular e no citoplasma das células do câncer de mama, a expressão de PD-L2 ocorreu no citoplasma e na região nuclear. Idade mais jovem ao diagnóstico, linfonodos positivos, receptor de estrógeno negativo e recorrência à distância foram associados tanto à expressão de PD-L1 quanto à de PD-L2. A presença de tumores maiores e de alto grau histológico foi associada à expressão de PD-L1. A expressão de PD-L1 foi significativamente associada à melhor sobrevida global (p=0.04). Conclusão: A expressão de PTEN, PI3K e EGFR pode representar um tipo de câncer de mama mais agressivo. A expressão de PI3K e EGFR pode ser considerada um marcador de mau prognóstico em câncer de mama. A expressão de PD-L1, apesar de ser associada a características clínicas e patológicas de pior evolução, pode ser considerada um marcador de bom prognóstico em câncer de mama / Abstract: Introduction: The PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R and EGFR signaling pathway plays an important role in prognosis of breast cancer. Although many studies have analyzed the correlation between PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R, and EGFR genes alterations with poor prognosis in breast cancer, there is still a gap in the literature concerning the prognostic value of these proteins in the adjuvant setting. Despite there were some well-known predictive and prognostic factors, such as hormone receptors and HER-2, in the immune field, breast cancer is one of the less immunogenic tumors. PD-L1 and PD-L2 constitute an important antitumor immune response. In breast cancer, the prognostic value of PD-L1 and PD-L2 is still to be defined. Objectives: This study investigates PTEN, mTOR, PI3K, IGF-1R and EGFR proteins expression and PD-L1 and PD-L2 proteins expression, and their correlation with clinicopathological features, disease-free survival and overall survival. Methods: In order to assess these proteins expression, we conducted an immunohistochemistry study using a tissue microarray encompassing 192 breast cancer cases, stage I, II and III, treated between 1994 and 2014 at the Women¿s Hospital (CAISM) from UNICAMP. All clinical and outcome data were retrieved from medical charts. Adjuvant therapy was administered according to the institution¿s treatment protocol. Results: PTEN expression was found in 40.6% (77/190); mTOR expression in 47.4% (90/190); PI3K expression in 29.8% (57/191); IGF-1R expression in 35.8% (68/190); and EGFR expression in 25.7% (49/191). In breast cancer cells PTEN expression showed cytoplasmic and nuclear immunoreactivity, and mTOR expression revealed strong nuclear and cytoplasmic staining. Tumors harboring PI3K expression presented strong immunoreactivity at cell membrane and weak cytoplasmic staining. IGF-1R expression was detected in breast cancer cell membrane. All proteins expression was significantly associated with lymph node positivity. Younger age at diagnosis was related to PTEN and PI3K expression. The presence of larger tumors was associated with PTEN expression. Negative progesterone receptor was correlated to PI3K expression. Estrogen receptor negativity and recurrence at distant sites were associated with EGFR expression. The expression of PTEN, PI3K, and EGFR were strongly associated with clinical and pathological features of poor prognosis. In our cohort, PI3K expression was associated with significantly worse disease-free survival (p=0.04) and overall survival (p=0.04), and EGFR expression was also significantly associated with worse disease-free survival (p=0.03) and overall survival (p=0.04). PD-L1 expression was present in 56.7% (107/189), and PD-L2 expression was identified in 50.8% (97/192). In breast cancer cells PD-L1 expression revealed strong immunoreactivity at cell membrane and cytoplasmic staining, and PD-L2 expression showed cytoplasmic and nuclear immunoreactivity. Younger age at diagnosis, lymph node positivity, estrogen negative receptor, and recurrence at distant sites were all associated with both PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression. The presence of larger tumors and higher histological grade were both associated with PD-L1 expression. PD-L1 expression was significantly associated with better overall survival (p=0.04) in breast cancer patients. Conclusion: The expression of PTEN, PI3K, and EGFR can represent a more aggressive type of breast cancer. PI3K and EGFR expressions emerge as poor prognostic markers in breast cancer. Despite its association with poor clinical and pathological features, PD-L1 expression seems to be a good prognostic marker in breast cancer / Doutorado / Oncologia Ginecológica e Mamária / Doutor em Ciências da Saúde

A amplificação gênica mais freqüente em câncer de mama é a do oncogene ERBB-2, observada em aproximadamente 30% dos tumores de mama e que está relacionada com menor intervalo livre de doença e sobrevida total das pacientes com câncer de mama. O ERBB-2 ativa importantes vias de sinalização celular, incluindo as vias MAPK e PI3K. Utilizando PCR em tempo real analisou-se o efeito do EGF e da HRG na regulação da expressão dos genes ANP32B, MATR3, ATAD4, NDRG1, ACTN1, SPARC, TPM1 e CENPH, nas células HB4a, C5.2 e SKBr3, que expressam diferentes níveis de ERBB2. Avaliou-se também o perfil de expressão destes transcritos após a supressão do ERBB2 pela técnica de siRNA nas células C5.2. O tratamento com EGF modulou de forma diferente a expressão dos genes estudados nas células HB4a, C5.2 e SKBr3. Nas células HB4a e SKBr3 a HRG também regulou a expressão dos genes acima. Após a transfecção das células C5.2 com siERBB2 houve alteração na expressão dos genes ATAD4, NDRG1, ACTN1, SPARC, MATR3, CENPH e TPM1. / The more frequent genic amplification observed in breast cancer is that of the ERBB2 oncogene, which occurs in approximately 30% of the breast cancers, and is associated with lower disease-free interval and survival of all patients with breast cancer. The ERBB-2 protein activates important cell signaling pathways such as MAPK and PI3K. Using real time PCR, it was investigated the effect of EGF and HRG on ANP32B, MATR3, ATAD4, NDRG1, ACTN1, SPARC, TPM1 and CENPH transcripts regulation in the HB4a, C5.2 and SKBr3 cell, that express different levels of ERBB2. It was also evaluated the expression profile of these transcripts in the C5.2 cell line after the suppression of ERBB2 expression by the siRNA technique. The treatments with EGF modulate differently the expression of the analysed transcripts in HB4a, C5.2 and SKBr3 cells. In HB4a and SKBr3 cells the treatments with HRG also modulate the expression of the transcripts above. The C5.2 cells transfected with siERBB2 showed alteration in the expression of ATAD4, NDRG1, ACTN1, SPARC, MATR3, CENPH and TPM1 transcripts.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) previously has been shown to stimulate short-term survival in vitro of cells derived from the native amphibian retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In the present experiments, we have examined intracellular signaling pathways responsible for mediating these survival-specific growth factor effects, distinct from proliferative effects, using the human epithelial cell line RPE D407. When maintained as single cells in suspension culture in the absence of serum and exogenous survival factors, RPE D407 cell viability gradually declined over a 3-4 day period as a result of apoptotic cell death, a pattern similar to that seen for eye-derived RPE cells. Exposure to EGF (50 ng ml-1) enhanced cell survival by nearly 40% and caused a parallel increase in the tyrosine phosphate content of the EGF receptor (EGFR), as determined by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. Both effects were completely blocked by 1μM AG1478, an EGFR-selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor. EGF also stimulated phosphorylation of the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)-dependent effector kinase Akt, as well as that of the MEK-dependent mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Furthermore, EGF-induced protection was substantially reduced by either the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (25μM) or the MEK inhibitor U0126 (10μM), under conditions in which phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2, respectively, was blocked. Our results indicate that EGF-stimulated survival of RPE D407 cells takes place as a result of signaling through both PI3K and ERK/MAPK pathways. Further, residual anti-apoptotic activity stimulated by EGF in the presence of both blockers suggests that additional as yet unidentified growth factor-dependent survival pathways exist.

No description available.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in dystrophin, a critical protein that maintains muscle fiber integrity. Our lab discovered that dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle stem cells, also known as satellite cells, cannot generate enough myogenic progenitors for proper muscle regeneration. Previously, we demonstrated that WNT7A, a protein expressed during muscle regeneration, stimulates symmetric division of satellite cells, and gives rise to two daughter satellite cells. Conversely, epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces asymmetric division, which generates one daughter satellite cell and one committed precursor cell. We aimed to investigate these satellite cell division mechanisms following WNT7A or EGF treatment in a human model using healthy and DMD-patient derived hiPSCs differentiated into the myogenic lineage. The presence of satellite-like cells was confirmed in both lines by their characteristic expression of PAX7 and other myogenic markers. Intriguingly, DMD-patient hiPSCs precociously differentiated compared to healthy control human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). More notably, WNT7A treatment had a potent effect on the DMD differentiated cells. High content analysis revealed an expansion of the satellite-like cell pool as observed by a higher number of PAX7+ cells within the total population and gene expression analysis demonstrated a significant increase in global PAX7 expression. In contrast, EGF treatment reduced the number of PAX7+ cells and increased the proportion of MYOG+ cells within the myogenic population, indicating an increase in myogenic progenitors. Taken together, WNT7A and EGF can alter the myogenic differentiation program of healthy and DMD-patient derived hiPSCs by modulating the satellite-like cell division dynamics.

BackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common cancer. Positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) is a widely used imaging modality in HNSCC.PurposeTo provide evident data about associations between 18F-FDG PET and histopathology in HNSCC.Material and MethodsThe MEDLINE database was screened for associations between maximum standard uptake values (SUVmax) derived from 18F-FDG PET and histopathological features in HNSCC up to May 2020. Only papers containing correlation coefficients between SUVmax and histopathology were acquired. Overall, 23 publications were collected.ResultsThe following correlations were calculated: KI 67: 12 studies (345 patients), pooled correlation coefficient (PCC): 0.23 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06–0.40); hypoxia-inducible factor-1α: eight studies (240 patients), PCC: 0.24 (95% CI 0.06–0.42); microvessel density: three studies (64 patients), PCC: 0.33 (95% CI 0.02–0.65); vascular endothelial growth factor: two studies (59 cases), PCC: 0.27 (95% CI 0.02–0.51); tumor suppressor protein p53: four studies (159 patients), PCC: 0.05 (95% CI –0.41 to 0.51); epidermal growth factor receptor: two studies (124 patients), PCC: 0.21 (95% CI 0.05–0.37); tumor cell count: three studies (67 patients), PCC: 0.18 (95% CI –0.06 to 0.42); tumor cell apoptosis: two studies (40 patients), PCC: 0.07 (95% CI = –0.85 to 0.99); B-cell lymphoma-2 protein: two studies (118 patients); PCC: 0.04 (95% CI –0.65 to 0.74); glucose-transporter 1: 10 studies (317 patients), PCC: 0.20 (95% CI 0.10–0.30).ConclusionSUVmax derived from 18F-FDG PET cannot reflect relevant histopathological features in HNSCC.