Axl mediates acquired resistance of head and neck cancer cells to the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor erlotinib

ABSTRACT: Elevated expression and activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is associated with development and progression of head and neck cancer (HNC) and a poor prognosis. Clinical trials with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs; eg. erlotinib) have been disappointing in HNC. To investigate the mechanisms mediating resistance to these agents, we developed a HNC cell line (HN5-ER) with acquired erlotinib resistance. In contrast to parental HN5 HNC cells, HN5-ER cells exhibited an epithelial-mesenchymal (EMT) phenotype with increased migratory potential, reduced E-cadherin and epithelial-associated miRNAs, and elevated vimentin expression. Phosphorylated RTK profiling identified Axl activation in HN5-ER cells. Growth and migration of HN5-ER cells was blocked with a specific Axl inhi

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Patrick Candy 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-49135 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress