Project description:Melanoma frequently harbors oncogenic mutations in the BRAF gene, which drives melanoma growth. Therefore, BRAF kinase inhibitors (BRAFi) are developed and approved for treating BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, the efficacy of BRAFi is limited due to acquired resistance, and in over 40% of melanoma, the causes of BRAFi resistance remain unknown. Here, using a human phospho-receptor tyrosine kinase array we identified Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) as a driver of acquired BRAFi resistance in melanoma. We found that ALK ligand FAM150A was necessary for ALK activation and ALK via the PI3K/AKT pathway was sufficient to confer resistance to BRAFi. ALK inhibitor (ALKi) ceritinib inhibited BRAFi-resistant melanoma in cell culture and mice. Residual BRAFi and ALKi dual resistant melanoma cells from ceritinib-treated mice were sensitive to a broad-spectrum anti-apoptotic protein inhibitor, AT101. Collectively, our results provide a framework for treating BRAF-mutant melanoma that sequentially uses different targeted therapies based on post-treatment tumor evolution.
Project description:The treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer harboring chromosomal rearrangements of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) has been revolutionized by the development of crizotinib, a small-molecule inhibitor of ALK, ROS1, and MET. However, resistance to crizotinib inevitably develops through a variety of mechanisms, leading to relapse both systemically and in the central nervous system (CNS). This has motivated the development of "second-generation" ALK inhibitors, including alectinib and ceritinib, that overcome some of the mutations leading to resistance. However, most of the reported ALK inhibitors do not show inhibition of the G1202R mutant, which is one of the most common mutations. Herein, we report the development of a structural analogue of alectinib (JH-VIII-157-02) that is potent against the G1202R mutant as well as a variety of other frequently observed mutants. In addition, JH-VIII-157-02 is capable of penetrating the CNS of mice following oral dosing.
Project description:Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations are responsible of neoplastic transformation in a limited subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In recent years outcomes of these patients improved due to the development and clinical availability of specific and extremely active targeted therapies [i.e., next-generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI)]: ALK+ patients are now reaching impressive results when treated with more potent inhibitors upfront with an average median progression-free survival (mPFS) around 35 months. However, under drug pressure, cancer cells develop resistance and patients eventually progress. Multiple mechanisms of intrinsic or acquired resistance have been extensively characterized. Less potent ALK inhibitors (ALKi)-like crizotinib-usually tend to induce a large spectrum of secondary intra-kinase mutations; however, these alterations may be observed also after sequential administration of multiple ALKi. Noteworthy, neoplastic cells may evade ALK targeting through a myriad of different mechanisms involving cell-stroma interaction, activation of parallel signaling pathways, intracellular downstream adaptation and histological reshaping, as relevant molecular events. Often these phenomena are restricted to a limited number of cases or even can be patient-specific, thus hindering the development of therapeutic strategies largely applicable. Consequently, the recognition of specific resistance mechanisms seldom translates in clinical opportunities. Management of ALK+ patients is drastically changed and deciphering the molecular biology underlying this disease during treatment is of paramount relevance. The bedrock of resistance to TKI is that, after the diagnosis, we face with a different disease that needs to be re-characterized through tissue or/and liquid biopsies. Understanding molecular pathways driving the resistant phenotype will give us the chance to know what we are dealing with and, rather than choose an empirical approach, will help us to properly define the best targeted treatment for these patients.
Project description:Since the discovery of targeted therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been introduced as the first‑line treatment for non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who carry sensitizing ALK‑activating mutations. Compared with conventional chemotherapeutic regimens, small‑molecule ALK‑TKIs exhibit excellent clinical efficacy in ALK‑positive NSCLC. A series of studies have indicated that ALK‑TKI agents as the first‑line treatment, including crizotinib, ceritinib, brigatinib, alectinib and entrectinib, can benefit patients with ALK‑positive NSCLC. However, resistance to ALK‑TKIs has emerged. ALK‑TKIs are associated with significantly disabling and undesirable effects that adversely impact quality of life and compliance. This study reviews the pharmacodynamics, efficacy and safety of ALK‑TKI agents in order to summarize these effects as well as the relevant management strategies. It is worth emphasizing that the frequency and severity of an adverse effect often varies across different trials.
Project description:The treatment for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive lung cancer has been rapidly evolving since the introduction of several ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKI) in clinical practice. However, the acquired resistance to these drugs has become an important issue. In this study, we collected a total of 112 serial biopsy samples from 32 patients with ALK-positive lung cancer during multiple ALK-TKI treatments to reveal the resistance mechanisms to ALK-TKI. Among 32 patients, 24 patients received more than two ALK-TKI. Secondary mutations were observed in 8 of 12 specimens after crizotinib failure (G1202R, G1269A, I1171T, L1196M, C1156Y and F1245V). After alectinib failure, G1202R and I1171N mutations were detected in 7 of 15 specimens. G1202R, F1174V and G1202R, and P-gp overexpression were observed in 3 of 7 samples after ceritinib treatment. L1196M + G1202R, a compound mutation, was detected in 1 specimen after lorlatinib treatment. ALK-TKI treatment duration was longer in the on-target treatment group than that in the off-target group (13.0 vs 1.2 months). In conclusion, resistance to ALK-TKI based on secondary mutation in this study was similar to that in previous reports, except for crizotinib resistance. Understanding the appropriate treatment matching resistance mechanisms contributes to the efficacy of multiple ALK-TKI treatment strategies.
Project description:BackgroundDespite recent advances in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), their role in ALK-positive NSCLC patients is unclear. We investigated the efficacy of ICIs in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC.MethodsBetween 2011 and 2018, a total of 14 ALK-positive NSCLC patients treated with ICIs were evaluated retrospectively. Clinicopathologic features including age, PD-L1 expression, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RNA expression level and cytolytic activity by ALK positivity were analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI) data sets.ResultsA total of 13 patients (92.9%) received ALK inhibitors. Patients received a median of three (range 2-8) courses of therapy. The study included nine patients (64.3%) who were PD-L1-high (>50%) and four (28.6%) who were PD-L1-low (<50%). The objective response rate was 14.3% (2/14). The median progression-free survival time was 2.18 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 months-not reached [NR]). The median overall survival time was 5.67 months (95% CI 3.00 months-NR). RNA expression levels of CD274 were similar between the ALK-positive and negative groups in both TCGA and NCCRI datasets. RNA levels of CD8A in both TCGA and NCCRI data sets were nonsignificantly lower in the ALK-positive group. Cytolytic activity scores including interferon-γ-related response were lower in the ALK-positive group in the NCCRI but not TCGA dataset.ConclusionsDespite high PD-L1-positive rates, ICIs show limited efficacy in ALK-positive NSCLC. Decreased interferon-γ-related response may underlie these findings.
Project description:Lung cancer still represents the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. However, the recent advent of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI), pioneering drugs against targetable mutations, have dramatically improved prognosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements, identified in 3-7% of NSCLC cases, reflects in the constitutive activation of downstream signalling pathways, stimulating tumour cell proliferation, differentiation and survival. To accurately detect the wide spectrum of ALK rearrangements, the introduction of innovative techniques, like reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or next generation sequencing (NGS) now allows for a more precise detection of variants and a more objective reading assessment, compared to the traditional diagnostic approaches. In some occasions, these new tools may dynamically monitor tumor evolution and even guide the choice of the most appropriate ALK inhibitor. In fact, among ALK TKIs available, crizotinib was the first to receive FDA accelerate approval for ALK rearranged NSCLC patients. Notwithstanding its response rate, ranging from 57% to 74%, the majority of patients progress within the first year of drug administration, due to acquired resistance. Both ALK-dependent and independent mechanisms of acquired resistance to TKIs have been identified. If the activation of multiple bypass signaling pathways constitutes the most common ALK-independent mechanism of resistance and one of the most difficult to overcome, ALK-dependent escape strategy mainly consists of mutations in the kinase domain, where the type of mutation largely depends on the TKI administered. Second and third generation TKIs are now available and are demonstrating high systemic and central nervous system (CNS) efficacy in clinical trials. Even though appropriate timing and sequencing of these compounds are still unclear, the large number of ALK inhibitors is now a precious resource aiming to prolong progression-free survival (PFS) and finally overall survival (OS). Here Authors provide an overview of the current approaches in the clinical management of advanced NSCLC patients harboring ALK rearrangement and discuss future perspectives to address current issues, highlighting the perception that ALK-rearranged advanced NSCLC patients benefit from maintained ALK inhibition for as long as possible.
Project description:Translocations of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene have been described in anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCLs) and in stromal tumors. The most frequent translocation, t(2;5), generates the fusion protein nucleophosmin (NPM)-ALK with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Along with transformation, NPM-ALK induces morphologic changes in fibroblasts and lymphoid cells, suggesting a direct role of ALK in cell shaping. In this study, we used a mass-spectrometry-based proteomic approach to search for proteins involved in cytoskeleton remodeling and identified p130Cas (p130 Crk-associated substrate) as a novel interactor of NPM-ALK. In 293 cells and in fibroblasts as well as in human ALK-positive lymphoma cell lines, NPM-ALK was able to bind p130Cas and to induce its phosphorylation. Both of the effects were dependent on ALK kinase activity and on the adaptor protein growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2), since no binding or phosphorylation was found with the kinase-dead mutant NPM-ALK(K210R) or in the presence of a Grb2 dominant-negative protein. Phosphorylation of p130Cas by NPM-ALK was partially independent from Src (tyrosine kinase pp60c-src) kinase activity, as it was still detectable in Syf-/- cells. Finally, p130Cas-/- (also known as Bcar1-/-) fibroblasts expressing NPM-ALK showed impaired actin filament depolymerization and were no longer transformed compared with wild-type cells, indicating an essential role of p130Cas activation in ALK-mediated transformation.
Project description:Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a tyrosine receptor kinase, has been proven to be associated with the occurrence of numerous malignancies. Although there have been already at least 3 generations of ALK inhibitors approved by FDA or in clinical trials, the occurrence of various mutations seriously attenuates the effectiveness of the drugs. Unfortunately, most of the drug resistance mechanisms still remain obscure. Therefore, it is necessary to reveal the bottom reasons of the drug resistance mechanisms caused by the mutations. In this work, on the basis of verifying the accuracy of 2 main kinds of binding free energy calculation methodologies [end-point method of Molecular Mechanics with Poisson-Boltzmann/Generalized Born and Surface Area (MM/PB(GB)SA) and alchemical method of Thermodynamic Integration (TI)], we performed a systematic analysis on the ALK systems to explore the underlying shared and specific drug resistance mechanisms, covering the one-drug-multiple-mutation and multiple-drug-one-mutation cases. Through conventional molecular dynamics (cMD) simulation in conjunction with MM/PB(GB)SA and umbrella sampling (US) in conjunction with contact network analysis (CNA), the resistance mechanisms of the in-pocket, out-pocket, and multiple-site mutations were revealed. Especially for the out-pocket mutation, a possible transfer chain of the mutation effect was revealed, and the reason why different drugs exhibited various sensitivities to the same mutation was also uncovered. The proposed mechanisms may be prevalent in various drug resistance cases.
Project description:The anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is abnormally expressed and hyperactivated in a number of tumors and represents an ideal therapeutic target. Despite excellent clinical responses to ALK inhibition, drug resistance still represents an issue and novel compounds that overcome drug-resistant mutants are needed. We designed, synthesized, and evaluated a large series of azacarbazole inhibitors. Several lead compounds endowed with submicromolar potency were identified. Compound 149 showed selective inhibition of native and mutant drug-refractory ALK kinase in vitro as well as in a Ba/F3 model and in human ALK+ lymphoma cells. The three-dimensional (3D) structure of a 149:ALK-KD cocrystal is reported, showing extensive interaction through the hinge region and the catalytic lysine 1150.