Abrogating phosphorylation of eIF4B is required for EGFR and mTOR inhibitor synergy in triple-negative breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients suffer from a highly malignant and aggressive disease. They have a high rate of relapse and often develop resistance to standard chemotherapy. Many TNBCs have elevated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) but are resistant to EGFR inhibitors as monotherapy. In this study, we sought to find a combination therapy that could sensitize TNBC to EGFR inhibitors. Phospho-mass spectrometry was performed on the TNBC cell line, BT20, treated with 0.5 μM gefitinib. Immunoblotting measured protein levels and phosphorylation. Colony formation and growth assays analyzed the treatment on cell proliferation, while MTT assays determined the synergistic effect of inhibitor combination. A Dual-Luciferase reporter gene plasmid measured translation. All statisti

SUBMITTER: Madden JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4171954 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature