Functional RNAi Screens Define Distinct Protein Kinase Vulnerabilities in EGFR-Dependent HNSCC Cell Lines.

ABSTRACT: The inhibitory epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody, cetuximab, is an approved therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite tumor response observed in some HNSCC patients, cetuximab alone or combined with radio- or chemotherapy fails to yield long-term control or cures. We hypothesize that a flexible receptor tyrosine kinase coactivation signaling network supports HNSCC survival in the setting of EGFR blockade, and that drugs disrupting this network will provide superior tumor control when combined with EGFR inhibitors. In this work, we submitted EGFR-dependent HNSCC cell lines to RNA interference-based functional genomics screens to identify, in an unbiased fashion, essential protein kinases for growth and survival as well as synthetic lethal targets for

SUBMITTER: Hinz TK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7385532 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature