Different APC genotypes in proximal and distal sporadic colorectal cancers suggest distinct WNT/β-catenin signalling thresholds for tumourigenesis

Biallelic protein-truncating mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are prevalent in sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). Mutations may not be fully inactivating, instead producing WNT/β-catenin signalling levels 'just-right' for tumourigenesis. However, the spectrum of optimal APC genotypes accounting for both hits, and the influence of clinicopathological features on genotype selection remain undefined. We analysed 630 sporadic CRCs for APC mutations and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) using sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphism microarrays, respectively. Truncating APC mutations and/or LOH were detected in 75% of CRCs. Most truncating mutations occurred within a mutation cluster region (MCR; codons 1282-1581) leaving 1-3 intact 20 amino-acid repeats (20AARs) and abolishing all Ser-Ala-Met-Pro (SAMP) repeats. Cancers commonly had one MCR mutation plus either LOH or another mutation 5' to the MCR. LOH was associated with mutations leaving 1 intact 20AAR. MCR mutations leaving 1 vs 2-3 intact 20AARs were associated with 5' mutations disrupting or leaving intact the armadillo-repeat domain, respectively. Cancers with three hits had an over-representation of mutations upstream of codon 184, in the alternatively spliced region of exon 9, and 3' to the MCR. Microsatellite unstable cancers showed hyper-mutation at MCR mono- and di-nucleotide repeats, leaving 2-3 intact 20AARs. Proximal and distal cancers exhibited different preferred APC genotypes, leaving a total of 2 or 3 and 0 to 2 intact 20AARs, respectively. In conclusion, APC genotypes in sporadic CRCs demonstrate 'fine-tuned' interdependence of hits by type and location, consistent with selection for particular residual levels of WNT/β-catenin signalling, with different 'optimal' thresholds for proximal and distal cancers.

Selecting subjects for a therapeutic target in colorectal cancer (CRC): Using a clinical database to enrich for patients harboring the BRAFV600E mutation

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Introduction: The BRAFV600E mutation (BRAF) causes constitutive activation of the RAS-induced MAPK pathway and is found in 10% of colon cancers. B-RAF inhibitors are in early clinical development, but their development in CRC will be challenging unless subsets of patients (pts) with higher rates of BRAF can be defined. The mutation rate in rectal tumors, the concordance between primary and metastases, and the prognostic/predictive significance of BRAF are current gaps in knowledge. Methods: 481 primary tumors and 80 matched primary-metastasis (prim-met) pairs were analysed from a pre-defined cohort of pts with CRC based on age (≥ 70 vs < 70 years), gender, tumor site (right-R, left-L and rectum), stage (A to C vs D) and ≥ 2 years follow-up. BRAF was assessed by routine sequencing of exon 15 and by a mutant-specific PCR assay. KRAS (KRAS-codon 12 and 13) and MSI (Bethesda markers) status were also examined. Results: Overall prevalence of BRAF was 11%. BRAF (see table ) was independently associated with increasing age, female gender and R-sided cancer, but not with stage. Mutations were rare in rectal cancers. BRAF was associated with inferior overall survival in stage D pts (log-rank, p = 0.0003; HR 0.38, 95% CI, 0.10–0.51). Survival analysis will be further stratified by treatment received. No difference in outcome was seen in preliminary analysis of earlier stage cancers. Mutation frequencies in the prim-met pairs were 38% (30/80) and 1.3% (1/80) for KRAS and BRAF, respectively. Overall concordance was 88% (70/80) for KRAS and 100% (80/80) for BRAF status. Conclusions: The development of selective B-Raf inhibitors in CRC is potentially more attractive due to the ability to define patient subsets with a higher prevalence of BRAF mutations. Analysis of the primary tumor reliably predicts the status of metastatic disease in the same patient. The association between BRAFand poor outcome will need to be considered when interpreting the result of studies targeting this mutation. [Table: see text]

[Table: see text]

Rapid microscale enzymic semisynthesis of epidermal growth factor (EGF) analogues

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) is a small growth factor containing 53 amino acid residues capable of stimulating the proliferation of both mesenchymal and epithelial cells. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of EGF from several species, and related proteins that can bind to the EGF receptor (e.g. TGFalpha, VGF, heparin-binding EGF, and betacellulin), suggests that Leu47, which is highly conserved, is important for biological function. Additionally, we have shown previously, using a combination of trypsin and carboxypeptidase Y digestion of native murine EGF, that removal of Leu47 results in more than 100-fold decrease in both receptor binding and mitogenic activity. We now describe a micromethod for the rapid generation of C-terminally modified EGFs to investigate further the role of C-terminal residues in determining functional activity. These analogues have been generated by digesting native murine EGF with trypsin, purifying the biologically inactive, but structurally intact, EGF1-45 core by micropreparative RP-HPLC, and then reversing the action of trypsin to couple synthetic peptides (e.g. DL, DI, DF, EL, DLLW) onto the C-terminus of the EGF1-45 core. This enzymic semisynthesis method allows multiple derivatives to be generated rapidly from microgram quantities of EGF1-45 in sufficient quantities for sensitive biological and physicochemical analysis. We have validated the method by regenerating EGF1-47 from EGF1-45 with equivalent mitogenic and receptor binding activity to EGF1-47 generated from wild type EGF by digestion with trypsin and carboxypeptidase Y. We have also investigated the effect of substituting alternative normal or nonphysiological amino acids (e.g. allo-Ile) for Asp46, Leu47 or Arg48. Even small changes in these C-terminal residues reduce the mitogenic potency of the analogue.

Identification of a determinant of epidermal growth factor receptor ligand-binding specificity using a truncated, high-affinity form of the ectodomain

Murine and human epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) bind human EGF (hEGF), mouse EGF (mEGF), and human transforming growth factor alpha (hTGF-alpha) with high affinity despite the significant differences in the amino acid sequences of the ligands and the receptors. In contrast, the chicken EGFR can discriminate between mEGF (and hEGF) and hTGF-alpha and binds the EGFs with approximately 100-fold lower affinity. The regions responsible for this poor binding are known to be Arg(45) in hEGF and the L2 domain in the chicken EGFR. In this study we have produced a truncated form of the hEGFR ectodomain comprising residues 1-501 (sEGFR501), which, unlike the full-length hEGFR ectodomain (residues 1-621, sEGFR621), binds hEGF and hTGF-alpha with high affinity (K(D) = 13-21 and 35-40 nM, respectively). sEGFR501 was a competitive inhibitor of EGF-stimulated mitogenesis, being almost 10-fold more effective than the full-length EGFR ectodomain and three times more potent than the neutralizing anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody Mab528. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that the primary EGF binding sites on sEGFR501 were saturated at an equimolar ratio of ligand and receptor, leading to the formation of a 2:2 EGF:sEGFR501 dimer complex. We have used sEGFR501 to generate three mutants with single position substitutions at Glu(367), Gly(441), or Glu(472) to Lys, the residue found in the corresponding positions in the chicken EGFR. All three mutants bound hTGF-alpha and were recognized by Mab528. However, mutant Gly(441)Lys showed markedly reduced binding to hEGF, implicating Gly(441), in the L2 domain, as part of the binding site that recognizes Arg(45) of hEGF.

Characterization of a comparative model of the extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor

The Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) receptor is a tyrosine kinase that mediates the biological effects of ligands such as EGF and transforming growth factor alpha. An understanding of the molecular basis of its action has been hindered by a lack of structural and mutational data on the receptor. We have constructed comparative models of the four extracellular domains of the EGF receptor that are based on the structure of the first three domains of the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor. The first and third domains of the EGF receptor, L1 and L2, are right-handed beta helices. The second and fourth domains of the EGF receptor, S1 and S2, consist of the modules held together by disulfide bonds, which, except for the first module of the S1 domain, form rod-like structures. The arrangement of the L1 and S1 domains of the model are similar to that of the first two domains of the IGF-1 receptor, whereas that of the L2 and S2 domains appear to be significantly different. Using the EGF receptor model and limited information from the literature, we have proposed a number of regions that may be involved in the functioning of the receptor. In particular, the faces containing the large beta sheets in the L1 and L2 domains have been suggested to be involved with ligand binding of EGF to its receptor.

Stoichiometry, kinetic and binding analysis of the interaction between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the extracellular domain of the EGF receptor

The kinetics, binding equilibria and stoichiometry of the interaction between epidermal growth factor and the soluble extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (sEGFR), produced in CHO cells using a bioreactor, have been studied by three methods: analytical ultracentrifugation, biosensor analysis using surface plasmon resonance detection (BIAcore 2000) and fluorescence anisotropy. These studies were performed with an sEGFR preparation purified in the absence of detergent using a mild two step chromatographic procedure employing anion exchange and size exclusion HPLC. The fluorescence anisotropy and analytical ultracentrifugation data indicated a 1:1 molar binding ratio between EGF and the sEGFR. Analytical ultracentrifugation further indicated that the complex comprised 2EGF:2sEGFR, consistent with the model proposed recently by Lemmon et al. (1997). Global analysis of the BIAcore binding data showed that a simple Langmuirian interaction does not adequately describe the EGF:sEGFR interaction and that more complex interaction mechanisms are operative. Furthermore, analysis of solution binding data using either fluorescence anisotropy or the biosensor, to determine directly the concentration of free sEGFR in solution competition experiments, yielded Scatchard plots which were biphasic and Hill coefficients of less than unity. Taken together our data indicate that in solution there are two sEGFR populations; one which binds EGF with a KD of 2-20 nM and the other with a KD of 400-550 nM.