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Schietroma F, Anghelone A, Valente G, Beccia V, Caira G, Spring A, Trovato G, Di Bello A, Ceccarelli A, Chiofalo L, Perazzo S, Bensi M, Minucci A, Urbani A, Larocca LM, Basso M, Pozzo C, Salvatore L, Calegari MA, Tortora G. Focus on RAS Codon 61 Mutations in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:988. [PMID: 38473349 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
RAS mutations involving codon 61 are rare in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), accounting for only 1-4%, but they have recently been identified with high frequency in the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) of patients with secondary resistance to anti-EGFRs. This retrospective monocentric study aimed to investigate the clinical phenotype and prognostic performance of codon 61 RAS-mutated mCRC. Fifty patients with codon 61 RAS-mutated mCRC treated at our institution between January 2013 and December 2021 were enrolled. Additional datasets of codon 61 RAS wild-type mCRCs (648 patients) were used as comparators. The endpoint for prognostic assessment was overall survival (OS). Metastatic involvement of the peritoneum or ovary was significantly more frequent in codon 61 RAS-mutated mCRC compared to codon 61 RAS wild-type (54 vs. 28.5%), non-codon 61 RAS-mutated (35.6%), BRAF V600E-mutated (25%), and RAS/BRAF wild-type (20.5%) cohorts. At a median follow up of 96.2 months, the median OS for codon 61 RAS-mutated patients was significantly shorter compared to RAS/BRAF wild-type (26.9 vs. 36.0 months, HR 0.56) patients, while no significant difference was observed compared to non-codon 61 RAS-mutated and BRAF V600E-mutated patients. We showed a negative prognostic impact and a statistically significant correlation between codon 61 RAS mutations and metastatic involvement of the peritoneum and ovary.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giustina Valente
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Viria Beccia
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giulia Caira
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Alexia Spring
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Trovato
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Armando Di Bello
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Anna Ceccarelli
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Laura Chiofalo
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Serena Perazzo
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Bensi
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Angelo Minucci
- Departmental Unit of Molecular and Genomic Diagnostics, Genomics Core Facility, Gemelli Science and Technology Park (G-STeP), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Urbani
- Clinical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Operations, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Luigi Maria Larocca
- Patologia Oncoematologica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Michele Basso
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Carmelo Pozzo
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Lisa Salvatore
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Alessandra Calegari
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Tortora
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
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Rekowska AK, Rola P, Kwiatkowska A, Wójcik-Superczyńska M, Gil M, Krawczyk P, Milanowski J. Abnormalities in the KRAS Gene and Treatment Options for NSCLC Patients with the G12C Mutation in This Gene-A Literature Review and Single-Center Experience. Biomedicines 2024; 12:325. [PMID: 38397927 PMCID: PMC10886466 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the KRAS gene are among the most common mutations observed in cancer cells, but they have only recently become an achievable goal for targeted therapies. Two KRAS inhibitors, sotorasib and adagrasib, have recently been approved for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with the KRAS G12C mutation, while studies on their efficacy are still ongoing. In this work, we comprehensively analyzed RAS gene mutations' molecular background, mutation testing, KRAS inhibitors' effectiveness with an emphasis on non-small cell lung cancer, the impact of KRAS mutations on immunotherapy outcomes, and drug resistance problems. We also summarized ongoing trials and analyzed emerging perspectives on targeting KRAS in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K. Rekowska
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland (M.W.-S.); (M.G.); (J.M.)
| | | | | | | | | | - Paweł Krawczyk
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-090 Lublin, Poland (M.W.-S.); (M.G.); (J.M.)
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3
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Smith BP, Rigby M, Ma R, Maciag AE. High-Throughput Cell-Based Screening of Small Molecule KRAS Signaling Inhibitors Using a Homogeneous Time-Resolved Fluorescence (HTRF) Assay. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2797:271-285. [PMID: 38570467 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3822-4_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
With recent advances proving that effective inhibition of KRAS is possible, there have been significant efforts made to develop inhibitors of specific mutant alleles. Here we describe a detailed protocol that employs homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) to identify compounds acting on KRAS signaling in malignant cell lines. This method allows for high-throughput, cell-based screens of large compound libraries for the development of RAS-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian P Smith
- NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Megan Rigby
- NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Roger Ma
- NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Anna E Maciag
- NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA.
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Laurent PA, Milic M, Quevrin C, Meziani L, Liu W, Morel D, Signolle N, Clémenson C, Levy A, Mondini M, Deutsch E. KRAS G12C inhibition using MRTX1257: a novel radio-sensitizing partner. J Transl Med 2023; 21:773. [PMID: 37907934 PMCID: PMC10619254 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04619-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND KRAS activating mutations are considered the most frequent oncogenic drivers and are correlated with radio-resistance in multiple cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer. Although KRAS was considered undruggable until recently, several KRAS inhibitors have recently reached clinical development. Among them, MRTX849 (Mirati Therapeutics) showed encouraging clinical outcomes for the treatment of selected patients with KRASG12C mutated NSCLC and colorectal cancers. In this work, we explore the ability of MRTX1257, a KRASG12C inhibitor analogous to MRTX849, to radio-sensitize KRASG12C+/+ mutated cell lines and tumors. METHODS Both in vitro and in vivo models of radiotherapy (RT) in association with MRTX1257 were used, with different RAS mutational profiles. We assessed in vitro the radio-sensitizing effect of MRTX1257 in CT26 KRASG12C+/+, CT26 WT, LL2 WT and LL2 NRAS KO (LL2 NRAS-/-) cell lines. In vivo, we used syngeneic models of subcutaneous CT26 KRASG12C+/+ tumors in BALB/c mice and T cell deficient athymic nu/nu mice to assess both the radio-sensitizing effect of MRTX1257 and its immunological features. RESULTS MRTX1257 was able to radio-sensitize CT26 KRASG12C+/+ cells in vitro in a time and dose dependent manner. Moreover, RT in association with MRTX1257 in BALB/c mice bearing CT26 KRASG12C+/+ subcutaneous tumors resulted in an observable cure rate of 20%. However, no durable response was observed with similar treatment in athymic nude mice. The analysis of the immune microenvironment of CT26 KRASG12C+/+ tumors following RT and MRTX1257 showed an increase in the proportion of various cell subtypes including conventional CD4 + T cells, dendritic cells type 2 (cDC2) and inflammatory monocytes. Furthermore, the expression of PD-L1 was dramatically down-regulated within both tumor and myeloid cells, thus illustrating the polarization of the tumor microenvironment towards a pro-inflammatory and anti-tumor phenotype following the combined treatment. CONCLUSION This work is the first to demonstrate in vitro as in vivo the radio-sensitizing effect of MRTX1257, a potent KRASG12C inhibitor compatible with oral administration, in CT26 KRASG12C mutated cell lines and tumors. This is a first step towards the use of new combinatorial strategies using KRAS inhibitors and RT in KRASG12C mutated tumors, which are the most represented in NSCLC with 14% of patients harboring this mutational profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre-Antoine Laurent
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Marina Milic
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Clément Quevrin
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Lydia Meziani
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Winchygn Liu
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Daphné Morel
- Drug Development Department (DITEP), Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Nicolas Signolle
- Experimental and Translational Pathology Platform (PETRA), AMMICa, INSERM US23/UAR3655, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
| | - Céline Clémenson
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Antonin Levy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Michele Mondini
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Eric Deutsch
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France.
- INSERM U1030, Molecular Radiation Therapy and Therapeutic Innovation, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University of Paris-Saclay, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, 94805, Villejuif, France.
- SIRIC SOCRATE, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
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Di Federico A, Ricciotti I, Favorito V, Michelina SV, Scaparone P, Metro G, De Giglio A, Pecci F, Lamberti G, Ambrogio C, Ricciuti B. Resistance to KRAS G12C Inhibition in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Curr Oncol Rep 2023; 25:1017-1029. [PMID: 37378881 DOI: 10.1007/s11912-023-01436-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although the recent development of direct KRASG12C inhibitors (G12Ci) has improved outcomes in KRAS mutant cancers, responses occur only in a fraction of patients, and among responders acquired resistance invariably develops over time. Therefore, the characterization of the determinants of acquired resistance is crucial to inform treatment strategies and to identify novel therapeutic vulnerabilities that can be exploited for drug development. RECENT FINDINGS Mechanisms of acquired resistance to G12Ci are heterogenous including both on-target and off-target resistance. On-target acquired resistance includes secondary codon 12 KRAS mutations, but also acquired codon 13 and codon 61 alterations, and mutations at drug binding sites. Off-target acquired resistance can derive from activating mutations in KRAS downstream pathway (e.g., MEK1), acquired oncogenic fusions (EML4-ALK, CCDC176-RET), gene level copy gain (e.g., MET amplification), or oncogenic alterations in other pro-proliferative and antiapoptotic pathways (e.g., FGFR3, PTEN, NRAS). In a fraction of patients, histologic transformation can also contribute to the development of acquire resistance. We provided a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms that limit the efficacy of this G12i and reviewed potential strategies to overcome and possibly delay the development of resistance in patients receiving KRAS directed targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Di Federico
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Ricciotti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Favorito
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sandra Vietti Michelina
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology, Center, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Pietro Scaparone
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology, Center, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Giulio Metro
- Medical Oncology, Santa Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera di Perugia, Piazzale Giorgio Menghini, 1, 06129, Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea De Giglio
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Pecci
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Giuseppe Lamberti
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Albertoni, 15, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Ambrogio
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology, Center, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126, Torino, Italy
| | - Biagio Ricciuti
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Serra M, Rubes D, Schinelli S, Paolillo M. Small Molecules against Metastatic Tumors: Concrete Perspectives and Shattered Dreams. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4173. [PMID: 37627201 PMCID: PMC10453213 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the main cause of anti-cancer therapy failure, leading to unfavorable prognosis for patients. The true challenge to increase cancer patient life expectancy by making cancer a chronic disease with periodic but manageable relapses relies on the development of efficient therapeutic strategies specifically directed against key targets in the metastatic process. Traditional chemotherapy with classical alkylating agents, microtubule inhibitors, and antimetabolites has demonstrated its limited efficacy against metastatic cells due to their capacity to select chemo-resistant cell populations that undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), thus promoting the colonization of distant sites that, in turn, sustain the initial metastatic process. This scenario has prompted efforts aimed at discovering a wide variety of small molecules and biologics as potential anti-metastatic drugs directed against more specific targets known to be involved in the various stages of metastasis. In this short review, we give an overview of the most recent advances related to important families of antimetastatic small molecules: intracellular tyrosine kinase inhibitors, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, KRAS inhibitors, and integrin antagonists. Although the majority of these small molecules are not yet approved and not available in the drug market, any information related to their stage of development could represent a precious and valuable tool to identify new targets in the endless fight against metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Serra
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (D.R.); (S.S.); (M.P.)
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Gurreri E, Genovese G, Perelli L, Agostini A, Piro G, Carbone C, Tortora G. KRAS-Dependency in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Mechanisms of Escaping in Resistance to KRAS Inhibitors and Perspectives of Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119313. [PMID: 37298264 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still one of the deadliest cancers in oncology because of its increasing incidence and poor survival rate. More than 90% of PDAC patients are KRAS mutated (KRASmu), with KRASG12D and KRASG12V being the most common mutations. Despite this critical role, its characteristics have made direct targeting of the RAS protein extremely difficult. KRAS regulates development, cell growth, epigenetically dysregulated differentiation, and survival in PDAC through activation of key downstream pathways, such as MAPK-ERK and PI3K-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, in a KRAS-dependent manner. KRASmu induces the occurrence of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and leads to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In this context, the oncogenic mutation of KRAS induces an epigenetic program that leads to the initiation of PDAC. Several studies have identified multiple direct and indirect inhibitors of KRAS signaling. Therefore, KRAS dependency is so essential in KRASmu PDAC that cancer cells have secured several compensatory escape mechanisms to counteract the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors, such as activation of MEK/ERK signaling or YAP1 upregulation. This review will provide insights into KRAS dependency in PDAC and analyze recent data on inhibitors of KRAS signaling, focusing on how cancer cells establish compensatory escape mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Gurreri
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
| | - Giannicola Genovese
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
- David H. Koch Center for Applied Research of Genitourinary Cancers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
- Translational Research to Advance Therapeutics and Innovation in Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
| | - Luigi Perelli
- Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77025, USA
| | - Antonio Agostini
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Geny Piro
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Carmine Carbone
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Tortora
- Medical Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli, IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Medical Oncology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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Zhou X, Ji Y, Zhou J. Multiple Strategies to Develop Small Molecular KRAS Directly Bound Inhibitors. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28083615. [PMID: 37110848 PMCID: PMC10146153 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28083615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
KRAS gene mutation is widespread in tumors and plays an important role in various malignancies. Targeting KRAS mutations is regarded as the "holy grail" of targeted cancer therapies. Recently, multiple strategies, including covalent binding strategy, targeted protein degradation strategy, targeting protein and protein interaction strategy, salt bridge strategy, and multivalent strategy, have been adopted to develop KRAS direct inhibitors for anti-cancer therapy. Various KRAS-directed inhibitors have been developed, including the FDA-approved drugs sotorasib and adagrasib, KRAS-G12D inhibitor MRTX1133, and KRAS-G12V inhibitor JAB-23000, etc. The different strategies greatly promote the development of KRAS inhibitors. Herein, the strategies are summarized, which would shed light on the drug discovery for both KRAS and other "undruggable" targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xile Zhou
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yang Ji
- Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jinming Zhou
- Drug Development and Innovation Center, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, 688 Yingbin Road, Jinhua 321004, China
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Santarpia M, Ciappina G, Spagnolo CC, Squeri A, Passalacqua MI, Aguilar A, Gonzalez-Cao M, Giovannetti E, Silvestris N, Rosell R. Targeted therapies for KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer: from preclinical studies to clinical development-a narrative review. Transl Lung Cancer Res 2023; 12:346-368. [PMID: 36895930 PMCID: PMC9989806 DOI: 10.21037/tlcr-22-639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objective Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) driver alterations harbors a poor prognosis with standard therapies, including chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) or anti-programmed death ligand-1 (anti-PD-L1) antibodies. Selective KRAS G12C inhibitors have been shown to provide significant clinical benefit in pretreated NSCLC patients with KRAS G12C mutation. Methods In this review, we describe KRAS and the biology of KRAS-mutant tumors and review data from preclinical studies and clinical trials on KRAS-targeted therapies in NSCLC patients with KRAS G12C mutation. Key Content and Findings KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancer. The G12C is the most common KRAS mutation found in NSCLC. Sotorasib is the first, selective KRAS G12C inhibitor to receive approval based on demonstration of significant clinical benefit and tolerable safety profile in previously treated, KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC. Adagrasib, a highly selective covalent inhibitor of KRAS G12C, has also shown efficacy in pretreated patients and other novel KRAS inhibitors are being under evaluation in early-phase studies. Similarly to other oncogene-directed therapies, mechanisms of intrinsic and acquired resistance limiting the activity of these agents have been described. Conclusions The discovery of selective KRAS G12C inhibitors has changed the therapeutic scenario of KRAS G12C-mutant NSCLC. Various studies testing KRAS inhibitors in different settings of disease, as single-agent or in combination with targeted agents for synthetic lethality and immunotherapy, are currently ongoing in this molecularly-defined subgroup of patients to further improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariacarmela Santarpia
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ciappina
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Calogera Claudia Spagnolo
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Andrea Squeri
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Ilenia Passalacqua
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Andrés Aguilar
- Oncology Institute Dr. Rosell, IOR, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Gonzalez-Cao
- Oncology Institute Dr. Rosell, IOR, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Cancer Pharmacology Lab, Fondazione Pisana per La Scienza, San Giuliano, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Department of Human Pathology "G. Barresi", Medical Oncology Unit, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rafael Rosell
- Oncology Institute Dr. Rosell, IOR, Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institute of Oncology, ICO, Badalona, Spain
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10
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Bruggemann L, Falls Z, Mangione W, Schwartz SA, Battaglia S, Aalinkeel R, Mahajan SD, Samudrala R. Multiscale Analysis and Validation of Effective Drug Combinations Targeting Driver KRAS Mutations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020997. [PMID: 36674513 PMCID: PMC9867122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenomics is a rapidly growing field with the goal of providing personalized care to every patient. Previously, we developed the Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform for multiscale therapeutic discovery to screen optimal compounds for any indication/disease by performing analytics on their interactions using large protein libraries. We implemented a comprehensive precision medicine drug discovery pipeline within the CANDO platform to determine which drugs are most likely to be effective against mutant phenotypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on the supposition that drugs with similar interaction profiles (or signatures) will have similar behavior and therefore show synergistic effects. CANDO predicted that osimertinib, an EGFR inhibitor, is most likely to synergize with four KRAS inhibitors.Validation studies with cellular toxicity assays confirmed that osimertinib in combination with ARS-1620, a KRAS G12C inhibitor, and BAY-293, a pan-KRAS inhibitor, showed a synergistic effect on decreasing cellular proliferation by acting on mutant KRAS. Gene expression studies revealed that MAPK expression is strongly correlated with decreased cellular proliferation following treatment with KRAS inhibitor BAY-293, but not treatment with ARS-1620 or osimertinib. These results indicate that our precision medicine pipeline may be used to identify compounds capable of synergizing with inhibitors of KRAS G12C, and to assess their likelihood of becoming drugs by understanding their behavior at the proteomic/interactomic scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana Bruggemann
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Zackary Falls
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - William Mangione
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | | | | | | | - Supriya D. Mahajan
- Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
- Correspondence: (S.D.M.); (R.S.)
| | - Ram Samudrala
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
- Correspondence: (S.D.M.); (R.S.)
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11
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Olivier T, Haslam A, Prasad V. Sotorasib in KRAS G12C mutated lung cancer: Can we rule out cracking KRAS led to worse overall survival? Transl Oncol 2022; 28:101591. [PMID: 36577165 PMCID: PMC9803768 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The KRAS oncogene is present in up to 25% of solid tumors and for decades had been undruggable. Sotorasib was the first-in-class KRAS inhibitor to reach the US and European market, and its pharmacological inhibition is restricted to the KRAS p.G12C mutation. Sotorasib showed activity (tumor shrinkage) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer harboring this specific mutation, and efficacy was tested in the CodeBreaK 200, open-label, phase 3 trial (NCT04303780). The results were presented in the ESMO 2022 meeting. CodeBreaK 200 found an improvement in the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS), but overall survival, a key secondary endpoint, was not improved. However, critical questions about the trial's design may limit inferences regarding the reported results. The control arm treatment was inferior to the best standard of care. A late protocol modification (which lowered the sample size and allowed a problematic crossover) prohibited the trial from making a determination regarding overall survival. Imbalance in censoring rates, with potential informative censoring, makes PFS estimates unreliable. Quality-of-life data were also limited. Ultimately, CodeBreaK 200 does not clarify how this therapy should be used in practice, and while we maintain cautious enthusiasm for this and other Ras inhibitors, we await more informative trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Olivier
- Department of Oncology, Geneva University Hospital, 4 Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil Street, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St, 2nd Fl, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Alyson Haslam
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St, 2nd Fl, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Vinay Prasad
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th St, 2nd Fl, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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12
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Bai Y, Yi P, Li F, Hu J, Pan H. Penipentenone A and brefeldin A derivatives potently inhibit KRAS mutant cancer cells from an endophytic fungus Penicillium brefeldianum F4a. Phytochemistry 2022; 200:113243. [PMID: 35577124 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2022.113243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutation is one of the most important carcinogenic factors in many solid tumors, which leads to the poor prognosis and therapy resistance of cancer. In order to develop direct or indirect KRAS inhibitors, one unique asymmetric dicyclopentenone penipentenone A, three undescribed brefeldin A (BFA) derivatives, and five known BFA derivatives were discovered from the endophytic fungus Penicillium brefeldianum guided by LC-MS/MS and cytotoxic activities. Their structures were elucidated by optical rotation, mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopic data. The absolute configurations of four undescribed compounds were elucidated by comparison of the experimental and calculated ECD spectra. The antiproliferative activities of obtained compounds against three KRAS mutant tumor cell lines and two BFA derivative-sensitive cell lines were evaluated. Besides 4-epi-15-epi-brefeldin A, the other compounds showed significant inhibitory activities against those tumor cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.82 to 18.87 μM. Intriguingly, penipentenone A selectively inhibited KRAS mutant cancer cells SW620 (KRASG12V) and ASPC-1 (KRASG12D). BFA and four derivatives showed potent cytotoxic activities against all selected tumor cell lines H358 (KRASG12C), SW620 (KRASG12V), ASPC-1 (KRASG12D), PC-3, and HepG-2. These findings will provide undescribed lead compounds for developing drugs that target KRAS mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Bai
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Ping Yi
- The Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Natural Product of Guizhou Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, PR China
| | - Fenglin Li
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Jiangchun Hu
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, PR China
| | - Huaqi Pan
- Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, PR China.
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13
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Haider K, Sharma A, Yar MS, Yakkala PA, Shafi S, Kamal A. Novel approaches for the development of direct KRAS inhibitors: structural insights and drug design. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:247-257. [PMID: 35084268 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2029842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hyperactivated RAS signaling is reported in 13% of all human cancers, in which ~80% resulted due to KRAS mutations alone. Direct inhibition of KRAS is an important aspect in treating KRAS-related tumors. Despite the efforts of more than four decades, not many KRAS inhibitors have been successful in obtaining clinical approval, except the very recent FDA approval for sotorasib. In recent years, the understanding of structural insights and allosteric pocket identification at catalytic sites of KRAS are likely to provide an excellent opportunity for the development of much more effective clinical candidates. AREA COVERED The presented review article mainly summarizes the developments of small molecule KRAS inhibitors as drug candidates and rational approaches that are being utilized for the selective targeting of KRAS signaling in the mutant cancer cells. EXPERT OPINION After the initial success in targeting the mutant KRAS G12C variants, the search has been shifted to address the challenges concerning the resistance and efficacy of small molecule KRAS inhibitors. However, the contribution of other KRAS mutations at G12V, G13C, and G13D variants causing cancers is much higher than the mutations at G12C. In view of this aspect, specific attention is required to target all other mutations as well. Accordingly, for the development of KRAS targeted therapies, the design of small molecule inhibitors that can inhibit KRAS signaling and as well as target inhibition of other signaling pathways like RAS-SOS and RAS-PI3K has to be explored extensively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kashif Haider
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Anku Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - M Shahar Yar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.,Centre for Excellence for Biomaterials Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Aimst University, Bedong, Malaysia
| | - Prasanna Anjaneyulu Yakkala
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Syed Shafi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Ahmed Kamal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.,Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, India
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14
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Hyun S, Shin D. Small-Molecule Inhibitors and Degraders Targeting KRAS-Driven Cancers. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212142. [PMID: 34830024 PMCID: PMC8621880 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance continues to be a major problem associated with cancer treatment. One of the primary causes of anticancer drug resistance is the frequently mutated RAS gene. In particular, considerable efforts have been made to treat KRAS-induced cancers by directly and indirectly controlling the activity of KRAS. However, the RAS protein is still one of the most prominent targets for drugs in cancer treatment. Recently, novel targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies, such as proteolysis-targeting chimeras, have been developed to render "undruggable" targets druggable and overcome drug resistance and mutation problems. In this study, we discuss small-molecule inhibitors, TPD-based small-molecule chemicals for targeting RAS pathway proteins, and their potential applications for treating KRAS-mutant cancers. Novel TPD strategies are expected to serve as promising therapeutic methods for treating tumor patients with KRAS mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soonsil Hyun
- College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, 194-21 Osongsaengmyeong 1-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28160, Korea;
| | - Dongyun Shin
- Gachon Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoe-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea
- Correspondence:
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15
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Nagasaka M, Potugari B, Nguyen A, Sukari A, Azmi AS, Ou SHI. KRAS Inhibitors- yes but what next? Direct targeting of KRAS- vaccines, adoptive T cell therapy and beyond. Cancer Treat Rev 2021; 101:102309. [PMID: 34715449 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2021.102309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is a proto-oncogene of the RAS-MAPK pathway. KRAS mutations are present in a variety of malignancies including lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer. Until the recent approval of sotorasib, a KRAS G12C inhibitor, lack of targeted therapy for KRAS has resulted in poor prognosis of patients with tumors harboring KRAS mutations. While the conditional approval of sotorasib was a major breakthrough for those patients harboring KRAS G12C mutations, G12C only accounts for a fraction of those with KRAS mutations and eventual resistance to G12C inhibitors are unavoidable. This comprehensive review on KRAS inhibitors covers accumulating evidence on not only the G12C inhibitors but also other therapeutic attempts to tackle KRAS including combination therapy as well as direct inhibition with vaccines, adoptive T cell therapy, proteolysis-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) and CRISPR/Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misako Nagasaka
- University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange, CA, USA; Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University, Kawasaki, Japan.
| | - Bindu Potugari
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, St. Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alexis Nguyen
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | - Asfar S Azmi
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA; Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sai-Hong Ignatius Ou
- University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA, USA; Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange, CA, USA
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16
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Coupez D, Hulo P, Touchefeu Y, Denis MG, Bennouna J. KRAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer: from a de facto ban on anti-EGFR treatment in the past to a potential biomarker for precision medicine. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2021; 21:1325-1334. [PMID: 34378483 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1967318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The high frequency of RAS mutations, particularly KRAS mutations, in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the ineffectiveness of anti-EGFR antibodies in treating this disease has created a significant unmet medical need, especially for treating patients in the metastatic phase of this disease. There are many different types of RAS mutations, the most frequent being G12V (c.35 G > T (p.G12V)), G12D (c.35 G > A (p.G12D)), and G13D (c.38 G > A (p.G13D)). Here, we provide an overview of RAS mutations in CRC and their therapeutic implications. AREAS COVERED The therapeutic strategies against metastatic CRC with RAS mutations are elaborated according to patient and disease characteristics and integrated into a multiline strategy. The complexity of the molecular structure of RAS and its relationship with the MAPK/ERK pathway partly explain the initial therapeutic failure with MEK or farnesyltransferase inhibitors. Conversely, the development of direct KRAS inhibitors or drugs targeting RAS regulators (e.g. SOS1 and SHP2) has opened new therapeutic fields, requiring the distinction of each KRAS mutation type. EXPERT OPINION In the future, KRAS inhibitors, including SOS1 and SHP2 inhibitors, might be used in combination with other signal transduction inhibitors, such as MEK inhibitors or anti-EGFR antibodies, which block alternative pathways of activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahna Coupez
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Nantes, France
| | - Pauline Hulo
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Nantes, France
| | - Yann Touchefeu
- Medical Oncology Department, University Hospital of Nantes, France.,Institut des Maladies de l'Appareil Digestif, University Hospital of Nantes, France
| | - Marc G Denis
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Nantes, Nantes, France
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17
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Ricciardiello F, Bergamaschi L, De Vitto H, Gang Y, Zhang T, Palorini R, Chiaradonna F. Suppression of the HBP Function Increases Pancreatic Cancer Cell Sensitivity to a Pan-RAS Inhibitor. Cells 2021; 10:cells10020431. [PMID: 33670598 PMCID: PMC7923121 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death and the search for a resolutive therapy is still a challenge. Since KRAS is commonly mutated in PDAC and is one of the main drivers of PDAC progression, its inhibition should be a key strategy for treatment, especially considering the recent development of specific KRAS inhibitors. Nevertheless, the effects of KRAS inhibition can be increased through the co-inhibition of other nodes important for cancer development. One of them could be the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP), whose enhancement is considered fundamental for PDAC. Here, we demonstrate that PDAC cells expressing oncogenic KRAS, owing to an increase in the HBP flux, become strongly reliant on HBP for both proliferation and survival. In particular, upon treatment with two different compounds, 2-deoxyglucose and FR054, inhibiting both HBP and protein N-glycosylation, these cells undergo apoptosis significantly more than PDAC cells expressing wild-type KRAS. Importantly, we also show that the combined treatment between FR054 and the pan-RAS inhibitor BI-2852 has an additive negative effect on cell proliferation and survival by means of the suppression of both Akt activity and cyclin D1 expression. Thus, co-inhibition of HBP and oncogenic RAS may represent a novel therapy for PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ricciardiello
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (L.B.); (H.D.V.)
| | - Laura Bergamaschi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (L.B.); (H.D.V.)
| | - Humberto De Vitto
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (L.B.); (H.D.V.)
| | - Yang Gang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.G.); (T.Z.)
| | - Taiping Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; (Y.G.); (T.Z.)
| | - Roberta Palorini
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (L.B.); (H.D.V.)
- Correspondence: (R.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Ferdinando Chiaradonna
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (L.B.); (H.D.V.)
- Correspondence: (R.P.); (F.C.)
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18
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Gillson J, Ramaswamy Y, Singh G, Gorfe AA, Pavlakis N, Samra J, Mittal A, Sahni S. Small Molecule KRAS Inhibitors: The Future for Targeted Pancreatic Cancer Therapy? Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12051341. [PMID: 32456277 PMCID: PMC7281596 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest solid tumors in the world. Currently, there are no approved targeted therapies for PDAC. Mutations in Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (KRAS) are known to be a major driver of PDAC progression, but it was considered an undruggable target until recently. Moreover, PDAC also suffers from drug delivery issues due to the highly fibrotic tumor microenvironment. In this perspective, we provide an overview of recent developments in targeting mutant KRAS and strategies to overcome drug delivery issues (e.g., nanoparticle delivery). Overall, we propose that the antitumor effects from novel KRAS inhibitors along with strategies to overcome drug delivery issues could be a new therapeutic way forward in PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Gillson
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia; (J.G.); (N.P.); (J.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
| | - Yogambha Ramaswamy
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney 2006, Sydney, Australia; (Y.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Gurvinder Singh
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney 2006, Sydney, Australia; (Y.R.); (G.S.)
| | - Alemayehu A. Gorfe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Nick Pavlakis
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia; (J.G.); (N.P.); (J.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Northern Sydney Cancer Center, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Genesis Care, St Leonards and Frenchs Forest 2065, NSW, Australia
| | - Jaswinder Samra
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia; (J.G.); (N.P.); (J.S.); (A.M.)
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Upper GI Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital and North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
| | - Anubhav Mittal
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia; (J.G.); (N.P.); (J.S.); (A.M.)
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Upper GI Surgical Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital and North Shore Private Hospital, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
| | - Sumit Sahni
- Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia; (J.G.); (N.P.); (J.S.); (A.M.)
- Bill Walsh Translational Cancer Research Laboratory, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Australian Pancreatic Centre, St Leonards 2065, NSW, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-9926-7829
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