{"title":"ERK5 suppression overcomes FAK inhibitor resistance in mutant KRAS-driven non-small cell lung cancer.","authors":"Chiara Pozzato,Gonçalo Outeiro-Pinho,Mirco Galiè,Giorgio Ramadori,Georgia Konstantinidou","doi":"10.1038/s44321-024-00138-7","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Mutated KRAS serves as the oncogenic driver in 30% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and is associated with metastatic and therapy-resistant tumors. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) acts as a mediator in sustaining KRAS-driven lung tumors, and although FAK inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical development, clinical data indicated that their efficacy in producing long-term anti-tumor responses is limited. Here we revealed two FAK interactors, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), as key players underlying FAK-mediated maintenance of KRAS mutant NSCLC. Inhibition of ERK5 and CDK5 synergistically suppressed FAK function, decreased proliferation and induced apoptosis owing to exacerbated ROS-induced DNA damage. Accordingly, concomitant pharmacological inhibition of ERK5 and CDK5 in a mouse model of KrasG12D-driven lung adenocarcinoma suppressed tumor progression and promoted cancer cell death. Cancer cells resistant to FAK inhibitors showed enhanced ERK5-FAK signaling dampening DNA damage. Notably, ERK5 inhibition prevented the development of resistance to FAK inhibitors, significantly enhancing the efficacy of anti-tumor responses. Therefore, we propose ERK5 inhibition as a potential co-targeting strategy to counteract FAK inhibitor resistance in NSCLC.","PeriodicalId":11597,"journal":{"name":"EMBO Molecular Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"EMBO Molecular Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-024-00138-7","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Mutated KRAS serves as the oncogenic driver in 30% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) and is associated with metastatic and therapy-resistant tumors. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) acts as a mediator in sustaining KRAS-driven lung tumors, and although FAK inhibitors are currently undergoing clinical development, clinical data indicated that their efficacy in producing long-term anti-tumor responses is limited. Here we revealed two FAK interactors, extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), as key players underlying FAK-mediated maintenance of KRAS mutant NSCLC. Inhibition of ERK5 and CDK5 synergistically suppressed FAK function, decreased proliferation and induced apoptosis owing to exacerbated ROS-induced DNA damage. Accordingly, concomitant pharmacological inhibition of ERK5 and CDK5 in a mouse model of KrasG12D-driven lung adenocarcinoma suppressed tumor progression and promoted cancer cell death. Cancer cells resistant to FAK inhibitors showed enhanced ERK5-FAK signaling dampening DNA damage. Notably, ERK5 inhibition prevented the development of resistance to FAK inhibitors, significantly enhancing the efficacy of anti-tumor responses. Therefore, we propose ERK5 inhibition as a potential co-targeting strategy to counteract FAK inhibitor resistance in NSCLC.
期刊介绍:
EMBO Molecular Medicine is an open access journal in the field of experimental medicine, dedicated to science at the interface between clinical research and basic life sciences. In addition to human data, we welcome original studies performed in cells and/or animals provided they demonstrate human disease relevance.
To enhance and better specify our commitment to precision medicine, we have expanded the scope of EMM and call for contributions in the following fields:
Environmental health and medicine, in particular studies in the field of environmental medicine in its functional and mechanistic aspects (exposome studies, toxicology, biomarkers, modeling, and intervention).
Clinical studies and case reports - Human clinical studies providing decisive clues how to control a given disease (epidemiological, pathophysiological, therapeutic, and vaccine studies). Case reports supporting hypothesis-driven research on the disease.
Biomedical technologies - Studies that present innovative materials, tools, devices, and technologies with direct translational potential and applicability (imaging technologies, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and AI)