bims-instec 2024-03-31 papers

Issue of 2024‒03‒31
four papers selected by
Maria-Virginia Giolito, Université Catholique de Louvain

iScience. 2024 Apr 19. 27(4): 109400

RhoA downregulation in the murine intestinal epithelium results in chronic Wnt activation and increased tumorigenesis.

Rho GTPases are molecular switches regulating multiple cellular processes. To investigate the role of RhoA in normal intestinal physiology, we used a conditional mouse model overexpressing a dominant negative RhoA mutant (RhoAT19N) in the intestinal epithelium. Although RhoA inhibition did not cause an overt phenotype, increased levels of nuclear β-catenin were observed in the small intestinal epithelium of RhoAT19N mice, and the overexpression of multiple Wnt target genes revealed a chronic activation of Wnt signaling. Elevated Wnt signaling in RhoAT19N mice and intestinal organoids did not affect the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells but significantly interfered with their differentiation. Importantly, 17-month-old RhoAT19N mice showed a significant increase in the number of spontaneous intestinal tumors. Altogether, our results indicate that RhoA regulates the differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells and inhibits tumor initiation, likely through the control of Wnt signaling, a key regulator of proliferation and differentiation in the intestine.

Keywords: Cancer; Cell biology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.109400

Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Mar 14. pii: 3304. [Epub ahead of print]25(6):

Targeting KRAS G12C Mutation in Colorectal Cancer, A Review: New Arrows in the Quiver.

Javier Ros, Caterina Vaghi, Iosune Baraibar, Nadia Saoudi González, Marta Rodríguez-Castells, Ariadna García, Adriana Alcaraz, Francesc Salva, Josep Tabernero, Elena Elez.

Kirsten rat sarcoma virus oncogene homolog (KRAS) is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancer. In colorectal cancer (CRC), KRAS mutations are present in more than 50% of cases, and the KRAS glycine-to-cysteine mutation at codon 12 (KRAS G12C) occurs in up to 4% of patients. This mutation is associated with short responses to standard chemotherapy and worse overall survival compared to non-G12C mutations. In recent years, several KRAS G12C inhibitors have demonstrated clinical activity, although all patients eventually progressed. The identification of negative feedback through the EGFR receptor has led to the development of KRAS inhibitors plus an anti-EGFR combination, thus boosting antitumor activity. Currently, several KRAS G12C inhibitors are under development, and results from phase I and phase II clinical trials are promising. Moreover, the phase III CodeBreaK 300 trial demonstrates the superiority of sotorasib-panitumumab over trifluridine/tipiracil, establishing a new standard of care for patients with colorectal cancer harboring KRAS G12C mutations. Other combinations such as adagrasib-cetuximab, divarasib-cetuximab, or FOLFIRI-panitumumab-sotorasib have also shown a meaningful response rate and are currently under evaluation. Nonetheless, most of these patients will eventually relapse. In this setting, liquid biopsy emerges as a critical tool to characterize the mechanisms of resistance, consisting mainly of acquired genomic alterations in the MAPK and PI3K pathways and tyrosine kinase receptor alterations, but gene fusions, histological changes, or conformational changes in the kinase have also been described. In this paper, we review the development of KRAS G12C inhibitors in colorectal cancer as well as the main mechanisms of resistance.

Keywords: KRAS G12C colorectal cancer; KRAS inhibitor; liquid biopsy; mechanism of resistance; pocket

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063304

Trends Cancer. 2024 Mar 22. pii: S2405-8033(24)00050-5. [Epub ahead of print]

Poised epigenetic states dictate metastatic fitness.

Rebeka Tomasin, Cyrus M Ghajar.

Seeking to define early events that regulate disseminated tumor cell (DTC) fate upon their arrival to the lung, Jakab et al. reach the surprising conclusion that dormancy is determined by a cell autonomous poised epigenetic state that renders DTCs responsive to angiocrine Wnt signaling.

Keywords: Wnt; dormancy; epigenetics; metastasis; niche; plasticity

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trecan.2024.03.001

Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2024 Mar 28.

HER2-Positive Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Hannah R Robinson, Wells A Messersmith, Robert W Lentz.

OPINION STATEMENT: Targeted treatment strategies are available for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive (amplified and/or overexpressed) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), and HER2 testing is indicated in patients with mCRC. At present, standard of care first-line treatment for those with HER2-positive mCRC remains chemotherapy in combination with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors or bevacizumab, depending on RAS/BRAF mutational status and tumor sidedness. HER2-targeted agents should be considered for those with RAS/BRAF wild-type disease in subsequent-line treatment and in first-line treatment for patients not appropriate for intensive therapy. While the choice of anti-HER2 therapy is empiric given lack of head-to-head comparisons, the combination of trastuzumab plus tucatinib has received FDA accelerated approval for use in this setting and is generally the authors' preference. Trastuzumab plus lapatinib, trastuzumab plus pertuzumab, and trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) also have evidence of efficacy in this setting. As T-DXd has demonstrated activity following treatment with other HER2-targeted regimens and carries an increased risk of high-grade toxicities, the authors favor reserving it for use after progression on prior anti-HER2 therapy. HER2-targeted therapies that inhibit signal transduction appear to have limited activity in those with RAS mutations, including trastuzumab-containing regimens. However, the antibody drug conjugate T-DXd has some data showing efficacy in this setting, and the authors would consider T-DXd in subsequent-line therapy for HER2-positive, RAS-mutated mCRC. Several areas of uncertainty remain regarding how to best utilize HER2-targeted therapies in mCRC. These include the optimal sequence of anti-HER2 therapies with chemotherapy and anti-EGFR therapies, the optimal combination partners for anti-HER2 therapies, and the incorporation of predictive biomarkers to guide use of anti-HER2 therapies. Results of ongoing studies may thus alter the treatment paradigm above in the coming years.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; ERBB2; HER2; Pertuzumab; Trastuzumab; Tucatinib

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-024-01183-7