Prolyl isomerase Pin1 promotes survival in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma cells with an epithelial-mesenchymal transition phenotype

Lab Invest. 2016 Apr;96(4):391-8. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2015.155. Epub 2016 Jan 11.

Abstract

The secondary epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation is the most prominent mechanism that confers resistance to first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in lung cancer treatment. Although third-generation EGFR TKIs can suppress the kinase activity of T790M-positive EGFR, they still cannot eradicate EGFR-mutated cancer cells. We previously reported that a subpopulation of EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinomas depends on enhanced autophagy, instead of EGFR, for survival, and in this study we explore another mechanism that contributes to TKI resistance. We demonstrate here that an EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma cell line, H1975 (L858R+T790M), has a subset of cells that exhibits an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and can thrive in the presence of third-generation EGFR TKIs. These cells depend on not only autophagy but also on the isomerase Pin1 for survival in vitro, unlike their parental cells. The Pin1 protein was expressed in an EGFR-mutant lung cancer tissue that has undergone partial EMT and acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs, but not its primary tumor. These findings suggest that inhibition of Pin1 activity can be a novel strategy in lung cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / pharmacology
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / drug effects
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / genetics*
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics*
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Erlotinib Hydrochloride / pharmacology
  • Gefitinib
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mutation*
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / genetics*
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • RNA Interference
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • NIMA-Interacting Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • Quinazolines
  • WZ4002
  • Erlotinib Hydrochloride
  • ErbB Receptors
  • PIN1 protein, human
  • Peptidylprolyl Isomerase
  • Gefitinib