SORLA regulates endosomal trafficking and oncogenic fitness of HER2

Nat Commun. 2019 May 28;10(1):2340. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10275-0.

Abstract

The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an oncogene targeted by several kinase inhibitors and therapeutic antibodies. While the endosomal trafficking of many other receptor tyrosine kinases is known to regulate their oncogenic signalling, the prevailing view on HER2 is that this receptor is predominantly retained on the cell surface. Here, we find that sortilin-related receptor 1 (SORLA; SORL1) co-precipitates with HER2 in cancer cells and regulates HER2 subcellular distribution by promoting recycling of the endosomal receptor back to the plasma membrane. SORLA protein levels in cancer cell lines and bladder cancers correlates with HER2 levels. Depletion of SORLA triggers HER2 targeting to late endosomal/lysosomal compartments and impairs HER2-driven signalling and in vivo tumour growth. SORLA silencing also disrupts normal lysosome function and sensitizes anti-HER2 therapy sensitive and resistant cancer cells to lysosome-targeting cationic amphiphilic drugs. These findings reveal potentially important SORLA-dependent endosomal trafficking-linked vulnerabilities in HER2-driven cancers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Endosomes / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • LDL-Receptor Related Proteins / genetics*
  • LDL-Receptor Related Proteins / metabolism
  • Lysosomes / metabolism
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Protein Transport
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • LDL-Receptor Related Proteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • SORL1 protein, human
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2