Blockade of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase suppresses tumorigenesis in MMTV/Neu + MMTV/TGF-alpha bigenic mice.
Overexpression of ErbB-2/Neu has been causally associated with mammary epithelial transformation. Here we report that blockade of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase with AG-1478 markedly delays breast tumor formation in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)/Neu + MMTV/transforming growth factor alpha bigenic mice. This delay was associated with inhibition of EGFR and Neu signaling, reduction of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activities and cyclin D1, and an increase in the levels of the Cdk inhibitor p27(Kip1). In addition, BrdUrd incorporation into tumor cell nuclei was prevented with no signs of tumor cell apoptosis. These observations prompted us to investigate the stability of p27. Recombinant p27 was degraded rapidly in vitro by untreated but not by AG-1478-treated tumor lysates. Proteasome depletion of the tumor lysates, addition of the specific MEK1/2 inhibitor U-0126, or a T187A mutation in recombinant p27 all prevented p27 degradation. Cdk2 and MAPK precipitates from untreated tumor lysates phosphorylated recombinant wild-type p27 but not the T187A mutant in vitro. Cdk2 and MAPK precipitates from AG-1478-treated tumors were unable to phosphorylate p27 in vitro. These data suggest that increased signaling by ErbB receptors up-regulates MAPK activity, which, in turn, phosphorylates and destabilizes p27, thus contributing to dysregulated cell cycle progression.
Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
A E
AE
Lenferink
J F
JF
Simpson
L K
LK
Shawver
R J
RJ
Coffey
J T
JT
Forbes
C L
CL
Arteaga
D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019281:Dimerization; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008324:Mammary Tumor Virus, Mouse / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D020032:Tyrphostins / Q000494:pharmacology
D002070:Butadienes; D042846:CDC2-CDC28 Kinases; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D019938:Cyclin D1; D051357:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases; D004247:DNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes; D009570:Nitriles; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D016211:Transforming Growth Factor alpha; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D020032:Tyrphostins; C493961:Cdkn1b protein, mouse; C113580:U 0126; C101044:RTKI cpd; C495894:CDK2 protein, human; C495893:Cdk2 protein, mouse