Preclinical antitumor activity and pharmacodynamic studies with the farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor R115777 in human breast cancer.
Antitumor and pharmacodynamic studies were performed in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and companion xenografts with the farnesyl protein transferase inhibitor, R115777, presently undergoing Phase II clinical trials, including in breast cancer. R115777 inhibited growth of MCF-7 cells in vitro with an IC(50) of 0.31 +/- 0.25 microM. Exposure of MCF-7 cells to increasing concentrations of R115777 for 24 h resulted in the inhibition of protein farnesylation, as indicated by the appearance of prelamin A at concentrations >1 microM. After continuous exposure to 2 microM R115777, prelamin A levels peaked at 2 h post drug exposure and remained high for up to 72 h. R115777 administered p.o. twice daily for 10 consecutive days to mice bearing established s.c. MCF-7 xenografts induced tumor inhibition at a dose of 25 mg/kg [percentage of treated versus control (% T/C) = 63% at day 21]. Greater inhibition was observed at doses of 50 mg/kg (% T/C at day 21 = 38%) or 100 mg/kg (% T/C at day 21 = 43%). The antitumor effect appeared to be mainly cytostatic with little evidence of tumor shrinkage to less than the starting volume. Tumor response correlated with an increase in the appearance of prelamin A, but no changes in the prenylation of lamin B, heat shock protein 40, or N-Ras were detectable. In addition, significant increases in apoptotic index and p21(WAF1/CIP1) expression were observed, concomitant with a decrease in proliferation as measured by Ki-67 staining. An increase in prelamin A was also observed in peripheral blood lymphocytes in a breast cancer patient who responded to R115777. These data show that R115777 possesses preclinical antitumor activity against human breast cancer and that the appearance of prelamin A may provide a sensitive and convenient pharmacodynamic marker of inhibition of prenylation and/or response.
Kelland
L R
LR
CRC Centre for Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey SM2 5NG, United Kingdom. lloyd@icr.ac.uk
Smith
V
V
Valenti
M
M
Patterson
L
L
Clarke
P A
PA
Detre
S
S
End
D
D
Howes
A J
AJ
Dowsett
M
M
Workman
P
P
Johnston
S R
SR
D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D034904:Lamin Type A; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015363:Quinolones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D034904:Lamin Type A; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D015363:Quinolones; C090764:prelamin A; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; C064911:p21(ras) farnesyl-protein transferase; C402769:tipifarnib