Trastuzumab in combination with heregulin-activated Her-2 (erbB-2) triggers a receptor-enhanced chemosensitivity effect in the absence of Her-2 overexpression.
OBJECTIVE
The decision for treating breast cancer patients with trastuzumab is based on HER-2 amplification and/or overexpression.


METHODS
Using MCF-7 cells (Her-2 +/-) engineered to overexpress heregulin (MCF-7/HRG), a ligand for the Her-2/3/4 network, we investigated whether HRG-induced transactivation of Her-2 affected breast cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapy and whether trastuzumab trigger receptor-enhanced chemosensitivity (REC) when combined with chemotherapy without Her-2 overexpression.


RESULTS
MCF-7/HRG cells were more than 10-fold resistant to the alkylating agent cisplatin (CDDP), while trastuzumab coexposure completely reversed HRG-promoted CDDP resistance. A synergistic interaction between trastuzumab in combination with CDDP (paclitaxel or vincristine) was obtained in MCF-7/HRG cells. Trastuzumab prevented activation of the antiapoptotic and proliferative cascades and inhibited HRG-induced Her-2/3 phosphorylation. CDDP efficacy was enhanced by trastuzumab in cells expressing endogenously high levels of HRG. Conversely, trastuzumab coexposure was ineffective in enhancing chemotherapy efficacy in cells that did not secrete HRG, such as MCF-7 cells overexpressing a structural mutated HRG isoform. Therefore, trastuzumab-induced REC, in the absence of Her-2 overexpression, occurs through the kinase activity of Her-2/3. Interestingly, HRG expression in tumor biopsies from invasive breast carcinomas (n = 189) revealed that, whereas the minority (12%) of Her-2 positive tumors (n = 60; 32%) demonstrated Her-2 phosphorylation, the majority (67%) of HRG-overexpressing and Her-2 tumors (n = 57; 30%) were in active Her-2 status.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrate that assessment of HRG expression and Her-2 activation define a particular breast cancer patient population for which trastuzumab plus CDDP or taxol are extremely efficient without Her-2 overexpression.
Menendez
Javier A
JA
Department of Medicine, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute, Evanston, IL 60201, USA.
Mehmi
Inderjit
I
Lupu
Ruth
R
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D017239:Paclitaxel; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014750:Vincristine