Reversibility and recurrence of IGF-IR-induced mammary tumors.
The type-I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) is frequently overexpressed in breast cancer and therapeutic agents targeting IGF-IR are currently in development. The ultimate success of anti-IGF-IR therapies will depend on the extent to which established tumors remain dependent upon IGF-IR signaling for sustained growth. To investigate the potential benefits and pitfalls of targeting IGF-IR, we used a doxycycline inducible mouse model of IGF-IR initiated breast cancer. We found that downregulation of IGF-IR results in tumor-size-dependent regression to an undetectable state. Partially regressed tumors almost always resumed growth in the absence of doxycycline and a proportion of tumors that regressed to an undetectable state ultimately recurred. This re-emergence of tumor growth in the absence of doxycycline was facilitated by IGF-IR-dependent and IGF-IR-independent mechanisms. Tumor escape from IGF-IR dependence was associated with an epithelial to mesenchymal transition and upregulation of transcriptional repressors of E-cadherin. These results suggest that tumors initiated by IGF-IR have the ability to become independent of this initiating oncogene, and IGF-IR independence is associated with characteristics consistent with an epithelial to mesenchymal transition.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
R A
RA
Jones
C I
CI
Campbell
G A
GA
Wood
J J
JJ
Petrik
R A
RA
Moorehead
D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000494:pharmacology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012008:Recurrence; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1; D004318:Doxycycline