title: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 as a putative therapy target in colorectal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Resembling a potential therapeutic drug target, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) amplification and expression was assessed in 515 human colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue samples, lymph node metastases and CRC cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  FGFR1 amplification status was determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Additionally, we assessed protein levels employing Western blots and immunohistochemistry. The FGFR1 mRNA localization was analyzed using mRNA in situ hybridization. Functional studies employed the FGFR inhibitor NVP-BGJ398.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 454 primary CRCs, 24 displayed FGFR1 amplification. 92/94 lymph node metastases presented the same amplification status as the primary tumor. Of 99 investigated tumors, 18 revealed membranous activated pFGFR1 protein. FGFR1 mRNA levels were independent of the amplification status or pFGFR1 protein occurrence. In vitro, a strong antiproliferative effect of NVP-BGJ398 could be detected in cell lines exhibiting high FGFR1 protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FGFR1 is a potential therapeutic target in a subset of CRC. FGFR1 protein is likely to represent a central factor limiting the efficacy of FGFR inhibitors. The lack of correlation between its evaluation at genetic/mRNA level and its protein occurrence indicates that the assessment of the receptor at an immunohistochemical level most likely represents a suitable way to assess FGFR1 as a predictive biomarker for patient selection in future clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Göke
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Göke
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Mässenhausen
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franzen
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kirsten
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stenzinger
authors.forename: Murry
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wynes
authors.forename: Fred R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Wilko
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weichert
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heasley
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buettner
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perner
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D011743:Pyrimidines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C568950:infigratinib; C496348:FGFR1 protein, human; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1