Lyn Kinase Mediates Cell Motility and Tumor Growth in EGFRvIII-Expressing Head and Neck Cancer

• Published in: Clinical cancer research Vol. 18; no. 10; pp. 2850 - 2860
• Main Authors: WHEELER, Sarah E, MORARIU, Elena M, BEDNASH, Joseph S, OTTE, Charlton G, SEETHALA, Raja R, CHIOSEA, Simion I, GRANDS, Jennifer R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15-05-2012
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Movement; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Dasatinib; Disease Progression; ErbB Receptors - genetics; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Head and Neck Neoplasms - genetics; Head and Neck Neoplasms - metabolism; Head and Neck Neoplasms - pathology; Humans; Immunoprecipitation; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Nude; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Transplantation; Otorhinolaryngology (head neck, general aspects and miscellaneous); Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphorylation - drug effects; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases - immunology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-yes - immunology; Pyrimidines - pharmacology; Random Allocation; RNA Interference; RNA, Small Interfering; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; src-Family Kinases - antagonists & inhibitors; src-Family Kinases - genetics; src-Family Kinases - immunology; src-Family Kinases - metabolism; Thiazoles - pharmacology; Transplantation, Heterologous; Tumors; Enzyme; Transferases; Lyn protein tyrosine kinase; Malignant tumor; Gene expression; Epidermal growth factor receptor; Cell motility; Tumor growth; Kinase; ENT disease; Head and neck cancer; Protein-tyrosine kinase; Cancer
• DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-11-2486
• EISSN: 1557-3265
• ISSN: 1078-0432

EGF receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) has been detected in several cancers in which tumors expressing this truncated growth factor receptor show more aggressive behavior. The molecular mechanisms that contribute to EGFRvIII-mediated tumor progression that are amenable to targeted therapy are incompletely understood. The present study aimed to better define the role of Src family kinases (SFKs) in EGFRvIII-mediated cell motility and tumor growth of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).
HNSCC models expressing EGFRvIII were treated with dasatinib, a pharmacologic inhibitor of SFKs.
SFK inhibition significantly decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of EGFRvIII-expressing HNSCC cells. Administration of dasatinib to mice bearing EGFRvIII-expressing HNSCC xenografts resulted in a significant reduction of tumor volume compared with controls. Immunoprecipitation with anti-c-Src, Lyn, Fyn, and Yes antibodies followed by immunoblotting for phosphorylation of the SFK activation site (Y416) showed specific activation of Lyn kinase in EGFRvIII-expressing HNSCC cell lines and human HNSCC tumor specimens. Selective inhibition of Lyn using siRNA decreased cell migration and invasion of EGFRvIII-expressing HNSCCs compared with vector control cells.
These findings show that Lyn mediates tumor progression of EGFRvIII-expressing HNSCCs in which strategies to inhibit SFK may represent an effective therapeutic strategy.