Pan-HER inhibitors overcome lorlatinib resistance caused by NRG1/HER3 activation in ALK-rearranged lung cancer

Hirokazu Taniguchi, Kazumasa Akagi, Yosuke Dotsu, Tadaaki Yamada, Sawana Ono, Erika Imamura, Hiroshi Gyotoku, Shinnosuke Takemoto, Hiroyuki Yamaguchi, Triparna Sen, Seiji Yano, Hiroshi Mukae

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Lorlatinib, a third-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) with a broad coverage against ALK mutations, has demonstrated dramatic effects in patients with ALK-rearranged lung cancer. The mechanisms of acquired resistance to lorlatinib by secondary ALK compound mutations have recently been reported; however, resistance mechanisms other than secondary mutations remain unclear. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of the acquired resistance in ALK-rearranged lung cancer cells in vitro. We established two different lorlatinib-resistant ALK-rearranged lung cancer cell lines (H3122LR and A925LLR) via long-term administration of lorlatinib. These resistant cells did not harbor the secondary ALK mutations and showed cross-resistance to the other kinds of ALK-TKIs (crizotinib or alectinib) compared with the parental cells; however, these resistant cells overexpressed the phosphorylated human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3) protein and the ligand of HER3 (neuregulin 1; NRG1). Pharmacological inhibition of HER3 with pan-HER inhibitors or genetic knockdown of HER3 with siRNA resensitized H3122LR and A925LLR cells to lorlatinib in vitro, indicating that H3122LR and A925LLR acquired resistance by NRG1/HER3 activation. These findings demonstrated that targeting NRG1/HER3 is a potential novel therapeutic option for lorlatinib-resistant ALK-rearranged lung cancer.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)164-173
Number of pages10
JournalCancer Science
Volume114
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2023

Keywords

  • ALK inhibitor
  • HER3
  • drug resistance
  • lorlatinib
  • non–small-cell lung cancer

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