Author of

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  MO15 - Novel Genes and Pathways (ID 89)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Mini Oral Abstract Session
  • Track: Biology
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:Y. Ohe, G. Reid
  • Coordinates: 10/29/2013, 16:15 - 17:45, Parkside Ballroom A, Level 1

  • 12219

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    MO15.08 - KDR (VEGFR-2) copy number gains and mutations are targetable alterations in non-small cell lung cancer (ID 1466)

    17:00 - 17:05  |  Author(s): D. Carbone
    • Abstract
    • Presentation
    • Slides

    Background
    Therapeutic regimens targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway have been extensively tested in the treatment of malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). VEGF pathway inhibitors including bevacizumab or VEGF receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been shown to prolong progression-free survival (PFS) and/or overall survival (OS). These benefits, however, have been modest, occurring only in subsets of patients. Therefore, predictive markers to identify patients likely to derive benefit are critically needed. Although expression of VEGFR-2, also known as KDR, was initially thought to localize primarily on endothelial cells, VEGFR-2 has been detected on malignant cells. We recently observed that KDR copy number gains (CNGs) were detectable by FISH in ~30% of both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and were associated with poor clinical outcome in early stage NSCLC patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. In addition to CNGs, mutations and polymorphisms within the KDR gene were also observed. The impact of these alterations is unknown. Here, we investigated KDR CNGs, polymorphisms, and mutations in NSCLC and their effects on sensitivity to VEGFR targeting agents in preclinical models and in NSCLC patients.

    Methods
    Cell migration was evaluated by Boyden chamber assay. NSCLC cell lines were treated with VEGF pathway inhibitors for 24 hours, and protein lysates where collected. HIF-1α levels were evaluated by ELISA assay. VEGFR, p38, and p70s6K were evaluated by Western blotting. Tumor DNA and peripheral blood DNA, were analyzed in duplicate using Affymetrix Genome-Wide SNP Array 6.0. Transformation of Ba/F3 cells was evaluated by an IL-3-independent growth assay.

    Results
    In tumor cells with KDR CNG, VEGF stimulation induced activation of p38 and p70S6K, and VEGFR TKIs including sorafenib and vandetanib effectively inhibited VEGF-mediated signal transduction. In tumor cell lines with KDR CNG, exogenous VEGF ligand increased cell motility and this was inhibited by VEGFR blockade with TKIs including sunitinib, sorafenib, and axitinib. Various receptor tyrosine kinases have been shown to drive HIF-1α levels, and NSCLC cells with KDR CNG express elevated levels of HIF-1α in normoxia compared to NSCLC cell lines without KDR CNG. In NSCLC cell lines with KDR CNG, VEGFR TKIs decreased protein levels of HIF-1α and HIF-1α regulated proteins. Furthermore, we report a clinical case in which a NSCLC patient with KDR CNG had a partial response to the VEGFR inhibitor, sorafenib. In addition to gene amplification, mutations and polymorphisms within the KDR gene were also observed. KDR mutation 1586A>T and polymorphism 1416A>T effectively transformed Ba/F3 cells. Finally, we report two clinical cases in which NSCLC patients with the 1416A>T polymorphism had a partial response the VEGF pathway inhibitor, bevacizumab.

    Conclusion
    Collectively, our data indicate that KDR amplification promotes downstream signaling events including activation of the p38, mTOR, and HIF pathways and are targetable by VEGF pathway inhibitors. KDR gene alterations may be predictive markers for VEGF pathway inhibitors.

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