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A. Karsan
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OA 07 - Biomarker for Lung Cancer (ID 659)
- Event: WCLC 2017
- Type: Oral
- Track: Biology/Pathology
- Presentations: 1
- Moderators:Philip Christopher Mack, Shinichi Toyooka
- Coordinates: 10/16/2017, 15:45 - 17:30, Room 503
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OA 07.07 - Inhibition of the Novel Oncogene ELF3 Abolishes Lung Adenocarcinoma Growth (ID 8408)
17:00 - 17:10 | Author(s): A. Karsan
- Abstract
- Presentation
Background:
Oncogenic reactivation of transcription factors involved in fetal lung development is integral to lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) biology, as observed with TITF1/NKX2-1 and the ETS transcription factors ETV4 and ETV5. ELF3 is an uncharacterized ETS family member implicated in fetal lung development encoded at 1q32.1. Interestingly, chromosome 1q is a region of frequent gain in LUAD that lacks a bona fide oncogene. We hypothesize that ELF3 is a novel oncogene and putative therapeutic target in LUAD.
Method:
Multiple independent datasets encompassing 1,685 clinical samples of LUAD, lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), small cell lung cancer, and non-malignant lung tissues were analyzed to establish the frequency of ELF3 overexpression and underlying genetic mechanisms of selection. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed around ELF3, and integrated pathway analysis was performed to decipher the signaling network disruptions resulting from ELF3 overexpression. Isogenic cell lines were established to assess the ability of ELF3 to regulate oncogenic phenotypes. The effect of ELF3 loss on tumour growth was assessed in xenograft mouse models.
Result:
Strong ELF3 overexpression was frequently observed in LUAD (>2-fold: TCGA 40% p=1.5E-07; BCCA 73% p=1.6E-21), but was not observed in other lung cancer subtypes. Similarly, high ELF3 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival of LUAD patients (all Stages p<0.0001, Stage I p<0.0001), but not LUSC patients (p>0.05). These clinical associations prompted further examination of ELF3 in the LUAD subtype of lung cancer. While mutations in ELF3 were rare, up to 80% of LUAD patients harboured focal amplification, DNA gain, and/or promoter hypomethylation at the ELF3 locus, which resulted in transcript overexpression. ELF3 overexpression induces remodeling of 23 direct PPI networks, resulting in loss of interaction with proteins such as MYC and GLI2, while forming new interactions with NKX2-1, HOXA5 and CDK8, among others. This reprogramming of PPI networks affects multiple oncogenic pathways including MAPK, TGF-beta and WNT. ELF3 knockdown in LUAD cell lines resulted in significantly reduced proliferation, viability, and anchorage-independent growth, demonstrating ELF3 has oncogenic properties. Loss of ELF3 abolished the ability of LUAD cells to establish tumours in xenograft mouse models, demonstrating the requirement of ELF3 expression for tumour growth.
Conclusion:
ELF3 is a novel LUAD oncogene encoded on chromosome 1q, activated in up to 73% of patients, and strongly associated with poor overall survival. As ELF3 inhibition abolished tumour growth, therapeutic targeting of ELF3 could benefit LUAD patient outcome.
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P3.01 - Advanced NSCLC (ID 621)
- Event: WCLC 2017
- Type: Poster Session with Presenters Present
- Track: Advanced NSCLC
- Presentations: 1
- Moderators:
- Coordinates: 10/18/2017, 09:30 - 16:00, Exhibit Hall (Hall B + C)
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P3.01-019 - Canadian Multicentre Validation Study of Plasma Circulating Tumour DNA for Epidermal Growth Factor (EGFR) T790M Testing (ID 8878)
09:30 - 09:30 | Author(s): A. Karsan
- Abstract
Background:
Plasma detection of EGFR T790M mutations in circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) of advanced lung cancer patients with acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has been proposed as alternative to tumor re-biopsy. This national validation study across Canadian centres aimed to establish the sensitivity and specificity of plasma detection of T790M as a clinical test using digital droplet (dd)PCR and next generation sequencing (NGS) assays.
Method:
Canadian patients at 7 centres undergoing screening for ASTRIS (NCT02474355) were invited to participate in this companion blood-based study. Patients with acquired resistance to EGFR TKI consented to collection of blood samples and demographic data. Samples were analysed using ddPCR and/or NGS platforms available at 4 molecular diagnostic laboratories across Canada. Concordance between the results of plasma T790M assayed in these 4 laboratories with reference tissue/plasma testing conducted for ASTRIS was assessed.
Result:
63 patients participated; the median age was 64 years (range 31-87), 69%(40/58) were Asian; 55%(33/60) were male. All patients received prior EGFR TKI, 17%(10/60) also received prior chemotherapy. Reference testing for EGFR T790M for ASTRIS eligibility identified positive T790M(+) results for 31(49%), negative(-) for 30(48%) and indeterminate(i) results for 2(3%) patients. One laboratory tested all 63 patient samples using both ddPCR and NGS (Oncomine Lung cfDNA assay), another laboratory tested 18 samples using ddPCR and NextSeq, a third tested 10 samples using ddPCR and COBAS EGFRv2, and a fourth tested 6 samples using Ion Torrent PGM. A total of 188 tests were performed including 91 by ddPCR, 87 NGS and 10 COBAS assays. Combining test results for each patient, 60%(38/63) of patient plasma samples were T790M+, 23(37%) were T790M-, and 2(3%) were inconclusive. Of 31 patients with reference T790M+ results from ASTRIS, 23(74%) had T790M detected in plasma, 6(19%) did not (T790M-), and 2(7%) had indeterminate (T790Mi) plasma results. For 30 patients with T790M- reference results from ASTRIS, 13(43%) had plasma T790M+ and 17 plasma T790M- results. The 2 patients with T790Mi by reference testing both had T790M+ results from plasma. Altogether, 47%(15/32) of patients deemed to have T790M-/i tumours by reference testing were found to have T790M+ results by plasma in this multicentre study. Combining results from both tissue and plasma testing, 73%(46/63) of study patients had T790M+ results.
Conclusion:
Plasma ctDNA testing in this multicentre Canadian study identified a significant number of additional patients eligible for osimertinib therapy beyond routine biopsy tissue testing for EGFR T790M.
