TYRO3 as a molecular target for growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in bladder cancer
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
Authors: Dufour, Florent; Silina, Linda; Neyret-Kahn, Helene; Moreno-Vega, Aura; Krucker, Clementine; Karboul, Narjesse; Dorland-Galliot, Marion; Maille, Pascale; Chapeaublanc, Elodie; Allory, Yves; Stransky, Nicolas; Haegel, Helene; Menguy, Thierry; Duong, Vanessa; Radvanyi, Francois; Bernard-Pierrot, Isabelle
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is an aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis, lacking effective therapeutic targets. Oncogenic dependency on members of the TAM tyrosine kinase receptor family (TYRO3, AXL, MERTK) has been reported in several cancer types, but their role in bladder cancer has never been explored. METHODS: TAM receptor expression was evaluated in two series of human bladder tumours by gene expression (TCGA and CIT series), immunohistochemistry and western blotting analyses (CIT series). The role of the different TAM receptors was assessed by loss-of-function experiments and pharmaceutical inhibition in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: We reported a significantly higher expression of TYRO3, but not AXL or MERTK, in both non-MIBCs and MIBCs, compared to normal urothelium. Loss-of-function experiments identified a TYRO3-dependency of bladder carcinoma-derived cells both in vitro and in a mouse xenograft model, whereas AXL and MERTK depletion had only a minor impact on cell viability. Accordingly, TYRO3-dependent bladder tumour cells were sensitive to pharmacological treatment with two pan-TAM inhibitors. Finally, growth inhibition upon TYRO3 depletion relies on cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis associated with induction of tumour-suppressive signals. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a preclinical proof of concept for TYRO3 as a potential therapeutic target in bladder cancer.
Axl, a prognostic and therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia mediates paracrine crosstalk of leukemia cells with bone marrow stroma
BLOOD
Authors: Ben-Batalla, Isabel; Schultze, Alexander; Wroblewski, Mark; Erdmann, Robert; Heuser, Michael; Waizenegger, Jonas S.; Riecken, Kristoffer; Binder, Mascha; Schewe, Denis; Sawall, Stefanie; Witzke, Victoria; Cubas-Cordova, Miguel; Janning, Melanie; Wellbrock, Jasmin; Fehse, Boris; Hagel, Christian; Krauter, Juergen; Ganser, Arnold; Lorens, James B.; Fiedler, Walter; Carmeliet, Peter; Pantel, Klaus; Bokemeyer, Carsten; Loges, Sonja
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) represents a clonal disease of hematopoietic progenitors characterized by acquired heterogenous genetic changes that alter normal mechanisms of proliferation, self-renewal, and differentiation.(1) Although 40% to 45% of patients younger than 65 years of age can be cured with current therapies, only 10% of older patients reach long-term survival.(1) Because only very few novel AML drugs were approved in the past 2 decades, there is an urgent need to identify novel targets and therapeutic strategies to treat underserved AML patients. We report here that Axl, a member of the Tyro3, Axl, Mer receptor tyrosine kinase family,(2-4) represents an independent prognostic marker and therapeutic target in AML. AML cells induce expression and secretion of the Axl ligand growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) by bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMDSCs). Gas6 in turn mediates proliferation, survival, and chemoresistance of Axl-expressing AML cells. This Gas6-Axl paracrine axis between AML cells and BMDSCs establishes a chemoprotective tumor cell niche that can be abrogated by Axl-targeting approaches. Axl inhibition is active in FLT3-mutated and FLT3 wild-type AML, improves clinically relevant end points, and its efficacy depends on presence of Gas6 and Axl. Axl inhibition alone or in combination with chemotherapy might represent a novel therapeutic avenue for AML.