RAC1B modulates intestinal tumourigenesis via modulation of WNT and EGFR signalling pathways

Nat Commun. 2021 Apr 20;12(1):2335. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-22531-3.

Abstract

Current therapeutic options for treating colorectal cancer have little clinical efficacy and acquired resistance during treatment is common, even following patient stratification. Understanding the mechanisms that promote therapy resistance may lead to the development of novel therapeutic options that complement existing treatments and improve patient outcome. Here, we identify RAC1B as an important mediator of colorectal tumourigenesis and a potential target for enhancing the efficacy of EGFR inhibitor treatment. We find that high RAC1B expression in human colorectal cancer is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis and deletion of Rac1b in a mouse colorectal cancer model reduces tumourigenesis. We demonstrate that RAC1B interacts with, and is required for efficient activation of the EGFR signalling pathway. Moreover, RAC1B inhibition sensitises cetuximab resistant human tumour organoids to the effects of EGFR inhibition, outlining a potential therapeutic target for improving the clinical efficacy of EGFR inhibitors in colorectal cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / pharmacology
  • Carcinogenesis
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cetuximab / pharmacology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neuropeptides / deficiency
  • Neuropeptides / genetics
  • Neuropeptides / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Up-Regulation
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / deficiency
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • Neuropeptides
  • RAC1 protein, human
  • Rac1 protein, mouse
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • rac1 GTP-Binding Protein
  • Cetuximab