Antitumor activity of epidermal growth factor receptor-related protein is mediated by inactivation of ErbB receptors and nuclear factor-kappaB in pancreatic cancer

Cancer Res. 2006 Jan 15;66(2):1025-32. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-2968.

Abstract

The erbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases plays critical roles in human cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Discovering a specific agent, which targets multiple members of the erbB family, would be important in pancreatic cancer therapy. Recently, we isolated a novel negative regulator of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), termed EGFR-related protein (ERRP), whose expression attenuates EGFR activation. In the current study, we examined the effects of recombinant ERRP on the growth and ligand-induced activation of multiple members of erbB family in three pancreatic cancer cell lines that express varying levels of EGFR and other member(s) of its family, specifically HER-2. Additionally, we compared the growth inhibitory effect of ERRP with that of Erbitux or Herceptin. Our results showed that ERRP is most effective in inhibiting proliferation of BxPC-3, HPAC, and PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. ERRP also inhibited ligand-induced activation of EGFR, HER-2, and HER-3 (ErbB3). In contrast, Erbitux and Herceptin only partially or modestly inhibited activation of EGFR, HER-2, and HER-3. Most importantly, ERRP was found to inhibit pancreatic tumor growth in a severe combined immunodeficient mouse xenograft model. The antitumor activity of ERRP correlates well with tumor differentiation and down-regulation of nuclear factor-kappaB activity. In summary, our results suggest that ERRP is an effective pan-erbB inhibitor, which could be a potential therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancers expressing different levels and subclasses of erbB family of proteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Down-Regulation
  • ErbB Receptors / biosynthesis*
  • ErbB Receptors / physiology*
  • Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Glycoproteins
  • Ligands
  • NF-kappa B
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2