Combination of antibody that inhibits ligand-independent HER3 dimerization and a p110α inhibitor potently blocks PI3K signaling and growth of HER2+ breast cancers

Cancer Res. 2013 Oct 1;73(19):6013-23. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-13-1191. Epub 2013 Aug 5.

Abstract

We examined the effects of LJM716, an HER3 (ERBB3) neutralizing antibody that inhibits ligand-induced and ligand-independent HER3 dimerization, as a single agent and in combination with BYL719, an ATP competitive p110α-specific inhibitor, against HER2-overexpressing breast and gastric cancers. Treatment with LJM716 reduced HER2-HER3 and HER3-p85 dimers, P-HER3 and P-AKT, both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with LJM716 alone markedly reduced growth of BT474 xenografts. The combination of LJM716/lapatinib/trastuzumab significantly improved survival of mice with BT474 xenografts compared with lapatinib/trastuzumab (P = 0.0012). LJM716 and BYL719 synergistically inhibited growth in a panel of HER2+ and PIK3CA mutant cell lines. The combination also inhibited P-AKT in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells and growth of HER2+ NCI-N87 gastric cancer xenografts more potently than LJM716 or BYL719 alone. Trastuzumab-resistant HER2+/PIK3CA mutant MDA453 xenografts regressed completely after 3 weeks of therapy with LJM716 and BYL719, whereas either single agent inhibited growth only partially. Finally, mice with BT474 xenografts treated with trastuzumab/LJM716, trastuzumab/BYL719, LJM716/BYL719, or trastuzumab/LJM716/BYL719 exhibited similar rates of tumor regression after 3 weeks of treatment. Thirty weeks after treatment discontinuation, 14% of mice were treated with trastuzumab/LJM716/BYL719, whereas >80% in all other treatment groups were sacrificed due to a recurrent large tumor burden (P = 0.0066). These data suggest that dual blockade of the HER2 signaling network with an HER3 antibody that inhibits HER2-HER3 dimers in combination with a p110α-specific inhibitor in the absence of a direct HER2 antagonist is an effective treatment approach against HER2-overexpressing cancers.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Lapatinib
  • Mice
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Multimerization / drug effects*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / immunology
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / immunology
  • Receptor, ErbB-3 / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Rate
  • Trastuzumab
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Quinazolines
  • Lapatinib
  • 1-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase p110 subunit, mouse
  • Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Receptor, ErbB-3
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Trastuzumab