Dysregulation of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) signaling pathway is frequently observed in multiple human malignancies, and thus, therapeutic strategies targeting FGFs and FGFRs in human cancer are being extensively explored. We observed the activation of the FGF/FGFR-signaling pathway in imatinib (IM)-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) cells. Furthermore, we found that the activation of FGFR signaling has a significant impact on IM resistance in GISTs in vitro. Next, we tested the efficacy of BGJ398, a potent and selective FGFR1⁻3 inhibitor, in xenograft models of GISTs exhibiting secondary IM resistance due to receptor-tyrosine kinase (RTK) switch (loss of c-KIT/gain of FGFR2a). Five to eight-week-old female nu/nu mice were subcutaneously inoculated into the flank areas with GIST T-1R cells. Mice were randomized as control (untreated), IM, BGJ398, or a combination and treated orally for 12 days. IM had a moderate effect on tumor size, thus revealing GIST resistance to IM. Similarly, a minor regression in tumor size was observed in BGJ398-treated mice. Strikingly, a 90% decrease in tumor size was observed in mice treated with a combination of IM and BGJ398. Treatment with BGJ398 and IM also induced major histopathologic changes according to a previously defined histopathologic response score and resulted in massive myxoid degeneration. This was associated with increased intratumoral apoptosis as detected by immunohistochemical staining for cleaved caspase-3 on day 5 of the treatment. Furthermore, treatment with BGJ398 and IM significantly reduced the proliferative activity of tumor cells as measured by positivity for Ki-67 staining. In conclusion, inhibition of FGFR signaling substantially inhibited the growth of IM-resistant GISTs in vitro and showed potent antitumor activity in an IM-resistant GIST model via the inhibition of proliferation, tumor growth, and the induction of apoptosis, thereby suggesting that patients with advanced and metastatic GISTs exhibiting IM resistance might benefit from therapeutic inhibition of FGFR signaling.
Keywords: FGFR signaling; gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells (GIST); imatinib (IM); resistance.