Role of PARP1-mediated autophagy in EGFR-TKI resistance in non-small cell lung cancer

Sci Rep. 2020 Dec 1;10(1):20924. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-77908-z.

Abstract

Resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has become the main clinical challenge of advanced lung cancer. This research aimed to explore the role of PARP1-mediated autophagy in the progression of TKI therapy. PARP1-mediated autophagy was evaluated in vitro by CCK-8 assay, clonogenic assay, immunofluorescence, and western blot in the HCC-827, H1975, and H1299 cells treated with icotinib (Ico), rapamycin, and AZD2281 (olaparib) alone or in combination. Our results and GEO dataset analysis confirmed that PARP1 is expressed at lower levels in TKI-sensitive cells than in TKI-resistant cells. Low PARP1 expression and high p62 expression were associated with good outcomes among patients with NSCLC after TKI therapy. AZD2281 and a lysosomal inhibitor reversed resistance to Ico by decreasing PARP1 and LC3 in cells, but an mTOR inhibitor did not decrease Ico resistance. The combination of AZD2281 and Ico exerted a markedly enhanced antitumor effect by reducing PARP1 expression and autophagy in vivo. Knockdown of PARP1 expression reversed the resistance to TKI by the mTOR/Akt/autophagy pathway in HCC-827IR, H1975, and H1299 cells. PARP1-mediated autophagy is a key pathway for TKI resistance in NSCLC cells that participates in the resistance to TKIs. Olaparib may serve as a novel method to overcome the resistance to TKIs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autophagosomes / drug effects
  • Autophagosomes / metabolism
  • Autophagosomes / ultrastructure
  • Autophagy* / drug effects
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / enzymology*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Crown Ethers / pharmacology
  • Crown Ethers / therapeutic use
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm* / drug effects
  • ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Phthalazines / pharmacology
  • Phthalazines / therapeutic use
  • Piperazines / pharmacology
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 / metabolism*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Quinazolines / therapeutic use
  • Sequestosome-1 Protein / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects

Substances

  • Crown Ethers
  • MAP1LC3A protein, human
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Phthalazines
  • Piperazines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Quinazolines
  • SQSTM1 protein, human
  • Sequestosome-1 Protein
  • icotinib
  • Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • olaparib