The role of c-Met and VEGFR2 in glioblastoma resistance to bevacizumab

Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 16;11(1):6067. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-85385-1.

Abstract

Dismal prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM) prompts for the identification of response predictors and therapeutic resistance mechanisms of current therapies. The authors investigated the impact of c-Met, HGF, VEGFR2 expression and microvessel density (MVD) in GBM patients submitted to second-line chemotherapy with bevacizumab. Immunohistochemical expression of c-Met, HGF, VEGFR2, and MVD was assessed in tumor specimens of GBM patients treated with bevacizumab, after progression under temozolomide. Survival analysis was evaluated according to the expression of the aforementioned biomarkers. c-Met overexpression was associated with a time-to-progression (TTP) after bevacizumab of 3 months (95% CI, 1.5-4.5) compared with a TTP of 7 months (95% CI, 4.6-9.4) in patients with low or no expression of c-Met (p = 0.05). VEGFR2 expression was associated with a TTP after bevacizumab of 3 months (95% CI, 1.8-4.2) compared with a TTP of 7 months (95% CI, 5.7-8.3) in patients with no tumoral expression of VEGFR2 (p = 0.009). Concomitant c-Met/VEGFR2 overexpression was associated with worse overall survival (13 months) compared with concomitant c-Met/VEGFR2 negative expression (19 months; p = 0.025). Our data support the hypothesis that c-Met and VEGFR2 overexpression have a role in the development of glioblastoma early resistance and might predict poorer responses to anti-angiogenic therapies.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bevacizumab / administration & dosage*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects*
  • Glioblastoma* / blood supply
  • Glioblastoma* / drug therapy
  • Glioblastoma* / metabolism
  • Glioblastoma* / mortality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met / biosynthesis*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Bevacizumab
  • KDR protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2