The impact of human EGFR kinase domain mutations on lung tumorigenesis and in vivo sensitivity to EGFR-targeted therapies.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2006

Keywords

Adenocarcinoma-Bronchiolo-Alveolar, Animals, Antibodies-Monoclonal, Antineoplastic-Agents, Enzyme-Activation, Exons, Humans, Lung, Lung-Neoplasms, Mice-Transgenic, Mutation, Protein-Structure-Tertiary, Quinazolines, Quinolines, Receptor-Epidermal-Growth-Factor

First Page

485

Last Page

495

JAX Source

Cancer Cell 2006 Jun; 9(6):485-95.

Abstract

To understand the role of human epidermal growth factor receptor (hEGFR) kinase domain mutations in lung tumorigenesis and response to EGFR-targeted therapies, we generated bitransgenic mice with inducible expression in type II pneumocytes of two common hEGFR mutants seen in human lung cancer. Both bitransgenic lines developed lung adenocarcinoma after sustained hEGFR mutant expression, confirming their oncogenic potential. Maintenance of these lung tumors was dependent on continued expression of the EGFR mutants. Treatment with small molecule inhibitors (erlotinib or HKI-272) as well as prolonged treatment with a humanized anti-hEGFR antibody (cetuximab) led to dramatic tumor regression. These data suggest that persistent EGFR signaling is required for tumor maintenance in human lung adenocarcinomas expressing EGFR mutants.

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