J Cancer 2022; 13(3):987-997. doi:10.7150/jca.63410 This issue Cite
Research Paper
1. Department of Pulmonary Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, China
2. Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang 524023, China
3. Department of Radiotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, China
4. Institute of Cancer Research and Basic Medical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310011, China
5. Department of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Key Lab of Radiation Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310011, China
The current study aimed to investigate the function of the Hedgehog pathway and its association with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lung tumor tissue specimens from EGFR TKI-resistant patients, including those with brain metastases, had hyperactive Hedgehog signaling compared with those from TKI-sensitive patients. SHH stimulation promoted GLI1 activation as well as cell motility in parental PC9 cells while suppressing gefitinib-induced apoptosis in gefitinib-resistant cells. SHH also promoted EMT in parental PC9 cells via E-cadherin suppression and N-cadherin and vimentin upregulation. The knockdown of GLI1 exhibited the opposite effects. Besides, SHH induced, whereas GLI1 knockdown reversed gefitinib resistance in xenograft tumors. The Hedgehog pathway inhibitor GDC-0449 synergized with gefitinib to increase xenograft tumor sensitivity to chemotherapy and extend survival in tumor-bearing animals. These results suggest the Hedgehog pathway mediates EGFR TKI resistance and induces EMT in NSCLC, representing a potential therapeutic target to defeat TKI resistance.
Keywords: Sonic Hedgehog Protein, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Zinc Finger Protein GLI1