GW-974

ErbB2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) block tyrosine autophosphorylation and activation of the full-length transmembrane ErbB2 receptor (p185ErbB2). In addition to p185ErbB2, truncated forms of ErbB2 exist in breast cancer cell lines and clinical tumors. The contribution of these truncated forms, specifically those expressed in tumor cell nuclei, to the development of therapeutic resistance to ErbB2 TKIs has not been previously shown. Here, we show that expression of a 95-kDa tyrosine phosphorylated form of ErbB2, herein referred to as p95L (lapatinib-induced p95) was increased in ErbB2+ breast cancer cells treated with potent ErbB2 TKIs (lapatinib, GW2974). Expressed in tumor cell nuclei, tyrosine phosphorylation of p95L was resistant to inhibition by ErbB2 TKIs. Furthermore, the expression of p95L was increased in ErbB2+ breast cancer models of acquired therapeutic resistance to lapatinib that mimic the clinical setting. Pretreatment with proteasome inhibitors blocked p95L induction in response to ErbB2 TKIs, implicating the role of the proteasome in the regulation of p95L expression. In addition, tyrosine phosphorylated C-terminal fragments of ErbB2, generated by alternate initiation of translation and similar in molecular weight to p95L, were expressed in tumor cell nuclei, where they too were resistant to inhibition by ErbB2 TKIs. When expressed in the nuclei of lapatinib-sensitive ErbB2+ breast cancer cells, truncated ErbB2 rendered cells resistant to lapatinib-induced apoptosis. Elucidating the function of nuclear, truncated forms of ErbB2, and developing therapeutic strategies to block their expression and/or activation may enhance the clinical efficacy of ErbB2 TKIs. Mol Cancer Ther; 10(8); 1367–74. ©2011 AACR.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is one of the most malignant tumors in children and young adults. We present here a new ES cell line, SS-ES-1, established from the left thoracic tumor of a 16-year-old female patient. The SS-ES-1 cells retained genotype, morphology, and growth rate for over 150 passages. Immunocytochemical staining showed the strong immunoreactivity for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, neurofilament, CD99, P53, Ki-67, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, estrogen receptor-α (ER-α), and Bcl-2, but no reactivity for glial fibrillary acidic protein, epidermal growth factor receptor, and HER-2/neu. The presence of the type 1 EWS/FLI-1 fusion transcripts was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. On the basis of the MTT assay results, GW2974, a dual inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor and HER-2/neu, exhibited only a weak cytotoxic response in SS-ES-1 cells. In contrast, tyrphostin A9, a specific inhibitor of platelet-derived growth factor receptor, had a high cytotoxic effect against these cells. Surprisingly, it was found that SS-ES-1 cells displayed a high sensitivity to 4OH-tamoxifen. In conclusion, the SS-ES-1 cell line shows unique cellular properties, which makes it a useful model for studying various aspects of the biology of ES. In addition, the results suggest that ER can be a good therapeutic target for ER + ES.