BRAF Inhibitors Induce Metastasis in RAS Mutant or Inhibitor-Resistant Melanoma Cells by Reactivating MEK and ERK Signaling
Menée sur des lignées cellulaires, cette étude met en évidence des mécanismes par lesquels des inhibiteurs de BRAF sont susceptibles de favoriser les processus invasif et métastatique dans les tumeurs de mélanome ayant acquis une résistance à ces médicaments
Melanoma is a highly metastatic and lethal form of skin cancer. The protein kinase BRAF is mutated in about 40% of melanomas, and BRAF inhibitors improve progression-free and overall survival in these patients. However, after a relatively short period of disease control, most patients develop resistance because of reactivation of the RAF–ERK (extracellular signal–regulated kinase) pathway, mediated in many cases by mutations in RAS. We found that BRAF inhibition induces invasion and metastasis in RAS mutant melanoma cells through a mechanism mediated by the reactivation of the MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase)–ERK pathway, increased expression and secretion of interleukin 8, and induction of protease-dependent invasion. These events were accompanied by a cell morphology switch from predominantly rounded to predominantly elongated cells. We also observed similar responses in BRAF inhibitor–resistant melanoma cells. These data show that BRAF inhibitors can induce melanoma cell invasion and metastasis in tumors that develop resistance to these drugs.