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Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Analysis Reveals that Neurokinin-1 Receptor (NK1R) Blockade with Aprepitant in Human Keratinocytes Activates a Distinct Subdomain of EGFR Signaling: Implications for the Anti-Pruritic Activity of NK1R Antagonists.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kwatra, SG; Boozalis, E; Huang, AH; Nanni, C; Khanna, R; Williams, KA; Semenov, YR; Roberts, CM; Burns, RF; Krischak, M; Kwatra, MM
Published in: Medicines (Basel)
December 9, 2019

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors can cause serious cutaneous toxicities, including pruritus and papulopustular acneiform skin eruptions. Increasingly, the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) antagonist aprepitant is being utilized as an anti-pruritic agent in the treatment of EGFR-inhibitor induced pruritus. Aprepitant is believed to reduce itching by blocking NK1R on the surface of dermal mast cells. However, the effects of aprepitant on human keratinocytes remains unexplored. Methods: Herein, we examine the effects of aprepitant on EGFR stimulation in HaCaT cells using a phosphoproteomic approach including reverse phase protein arrays and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Changes in EGFR phosphorylation were visualized using Western blotting and the effect of EGF and aprepitant on the growth of HaCaT cells was determined using the WST-1 Cell Proliferation Assay System. Results: We found that aprepitant increased the phosphorylation of EGFR, as well as 10 of the 23 intracellular proteins phosphorylated by EGF. Analysis of phosphoproteomic data using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software revealed that 5 of the top 10 pathways activated by EGF and aprepitant are shared. Conclusions: We propose that aprepitant produces its antipruritic effects by partially activating EGFR. Activation of EGFR by aprepitant was also seen in primary human keratinocytes. In addition to itch reduction through partial activation of shared EGFR pathways, aprepitant exerts a dose-dependent cytotoxicity to epithelial cells, which may contribute to its antitumor effects.

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Published In

Medicines (Basel)

DOI

ISSN

2305-6320

Publication Date

December 9, 2019

Volume

6

Issue

4

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
 

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Kwatra, S. G., Boozalis, E., Huang, A. H., Nanni, C., Khanna, R., Williams, K. A., … Kwatra, M. M. (2019). Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Analysis Reveals that Neurokinin-1 Receptor (NK1R) Blockade with Aprepitant in Human Keratinocytes Activates a Distinct Subdomain of EGFR Signaling: Implications for the Anti-Pruritic Activity of NK1R Antagonists. Medicines (Basel), 6(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines6040114
Kwatra, Shawn G., Emily Boozalis, Amy H. Huang, Cory Nanni, Raveena Khanna, Kyle A. Williams, Yevgeniy R. Semenov, et al. “Proteomic and Phosphoproteomic Analysis Reveals that Neurokinin-1 Receptor (NK1R) Blockade with Aprepitant in Human Keratinocytes Activates a Distinct Subdomain of EGFR Signaling: Implications for the Anti-Pruritic Activity of NK1R Antagonists.Medicines (Basel) 6, no. 4 (December 9, 2019). https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines6040114.

Published In

Medicines (Basel)

DOI

ISSN

2305-6320

Publication Date

December 9, 2019

Volume

6

Issue

4

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • 42 Health sciences
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences