Abstract A54: Parallel targeting of RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in RAS-mutant embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma

RAS pathway mutations are found in nearly 75% of high-risk embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS). While RAS oncoproteins are well-established therapeutic targets for many adult human cancers, still very little is known about the role of RAS mutations in the development and maintenance of ERMS. By sequencing, we identified cell lines and PDX tumors harboring activating mutations in H- or NRAS. Further, we showed that mutant H- or NRAS was critical for the growth of all RAS-mutant ERMS cell lines and that RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway, but not PI3K/AKT, was mediator of RAS dependency in these cells. However, in vivo treatment of RAS-mutant ERMS xenografts with the MEK inhibitor trametinib showed modest response as compared to BRAF-mutant astrocytoma xenografts. We reasoned that similarly to other RAS-driven cancers, ERMS cells and tumors are able to acquire resistance to inhibitors of the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway. We performed drug-sensitizing pooled CRISPR library screen and identified that inhibition of ERK2 potentiated trametinib treatment. We show that combining trametinib with ERK1/2 inhibitor leads to potent synergistic ERK inhibition and ERMS tumor growth suppression.Citation Format: Angelina V. Vaseva, Abhik Bandyopadhyay, Vanessa Del Pozo, Craig M. Goodwin, Prson Gautam, Krister Wennerberg, Kris C. Wood, Yidong Chen, Channing J. Der, Peter J. Houghton. Parallel targeting of RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in RAS-mutant embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 17-20; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(14 Suppl):Abstract nr A54.

Duke Scholars

Author Kris Cameron Wood Pharmacology & Cancer Biology