PI3K inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy resistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Edge, Sarah D; Renard, Isaline; Pyne, Emily; Li, Chun; Moody, Hannah; Roy, Rajarshi; Beavis, Andrew W; Archibald, Stephen J; Cawthorne, Christopher J; Maher, Stephen J; Pires, Isabel M.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo-CRT) prior to surgery is the standard of care for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) patients. Unfortunately, most patients fail to respond to treatment. MiR-187 was previously shown to be downregulated in neo-CRT non-responders, whist in vitro miR-187 overexpression enhanced radiosensitivity and upregulated PTEN. This study evaluates the role of miR-187 and downstream PI3K signalling in radiation response in OAC. METHODS: The effect of miR-187 overexpression on downstream PI3K signalling was evaluated in OAC cell lines by qPCR and Western blotting. PTEN expression was analysed in OAC pre-treatment biopsies of neo-CRT responders and non-responders. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K using GDC-0941 was evaluated in combination with radiotherapy in two-dimensional and three-dimensional OAC models in vitro and as a single agent in vivo. Radiation response in vitro was assessed via clonogenic assay. RESULTS: PTEN expression was significantly decreased in neo-CRT non-responders. MiR-187 overexpression significantly upregulated PTEN expression and inhibited downstream PI3K signalling in vitro. GDC-0941 significantly reduced viability and enhanced radiation response in vitro and led to tumour growth inhibition as a single agent in vivo. CONCLUSION: Targeting of PI3K signalling is a promising therapeutic strategy for OAC patients who have repressed miR-187 expression and do not respond to conventional neo-CRT. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This is the first study evaluating the effect of PI3K inhibition on radiosensitivity in OAC, with a particular focus on patients that do not respond to neo-CRT. We have shown for the first time that targeting of PI3K signalling is a promising alternative therapeutic strategy for OAC patients who do not respond to conventional neo-CRT.

Citation

Edge, S. D., Renard, I., Pyne, E., Li, C., Moody, H., Roy, R., Beavis, A. W., Archibald, S. J., Cawthorne, C. J., Maher, S. J., & Pires, I. M. (2021). PI3K inhibition as a novel therapeutic strategy for neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy resistant oesophageal adenocarcinoma. British Journal of Radiology, 94(1119), Article 20201191. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20201191

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 23, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jan 12, 2021
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Dec 23, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 13, 2022
• Journal: The British journal of radiology
• Print ISSN: 0007-1285
• Publisher: British Institute of Radiology
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 94
• Issue: 1119
• Article Number: 20201191
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1259/bjr.20201191
• Keywords: Oesophageal cancer; PI3K; miR-187; Radiation; PTEN
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3681784
• Publisher URL: https://www.birpublications.org/doi/abs/10.1259/bjr.20201191