Artemin, a member of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family of ligands, is HER2-regulated and mediates acquired trastuzumab resistance by promoting cancer stem cell-like behavior in mammary carcinoma cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that Artemin (ARTN) functions as a cancer stem cell (CSC) and metastatic factor in mammary carcinoma. Herein, we report that ARTN mediates acquired resistance to trastuzumab in HER2-positive mammary carcinoma cells. Ligands that increase HER2 activity increased ARTN expression in HER2-positive mammary carcinoma cells, whereas trastuzumab inhibited ARTN expression. Forced expression of ARTN decreased the sensitivity of HER2-positive mammary carcinoma cells to trastuzumab both in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, siRNA-mediated depletion of ARTN enhanced trastuzumab efficacy. Cells with acquired resistance to trastuzumab exhibited increased ARTN expression, the depletion of which restored trastuzumab sensitivity. Trastuzumab resistance produced an increased CSC population concomitant with enhanced mammospheric growth. ARTN mediated the enhancement of the CSC population by increased BCL-2 expression, and the CSC population in trastuzumab-resistant cells was abrogated upon inhibition of BCL-2. Hence, we conclude that ARTN is one mediator of acquired resistance to trastuzumab in HER2-positive mammary carcinoma cells.