Huang Yanping, Cuan Xiangdan, Zhu Weiwei, Yang Xingying, Zhao Yunli, Sheng Jun, Zi Chengting, Wang Xuanjun
Key Laboratory of Pu-er Tea Science, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
College of Science, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 13;24(18):14012. doi: 10.3390/ijms241814012.
Inhibiting the tyrosine kinase activity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) using small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or monoclonal antibodies is often ineffective in treating cancers harboring wild-type EGFR. Given the fact that EGFR possesses a kinase-independent pro-survival function, more effective inhibition of EGFR-mediated signals is therefore necessary. In this study, we investigated the effects of using a combination of low-dose nimotuzumab and theasinensin A to evaluate whether the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on NCI-H441 cancer cells was enhanced. Here, theasinensin A, a novel epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) derivative, was identified and its potent anticancer activity against wild-type EGFR NSCLC was demonstrated in vitro; the anticancer activity was induced through degradation of EGFR. Mechanistic studies further revealed that theasinensin A bound directly to the EGFR extracellular domain, which decreased interaction with its ligand EGF in combination with nimotuzumab. Theasinensin A significantly promoted EGFR degradation and repressed downstream survival pathways in combination with nimotuzumab. Meanwhile, treatment with theasinensin A and nimotuzumab prevented xenograft growth, whereas the single agents had limited effect. Thus, the combination therapy of theasinensin A with nimotuzumab is a powerful candidate for treatment of wild-type EGFR cancers.
使用小分子酪氨酸激酶抑制剂(TKIs)或单克隆抗体抑制表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)的酪氨酸激酶活性,在治疗携带野生型EGFR的癌症时往往无效。鉴于EGFR具有不依赖激酶的促生存功能,因此需要更有效地抑制EGFR介导的信号。在本研究中,我们研究了联合使用低剂量尼妥珠单抗和茶黄素A的效果,以评估尼妥珠单抗对NCI-H441癌细胞的抑制作用是否增强。在此,我们鉴定了一种新型表没食子儿茶素-3-没食子酸酯(EGCG)衍生物茶黄素A,并在体外证明了其对野生型EGFR非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)具有强大的抗癌活性;这种抗癌活性是通过EGFR的降解诱导产生的。机制研究进一步表明,茶黄素A直接与EGFR细胞外结构域结合,与尼妥珠单抗联合使用时可减少其与配体表皮生长因子(EGF)的相互作用。茶黄素A与尼妥珠单抗联合使用时,可显著促进EGFR降解并抑制下游生存途径。同时,茶黄素A和尼妥珠单抗联合治疗可抑制异种移植瘤生长,而单一药物的效果有限。因此,茶黄素A与尼妥珠单抗联合治疗是治疗野生型EGFR癌症的有力候选方案。