objective: Elevated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) activity correlates with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression and poor prognosis. However, its potential as a therapeutic target remains largely unexplored.
methods: The mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of selective pan-FGFR inhibitors (pan-FGFRi) were explored using in vitro and in vivo PDAC models ranging from gemcitabine-sensitive to highly gemcitabine-resistant (GemR). Gain-/loss-of-function investigations were employed to define the role of individual FGFRs in cell proliferation, migration, and treatment response and resistance.
results: The pan-FGFRi NVP-BGJ398 (infigratinib) significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migrat... More
objective: Elevated fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) activity correlates with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression and poor prognosis. However, its potential as a therapeutic target remains largely unexplored.
methods: The mechanisms of action and therapeutic effects of selective pan-FGFR inhibitors (pan-FGFRi) were explored using in vitro and in vivo PDAC models ranging from gemcitabine-sensitive to highly gemcitabine-resistant (GemR). Gain-/loss-of-function investigations were employed to define the role of individual FGFRs in cell proliferation, migration, and treatment response and resistance.
results: The pan-FGFRi NVP-BGJ398 (infigratinib) significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and downregulated key cell survival- and invasiveness markers in multiple PDAC cell lines. Gemcitabine is a standard-of-care for PDAC, and GemR development compromises its efficacy. Acquired GemR was modeled experimentally by developing highly GemR cells using escalating Gem exposure in vitro and in vivo. FGFRi treatment inhibited GemR cell proliferation, migration, GemR marker expression, and tumor progression. FGFR2 or FGFR3 loss-of-function by shRNA knockdown failed to decrease cell growth, whereas FGFR1 knockdown was lethal. FGFR1 overexpression promoted cell migration more than proliferation, and reduced FGFRi-mediated inhibition of proliferation and migration. Single-agent FGFRi suppressed the viability and growth of multiple patient-derived xenografts inversely with respect to FGFR1 expression, underscoring the influence of FGFR1-dependent tumor responses to FGFRi. Importantly, secondary data analysis showed that PDAC tumors expressed FGFR1 at lower levels than did normal pancreas tissue.
conclusions: Single-agent FGFRi's mediate selective, molecularly-targeted suppression of PDAC proliferation, and their effects are greatest in PDAC tumors expressing low- to-moderate FGFR1.
