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Title: Targeting PHGDH Upregulation Reduces Glutathione Levels and Resensitizes Resistant NRAS-Mutant Melanoma to MAPK Kinase Inhibition.

Authors: Nguyen, Mai Q; Teh, Jessica L F; Purwin, Timothy J; Chervoneva, Inna; Davies, Michael A; Nathanson, Katherine L; Cheng, Phil F; Levesque, Mitchell P; Dummer, Reinhard; Aplin, Andrew E

Published In J Invest Dermatol, (2020 11)

Abstract: Melanomas frequently harbor activating NRAS mutations leading to activation of MAPK kinase (MEK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling; however, the clinical efficacy of inhibitors to this pathway is limited by resistance. Tumors rewire metabolic pathways in response to stress signals such as targeted inhibitors and drug resistance, but most therapy-resistant preclinical models are generated in conditions that lack physiological metabolism. We generated human NRAS-mutant melanoma xenografts that were resistant to the MEK inhibitor (MEKi) PD0325901 in vivo. MEKi-resistant cells showed cross-resistance to the structurally distinct MEKi trametinib and elevated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation and downstream signaling. Additionally, we observed upregulation of the serine synthesis pathway and PHGDH, a key enzyme in this pathway. Suppressing PHGDH in MEKi-resistant cells together with MEKi treatment decreased oxidative stress tolerance and cell proliferation. Together, our data suggest targeting PHGDH as a potential strategy in overcoming MEKi resistance.

PubMed ID: 32389536 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Animals; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors; Female; GTP Phosphohydrolases/genetics*; Glutathione/metabolism*; Humans; Melanoma/drug therapy*; Melanoma/genetics; Melanoma/metabolism; Membrane Proteins/genetics*; Mice; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors*; Mutation*; Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase/antagonists & inhibitors*; Serine/biosynthesis; Up-Regulation; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

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