1. Academic Validation
  2. The anti-HER3 (ErbB3) therapeutic antibody 9F7-F11 induces HER3 ubiquitination and degradation in tumors through JNK1/2- dependent ITCH/AIP4 activation

The anti-HER3 (ErbB3) therapeutic antibody 9F7-F11 induces HER3 ubiquitination and degradation in tumors through JNK1/2- dependent ITCH/AIP4 activation

  • Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 14;7(24):37013-37029. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.9455.
Christophe Le Clorennec 1 2 3 4 Yassamine Lazrek 1 2 3 4 5 6 Olivier Dubreuil 5 7 Christel Larbouret 1 2 3 4 Marie-Alix Poul 1 2 3 4 Philippe Mondon 5 8 Gerry Melino 9 10 André Pèlegrin 1 2 3 4 Thierry Chardès 1 2 3 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34298, France.
  • 2 INSERM, U1194 Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34298, France.
  • 3 Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34298, France.
  • 4 ICM, Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, Montpellier, F-34298, France.
  • 5 Millegen SA, Labège, F-31670, France.
  • 6 Institut Pasteur de Guyane, BP 6010, 97306, Cayenne Cedex, France.
  • 7 GamaMabs Pharma SA, Centre Pierre Potier, ONCOPOLE, BP 50624, France.
  • 8 LFB Biotechnologies, 59000, Lille, France.
  • 9 Biochemistry Laboratory, Instituto Dermopatico Dell'Immacolata, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," 00133 Rome, Italy.
  • 10 Toxicology Unit, Medical Research Council, Leicester University, Leicester LE1 9HN, United Kingdom.
Abstract

We characterized the mechanism of action of the neuregulin-non-competitive anti-HER3 therapeutic antibody 9F7-F11 that blocks the PI3K/Akt pathway, leading to cell cycle arrest and Apoptosis in vitro and regression of pancreatic and breast Cancer in vivo. We found that 9F7-F11 induces rapid HER3 down-regulation. Specifically, 9F7-F11-induced HER3 ubiquitination and degradation in pancreatic, breast and prostate Cancer cell lines was driven mainly by the itchy E3 ubiquitin Ligase (ITCH/AIP4). Overexpression of the ITCH/AIP4 inhibitor N4BP1 or small-interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of ITCH/AIP4 inhibited HER3 ubiquitination/degradation and PI3K/Akt signaling blockade induced by 9F7-F11. Moreover, 9F7-F11-mediated JNK1/2 phosphorylation led to ITCH/AIP4 activation and recruitment to HER3 for receptor ubiquitination and degradation. ITCH/AIP4 activity was activated by the deubiquitinases USP8 and USP9X, as demonstrated by RNA interference. Taken together, our results suggest that 9F7-F11-induced HER3 ubiquitination and degradation in Cancer cells mainly occurs through JNK1/2-dependent ITCH/AIP4 activation.

Keywords

HER3; ITCH/AIP4; antibody; cancer; treatment.

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