1. Academic Validation
  2. The D647N mutation of FGFR1 induces ligand-independent receptor activation

The D647N mutation of FGFR1 induces ligand-independent receptor activation

  • Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2023 Sep 29;1867(12):130470. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130470.
Mattia Domenichini 1 Cosetta Ravelli 1 Michela Corsini 1 Silvia Codenotti 1 Elisa Moreschi 1 Anna Gogna 1 Davide Capoferri 1 Daniela Zizioli 1 Roberto Bresciani 2 Elisabetta Grillo 3 Stefania Mitola 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy.
  • 2 Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy; Highly Specialized Laboratory, Diagnostic Department, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
  • 3 Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy. Electronic address: elisabetta.grillo@unibs.it.
  • 4 Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia 25123, Italy. Electronic address: stefania.mitola@unibs.it.
Abstract

The activation loop (A-loop) of kinases, a key regulatory region, is recurrently mutated in several kinase proteins in Cancer resulting in dysregulated kinase activity and response to kinase inhibitors. FGFR1 receptor tyrosine kinase represents an important oncogene and therapeutic target for solid and hematological tumors. Here we investigate the biochemical and molecular effects of D647N mutation lying in the A-loop of FGFR1. When expressed in normal and tumoral in vitro cell models, FGFR1D647N is phosphorylated also in the absence of ligands, and this is accompanied by the activation of intracellular signaling. The expression of FGFR1D647N significantly increases single and collective migration of Cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, when compared to FGFR1WT. FGFR1D647N expression exacerbates the aggressiveness of Cancer cells, increasing their invasiveness in vitro and augmenting their pro-angiogenic capacity in vivo. Remarkably, the D647N mutation significantly increases the sensitivity of FGFR1 to the ATP-competitive inhibitor Erdafitinib suggesting the possibility that this mutation could become a specific target for the development of new inhibitors. Although further efforts are warranted for an exhaustive description of the activation mechanisms, for the identification of more specific inhibitors and for confirming the clinical significance of mutated FGFR1D647N, overall our data demonstrate that the D647N substitution of FGFR1 is a novel pro-oncogenic activating mutation of the receptor that, when found in Cancer patients, may anticipate good response to erdafitinib treatment.

Keywords

ATP; FGFR1; Oncogenic mutation; Tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

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