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Implication of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase AXL in Head and Neck Cancer Progression

Anne von Mässenhausen1,2,3, Johannes Brägelmann4,5,6, Hannah Billig7,8

  • 1Section of Prostate Cancer Research, University Hospital of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany. anne.vonmaessenhausen@gmail.com.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 28, 2016
PubMed

Insights

AXL protein expression increases with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression, driving tumor cell migration and invasion. Inhibiting AXL with BGB324 may offer a precision medicine strategy for HNSCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) presents significant clinical challenges.
  • Identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for improving HNSCC patient outcomes.
  • The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is implicated in various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate AXL protein expression during HNSCC progression.
  • To evaluate AXL as a potential therapeutic target in HNSCC.
  • To assess the functional role of AXL in HNSCC cell migration, invasion, and proliferation.

Main Methods:

  • AXL protein expression was quantified in a cohort of 364 HNSCC patients using immunohistochemical staining.
  • AXL was overexpressed or inhibited using the small molecule inhibitor BGB324 in HNSCC cell lines.
  • Functional assays assessed the impact of AXL modulation on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Main Results:

  • AXL protein expression was found to increase during tumor progression, with the highest levels observed in recurrent tumors.
  • AXL overexpression in HNSCC cell lines enhanced cell migration and invasion.
  • Treatment with BGB324 significantly reduced AXL-mediated migration and invasion.
  • Cell proliferation was not significantly affected by either AXL overexpression or BGB324 inhibition.

Conclusions:

  • AXL plays a significant role in the progression of HNSCC to more advanced stages.
  • AXL is a potential therapeutic target for precision medicine approaches in HNSCC.
  • Targeting AXL may offer a novel strategy for treating this challenging cancer entity.
Keywords:
AXLBGB324HNSCCimmunohistochemistryreceptor tyrosine kinasetargeted therapy

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