Fibroblast growth factor receptor facilitates recurrence of minimal residual disease following trastuzumab emtansine therapy

Abstract Trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that efficiently delivers a potent microtubule inhibitor into HER2 overexpressing tumor cells. However, resistance to T-DM1 is emerging as a significant clinical problem. Continuous in vitro treatment of HER2-transformed mammary epithelial cells with T-DM1 did not elicit spontaneously resistant cells. However, induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via pretreatment with TGF-β1 facilitated acquisition of T-DM1 resistance. Flow cytometric analyses indicated that induction of EMT decreased trastuzumab binding, prior to overt loss of HER2 expression. Kinome analyses of T-DM1 resistant cells indicated increased phosphorylation of ErbB1, ErbB4, and fibroblast blast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1). T-DM1 resistant cells failed to respond to the ErbB kinase inhibitors lapatinib and afatinib, but they acquired sensitivity to FIIN4, a covalent FGFR kinase inhibitor. In vivo, T-DM1 treatment led to robust regression of HER2-transformed tumors, but minimal residual disease (MRD) was still detectable via bioluminescent imaging. Upon cessation of the ADC relapse occurred and secondary tumors were resistant to additional rounds of T-DM1, but this recurrent tumor growth could be inhibited by FIIN4. Expression of FGFR1 was upregulated in T-DM1 resistant tumors, and ectopic overexpression of FGFR1 was sufficient to enhance tumor growth, diminish trastuzumab binding, and promote recurrence following T-DM1-induced MRD. Finally, patient-derived xenografts from a HER2+ breast cancer patient who had progressed on trastuzumab failed to respond to T-DM1, but tumor growth was significantly inhibited by FIIN4. Overall, our studies strongly support therapeutic combination of TDM1 and FGFR targeted agents in HER2+ breast cancer.