Abstract A34: Regulation of EGFR signaling by DRD1 in lung cancer
Authors: Toulabi Leila , Bradley Conor , Zingone Adriana , Grant Christopher , Vidal Oscar , Mitchell Khadijah , Ryan Brid M. 
Published: February 2019

Dopamine (DA) signaling contributes to a variety of physiologic processes in the central nervous system (CNS), including voluntary movement, reward, sleep, attention, memory and learning. However, emerging work highlights the importance of the DA pathway in non CNS-related functions, including regulation of the cardiovascular, olfactory, endocrine, and immune systems.

Recently, our group discovered and replicated an epidemiologic association between an SNP in the 3’ UTR of the DRD1 (dopamine receptor D1) gene and risk of developing lung cancer. Although dopamine mediates nicotine addiction, the association was also observed in never-smokers, suggesting that DRD1 may be directly involved in lung cancer pathogenesis.

As there are sparse data regarding the DAP in normal lung, we initially characterized dopamine signaling (receptors, transporters, metabolizing enzymes, synthesis) in the proximal and distal regions of the normal lung. Our results show that the DAP, including DRD1, is expressed throughout the pulmonary system. In lung cancer, DRD1 expression is lost in a majority of cases—most likely due to aberrant methylation—such that patients with high expression have significantly better survival. We generated stable lung cancer cell lines harboring shRNA-mediated knockdown of DRD1 and stable DRD1 overexpression. Downregulation of DRD1 significantly increased cell proliferation as well as xenograft tumor formation, while overexpression of DRD1 led to a suppression of cell growth.

Using transcriptome, kinome and phosphoproteome arrays, we also discovered that modulation of DRD1 expression specifically modulates EGFR phosphorylation and MAPK/ERK signaling. Moreover, confocal analyses show that DRD1 co-localizes with EGFR at the cell membrane, suggesting that this could be a direct interaction. Although DRD1 has been linked with regulation of inflammation, we have not find significant similar evidence in this study to date.

Our work highlights a novel aspect of DRD1 singaling in the context of lung cancer and possibly normal pulmonary physiology. This study could lead to the identification of novel oncotargets, biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for tumors involving EGFR signaling or mutations in lung cancer. These data also contribute to a preclinical rationale for repositioning FDA-approved antidepressants as adjunct therapeutics with chemotherapy and may have significant translational impact for some lung cancer patients. Indeed, our recent findings show that antidepressants—specifically NDRIs (norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors)—have better outcomes.

Citation Format: Leila Toulabi, Conor Bradley, Adriana Zingone, Christopher Grant, Oscar Vidal, Khadijah Mitchell, Brid M. Ryan. Regulation of EGFR signaling by DRD1 in lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fifth AACR-IASLC International Joint Conference: Lung Cancer Translational Science from the Bench to the Clinic; Jan 8-11, 2018; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(17_Suppl):Abstract nr A34.