Abstract 3825: Targeting activated PI3K/mTOR signaling overcomes resistance to CDK4/6-based therapies in preclinical ER+ breast cancer models
Authors: O'Brien Neil A. , McDermott Martina SJ , Conklin Dylan F. , Gaither Alex , Luo Tong , Ayala Raul , Salgar Suruchi , DiTomaso Emmanuelle , Babbar Naveen , Su Faye , Hurvitz Sara A. , Linnartz Ronald , Rose Kristine , Hirawat Samit , Slamon Dennis J. 
Published: August 2019

Addition of CDK4/6 inhibitors such as palbociclib, ribociclib or abemaciclib to endocrine-based therapies significantly improves progression-free and in some subgroups, overall survival in patients with advanced estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. However, acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors remains a significant unmet clinical need. It is critical to ascertain the mechanisms by which tumor cells evade CDK4/6 based therapy. In this study we screen multiple in vitro and in vivo models of acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors to identify potential resistance/escape pathways and targets for pharmaceutical intervention to overcome resistance. ER+ breast cancer cell lines of diverse molecular backgrounds were conditioned to acquire resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors through either long-term culture in the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of inhibitors or as cell line xenografts treated through progression on a CDK4/6 inhibitor plus fulvestrant. Baseline and pharmacodynamic changes in cell signaling were measured using reverse phase protein array (RPPA) and RNAseq analysis. Acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors was associated with decreases in phosphorylated-Rb (pRb) and ER-alpha protein and increases in pAKT and pS6 relative to isogenic controls. The p110α-selective PI3K-inhibitor, alpelisib, in combination with fulvestrant or ribociclib/fulvestrant blocked pAKT signaling in xenografts progressing on palbociclib/fulvestrant and induced significant tumor regressions. Apelisib plus fulvestrant also produced robust anti-tumor responses in xenografts progressing on ribociclib/fulvestrant. Triple combination treatment with ribociclib/alpelisib/fulvestrant induced significant regressions in resistant tumors and in treatment naïve models, where complete tumor regressions occurred regardless of PIK3CA mutation status. Regressions were maintained for &gt;9 weeks post withdrawal of treatment, indicating that therapeutic resistance may be prevented by this triple combination approach. RPPA analysis of responding tumors identified sustained inhibition of both PI3K- and CDK4/6:Rb-pathway signaling accompanied by activation of pro-apoptotic proteins. These data support clinical investigation of targeting PI3K with alpelisib in breast cancers progressing on CDK4/6 based therapies and investigation of upfront triple combination therapy prior to acquisition of resistance to CDK4/6.

Citation Format: Neil A. O'Brien, Martina SJ McDermott, Dylan F. Conklin, Alex Gaither, Tong Luo, Raul Ayala, Suruchi Salgar, Emmanuelle DiTomaso, Naveen Babbar, Faye Su, Sara A. Hurvitz, Ronald Linnartz, Kristine Rose, Samit Hirawat, Dennis J. Slamon. Targeting activated PI3K/mTOR signaling overcomes resistance to CDK4/6-based therapies in preclinical ER+ breast cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3825.