Abstract
The Zinc-finger E-box-binding Homeobox-1 (ZEB1) is a transcription factor that promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and acts as an oncogene in KRAS-mutated lung cancer models. Here we report that ZEB1 exerts the opposite effect in EGFR-mutated lung cancer cells, where it suppresses growth by increasing microRNA-200 targets to antagonize ERBB3, a driver of mutant EGFR-dependent cell growth. Among these targets, NOTCH1 represses ERBB3 promoter activity and the expression of ERBB3. Furthermore, we find that EGFR inhibitor treatment, which inhibits the growth of EGFR-mutated cells, induces ZEB1. Despite its growth-inhibiting effect, EGFR inhibitor-induced ZEB1 strongly promotes EMT-dependent resistance to EGFR inhibitors partially through NOTCH1, suggesting a multifunctional role for NOTCH1 in EGFR-mutated cells. These results support a previously unrecognized genetic cell context-dependent role for ZEB1 and suggest that NOTCH1 may be a useful target for treating resistance to EGFR inhibitors, especially EMT-driven resistance.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 12231 |
Journal | Nature communications |
Volume | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 26 2016 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
- General Physics and Astronomy