Open AccessLenvatinib inhibits angiogenesis and tumor fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways in human hepatocellular carcinoma models
Author(s) -
Matsuki Masahiro,
Hoshi Taisuke,
Yamamoto Yuji,
IkemoriKawada Megumi,
Minoshima Yukinori,
Funahashi Yasuhiro,
Matsui Junji
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
cancer medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2045-7634
DOI - 10.1002/cam4.1517
Subject(s) - lenvatinib , cancer research , sorafenib , angiogenesis , medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , fibroblast growth factor , fibroblast growth factor receptor , vascular endothelial growth factor , signal transduction , pharmacology , receptor , biology , vegf receptors , microbiology and biotechnology
Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma ( uHCC ) is one of the most lethal and prevalent cancers worldwide, and current systemic therapeutic options for uHCC are limited. Lenvatinib, a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors ( VEGFR s) and fibroblast growth factor receptors ( FGFR s), recently demonstrated a treatment effect on overall survival by statistical confirmation of noninferiority to sorafenib in a phase 3 study of uHCC . Here, we investigated mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of lenvatinib in preclinical HCC models. In vitro proliferation assay of nine human HCC cell lines showed that lenvatinib selectively inhibited proliferation of FGF signal‐activated HCC cells including FGF 19‐expressing Hep3B2.1‐7. Lenvatinib suppressed phosphorylation of FRS 2, a substrate of FGFR 1–4, in these cells in a concentration‐dependent manner. Lenvatinib inhibited in vivo tumor growth in Hep3B2.1‐7 and SNU ‐398 xenografts and decreased phosphorylation of FRS 2 and Erk1/2 within the tumor tissues. Lenvatinib also exerted antitumor activity and potently reduced tumor microvessel density in PLC / PRF /5 xenograft model and two HCC patient‐derived xenograft models. These results suggest that lenvatinib has antitumor activity consistently across diverse HCC models, and that targeting of tumor FGF signaling pathways and anti‐angiogenic activity underlies its antitumor activity against HCC tumors.