Mutation of NRAS but not KRAS significantly reduces myeloma sensitivity to single-agent bortezomib therapy

Blood. 2014 Jan 30;123(5):632-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-05-504340. Epub 2013 Dec 11.

Abstract

Various translocations and mutations have been identified in myeloma, and certain aberrations, such as t(4;14) and del17, are linked with disease prognosis. To investigate mutational prevalence in myeloma and associations between mutations and patient outcomes, we tested a panel of 41 known oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in tumor samples from 133 relapsed myeloma patients participating in phase 2 or 3 clinical trials of bortezomib. DNA mutations were identified in 14 genes. BRAF as well as RAS genes were mutated in a large proportion of cases (45.9%) and these mutations were mutually exclusive. New recurrent mutations were also identified, including in the PDGFRA and JAK3 genes. NRAS mutations were associated with a significantly lower response rate to single-agent bortezomib (7% vs 53% in patients with mutant vs wild-type NRAS, P = .00116, Bonferroni-corrected P = .016), as well as shorter time to progression in bortezomib-treated patients (P = .0058, Bonferroni-corrected P = .012). However, NRAS mutation did not impact outcome in patients treated with high-dose dexamethasone. KRAS mutation did not reduce sensitivity to bortezomib or dexamethasone. These findings identify a significant clinical impact of NRAS mutation in myeloma and demonstrate a clear example of functional differences between the KRAS and NRAS oncogenes.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase I
  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Boronic Acids / therapeutic use*
  • Bortezomib
  • Cohort Studies
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Multiple Myeloma / diagnosis
  • Multiple Myeloma / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Myeloma / genetics
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Mutation*
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • Pyrazines / therapeutic use*
  • Survival Analysis
  • ras Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Boronic Acids
  • KRAS protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Pyrazines
  • Bortezomib
  • GTP Phosphohydrolases
  • NRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)
  • ras Proteins