Loss of STAT6 leads to anchorage-independent growth and trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ breast cancer cells

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 11;15(6):e0234146. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234146. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Approximately 20% of breast cancers are HER2-positive. Trastuzumab has improved patient outcomes significantly for these cancers. However, acquired resistance remains a major hurdle in the clinical management of these patients. Therefore, identifying molecular changes that cause trastuzumab resistance is worthwhile. STAT6 is a transcription factor that regulates a variety of genes involved in cell cycle regulation, growth inhibition, and apoptosis. STAT6 expression is lost in approximately 3% of breast cancers, but little work has been done in the context of trastuzumab resistance in breast cancer. In isogenic cell line pairs, we observed that trastuzumab-resistant cells expressed significantly lower levels of STAT6 compared to trastuzumab-sensitive cells. Therefore, in order to study the consequences of STAT6 loss in HER2+ breast cancer, we knocked out both alleles of the STAT6 gene using somatic cell gene targeting. Interestingly, loss of STAT6 resulted in anchorage-independent growth and changes in several genes involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transition. This study suggests that STAT6 may play a role in the pathophysiology of HER2+ human breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological / pharmacology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor / deficiency
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor / genetics*
  • Trastuzumab / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • STAT6 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab

Grants and funding

AMA and MAC Bears Care https://www.chicagobears.com/community/bears-care Sponsor did not play any role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.