Actionable Activating Oncogenic ERBB2/HER2 Transmembrane and Juxtamembrane Domain Mutations

Cancer Cell. 2018 Nov 12;34(5):792-806.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2018.09.010. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Abstract

Deregulated HER2 is a target of many approved cancer drugs. We analyzed 111,176 patient tumors and identified recurrent mutations in HER2 transmembrane domain (TMD) and juxtamembrane domain (JMD) that include G660D, R678Q, E693K, and Q709L. Using a saturation mutagenesis screen and testing of patient-derived mutations we found several activating TMD and JMD mutations. Structural modeling and analysis showed that the TMD/JMD mutations function by improving the active dimer interface or stabilizing an activating conformation. Further, we found that HER2 G660D employed asymmetric kinase dimerization for activation and signaling. Importantly, anti-HER2 antibodies and small-molecule kinase inhibitors blocked the activity of TMD/JMD mutants. Consistent with this, a G660D germline mutant lung cancer patient showed remarkable clinical response to HER2 blockade.

Keywords: ERBB2 activation; ERBB2 structure; ERBB2/HER2; HER2 germline mutation; HER2 kinase inhibitors; HER2 somatic mutation; anti-HER2 antibodies; juxtamembrane (JMD) domain mutation; transmembrane domain (TMD) mutation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains / genetics*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics*
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2