Combined inhibition of rho-associated protein kinase and EGFR suppresses the invasive phenotype in EGFR-dependent lung cancer cells

Introduction: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with metastatic disease frequently a prominent feature at the time of diagnosis. The role of NSCLC-derived EGFR mutations in cancer cell proliferation and survival has been widely reported, but little is known about the function of these mutations in invasive growth and metastasis. In this study, we sought to evaluate the intrinsic invasive properties of NSCLC cells with differing EGFR status and examine possible therapeutic targets that can abrogate invasive growth.

Materials and methods: Collagen-based assays and 3D cell cultures were used to assess morphological features, actin cytoskeleton dynamics and the invasive capacity of NSCLC cell lines with differing EGFR status. The role of the RhoA/ROCK/MYPT1 and EGFR/HER pathways in NSCLC-related invasion was investigated by pharmacological inhibition and RNA interference techniques.

Results: We demonstrate a positive correlation between EGFR mutational/amplification status and invasive capacity. Knockdown of wild-type and mutant EGFR leads to depletion of active and total MYPT1 levels. Combined pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of ROCK/EGFR suppresses the hallmarks of cancer cells and abrogates the invasive phenotype in EGFR-dependent NSCLC cells.

Conclusions: These observations suggest that combined targeting of the ROCK and EGFR/HER pathways may be a potential therapeutic approach in limiting invasive growth in NSCLC.