Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) ligand-dependent signaling has a fundamental role in cancer development and tumor maintenance. GSK3052230 (also known as FP-1039) is a soluble decoy receptor that sequesters FGFs and inhibits FGFR signaling. Herein, the efficacy of this molecule was tested in models of mesothelioma, a tumor type shown to express high levels of FGF2 and FGFR1. GSK3052230 demonstrated antiproliferative activity across a panel of mesothelioma cell lines and inhibited growth of tumor xenografts in mice. High expression of FGF2 and FGFR1 correlated well with response to FGF pathway inhibition. GSK3052230 inhibited MAPK signaling as evidenced by decreased phospho-ERK and phospho-S6 levels in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, dose-dependent and statistically-significant reductions in tumor vessel density were observed in GSK3052230-treated tumors compared to vehicle-treated tumors. These data support the role of GSK3052230 in effectively targeting FGF-FGFR autocrine signaling in mesothelioma, demonstrate its impact on tumor growth and angiogenesis, and provide a rationale for the current clinical evaluation of this molecule in mesothelioma patients.
Keywords: angiogenesis; fibroblast growth factor; ligand trap; mesothelioma; signaling.