Synchronized targeting of Notch and ERBB signaling suppresses melanoma tumor growth through inhibition of Notch1 and ERBB3

Despite significant advances in melanoma therapy, melanoma remains the deadliest form of skin cancer, with a five-year survival of only 15%. Novel treatments are therefore required to address this disease. Notch and ERBB are evolutionarily conserved signaling cascades required for the maintenance of melanocyte precursors. We show that active Notch1 (Notch1(NIC)) and active (phosphorylated) ERBB3 and ERBB2 correlate significantly and are similarly expressed in both mutated and wild type BRAF melanomas, suggesting these receptors are co-reactivated in melanoma to promote survival. Indeed, while blocking either pathway triggers modest effects, combining a γ-secretase inhibitor to block Notch activation, and a tyrosine kinase inhibitor to inhibit ERBB3/2 elicits synergistic effects, reducing cell viability by 90% and by hampering melanoma tumor growth. Specific inhibition of Notch1 and ERBB3 mimics these results, suggesting these are the critical factors triggering melanoma tumor expansion. Notch and ERBB inhibition blunts AKT and NFκB signaling; Constitutive expression of NFκB partially rescues cell death. Finally, blockade of both Notch and ERBB signaling inhibits the slow cycling JARID1B positive cell population, which is critical for long-term maintenance of melanoma growth. We propose that blocking these pathways is an effective approach to treat melanoma patients regardless of whether they carry mutated or wild type BRAF.