Molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer in pre-clinical models show differential response to targeted therapies: Treatment implications beyond KRAS mutations

Molecular subtypes of colorectal tumors are associated with prognosis and prediction for treatment benefit from chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to determine the association of colorectal (CRC) molecular subtypes with response to targeted therapies in pre-clinical models and 2) to identify treatments for CRC stem-like subtype because these tumors are associated with a very poor patient prognosis. Eleven CRC cell lines were classified into molecular subtypes and tested for their response to pan-ERBB, MEK, and ERK inhibitors as single agents and in combination. All six inflammatory or TA cell lines were exquisitely sensitive to the combination of MEK and neratinib whereas all five stem-like cell lines were resistant. Growth inhibition in sensitive cell lines was greater with the combination than with either drug alone even in cell lines with KRAS mutations. The combination inhibited pERK in inflammatory cell lines but not in four out of five stem-like cell lines. MEK162 plus neratinib were synergistic in cell culture and xenograft models in inflammatory cell lines. The ERK inhibitor, SCH772984, down-regulated pERK, decreased cell viability, and was synergistic with neratinib in both inflammatory and stem-like subtypes. These results suggest that inhibition of pERK is a critical node in decreasing cell viability of stem-like CRC tumors. Our results also suggest that CRC molecular subtypes may yield predictive information and may help to identify patients who may respond to targeted inhibitors.