USP8 Is a Novel Target for Overcoming Gefitinib Resistance in Lung Cancer

Purpose: Common treatment modalities for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) involve the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) like gefitinib and erlotinib. However, the vast majority of treated patients acquire resistance to EGFR-TKIs, due in large part to secondary mutations in EGFR or amplification of the MET gene. Our purpose was to test ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8) as a potential therapeutic target for gefitinib-resistant and -sensitive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Experimental Design: Testing the effect of knockdown of USP8 and use of a synthetic USP8 inhibitor to selectively kill gefitinib-resistant (or -sensitive) NSCLCs with little effect on normal cells in cell culture and a xenograft mouse model. Results: Knockdown of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8) selectively kills gefitinib-resistant NSCLCs, while having little toxicity toward normal cells. Genetic silencing of USP8 led to the down-regulation of several receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), including EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, and MET. We also determined that a synthetic USP8 inhibitor markedly decreased the viability of gefitinib-resistant and -sensitive NSCLC cells by decreasing RTK expression, while having no effect on normal cells. Moreover, treatment with a USP8 inhibitor led to significant reductions in tumor size in a mouse xenograft model using gefitinib-resistant and -sensitive NSCLC cells. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate for the first time that the inhibition of USP8 activity or reduction in USP8 expression can selectively kill NSCLC cells. We propose USP8 as a potential therapeutic target for gefitinib-resistant and -sensitive NSCLC cells. (C)2013 AACR.