Person: Akbay, Esra A.
Loading...
Email Address
AA Acceptance Date
Birth Date
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Job Title
Last Name
Akbay
First Name
Esra A.
Name
Akbay, Esra A.
6 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
Publication Image-guided radiotherapy platform using single nodule conditional lung cancer mouse models(2014) Herter-Sprie, Grit S.; Korideck, Houari; Christensen, Camilla L.; Herter, Jan M.; Rhee, Kevin; Berbeco, Ross; Bennett, David G.; Akbay, Esra A.; Kozono, David; Mak, Raymond; Makrigiorgos, Gerassimos; Kimmelman, Alec C.; Wong, Kwok-KinClose resemblance of murine and human trials is essential to achieve the best predictive value of animal-based translational cancer research. Kras-driven genetically engineered mouse models of non-small cell lung cancer faithfully predict the response of human lung cancers to systemic chemotherapy. Due to development of multifocal disease, however, these models have not been usable in studies of outcomes following focal radiotherapy (RT). We report the development of a preclinical platform to deliver state-of-the-art image-guided RT in these models. Presence of a single tumour as usually diagnosed in patients is modelled by confined injection of adenoviral Cre recombinase. Furthermore, three-dimensional conformal planning and state-of-the-art image-guided dose delivery are performed as in humans. We evaluate treatment efficacies of two different radiation regimens and find that Kras-driven tumours can temporarily be stabilized upon RT, whereas additional loss of either Lkb1 or p53 renders these lesions less responsive to RT.Publication The impact of the MYB-NFIB fusion proto-oncogene in vivo(Impact Journals LLC, 2016) Mikse, Oliver R.; Tchaicha, Jeremy H.; Akbay, Esra A.; Chen, Liang; Bronson, Roderick; Hammerman, Peter S.; Wong, Kwok-KinRecurrent fusion of the v-myb avian myelobastosis viral oncogene homolog (MYB) and nuclear factor I/B (NFIB) generates the MYB-NFIB transcription factor, which has been detected in a high percentage of individuals with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). To understand the functional role of this fusion protein in carcinogenesis, we generated a conditional mutant transgenic mouse that expresses MYB-NFIB along with p53 mutation in tissues that give rise to ACC: mammary tissue, salivary glands, or systemically in the whole body. Expression of the oncogene in mammary tissue resulted in hyperplastic glands that developed into adenocarcinoma in 27.3% of animals. Systemic expression of the MYB-NFIB fusion caused more rapid development of this breast phenotype, but mice died due to abnormal proliferation in the glomerular compartment of the kidney, which led to development of glomerulonephritis. These findings suggest the MYB-NFIB fusion is oncogenic and treatments targeting this transcription factor may lead to therapeutic responses in ACC patients.Publication Kinase Domain Activation of FGFR2 Yields High-Grade Lung Adenocarcinoma Sensitive to a Pan-FGFR Inhibitor in a Mouse Model of NSCLC(American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2014) Tchaicha, J. H.; Akbay, Esra A.; Altabef, A.; Mikse, O. R.; Kikuchi, E.; Rhee, K.; Liao, R; Bronson, Roderick; Sholl, Lynette; Meyerson, Matthew; Hammerman, Peter S.; Wong, Kwok-KinSomatic mutations in Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) are present in 4-5% of patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Amplification and mutations in FGFR genes have been identified in patients with NSCLC and clinical trials are testing the efficacy of anti-FGFR therapies. FGFR2 and other FGFR kinase family gene alterations have been found in both lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma though mouse models of FGFR driven lung cancers have not been reported. Here, we generated a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM) of NSCLC driven by a kinase domain mutation in FGFR2. Combined with p53 ablation, primary grade III/IV adenocarcinoma was induced in the lung epithelial compartment exhibiting locally invasive and pleiotropic tendencies largely made up of multinucleated cells. Tumors were acutely sensitive to pan-FGFR inhibition. This is the first FGFR2-driven lung cancer GEMM, which can be applied across different cancer indications in a preclinical setting.Publication Lkb1 inactivation drives lung cancer lineage switching governed by Polycomb Repressive Complex 2(Nature Publishing Group, 2017) Zhang, Haikuo; Fillmore Brainson, Christine; Koyama, Shohei; Redig, Amanda J; Chen, Ting; Li, Shuai; Gupta, Manav; Garcia-de-Alba, Carolina; Paschini, Margherita; Herter-Sprie, Grit S.; Lu, Gang; Zhang, Xin; Marsh, Bryan P.; Tuminello, Stephanie J.; Xu, Chunxiao; Chen, Zhao; Wang, Xiaoen; Akbay, Esra A.; Zheng, Mei; Palakurthi, Sangeetha; Sholl, Lynette; Rustgi, Anil K.; Kwiatkowski, David; Diehl, J Alan; Bass, Adam; Sharpless, Norman E.; Dranoff, Glenn; Hammerman, Peter S.; Ji, Hongbin; Bardeesy, Nabeel; Saur, Dieter; Watanabe, Hideo; Kim, Carla; Wong, Kwok-KinAdenosquamous lung tumours, which are extremely poor prognosis, may result from cellular plasticity. Here, we demonstrate lineage switching of KRAS+ lung adenocarcinomas (ADC) to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) through deletion of Lkb1 (Stk11) in autochthonous and transplant models. Chromatin analysis reveals loss of H3K27me3 and gain of H3K27ac and H3K4me3 at squamous lineage genes, including Sox2, ΔNp63 and Ngfr. SCC lesions have higher levels of the H3K27 methyltransferase EZH2 than the ADC lesions, but there is a clear lack of the essential Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) subunit EED in the SCC lesions. The pattern of high EZH2, but low H3K27me3 mark, is also prevalent in human lung SCC and SCC regions within ADSCC tumours. Using FACS-isolated populations, we demonstrate that bronchioalveolar stem cells and club cells are the likely cells-of-origin for SCC transitioned tumours. These findings shed light on the epigenetics and cellular origins of lineage-specific lung tumours.Publication Adaptive resistance to therapeutic PD-1 blockade is associated with upregulation of alternative immune checkpoints(Nature Publishing Group, 2016) Koyama, Shohei; Akbay, Esra A.; Li, Yvonne Y.; Herter-Sprie, Grit S.; Buczkowski, Kevin A.; Richards, William G.; Gandhi, Leena; Redig, Amanda J.; Rodig, Scott J.; Asahina, Hajime; Jones, Robert E.; Kulkarni, Meghana M.; Kuraguchi, Mari; Palakurthi, Sangeetha; Fecci, Peter E.; Johnson, Bruce; Janne, Pasi; Engelman, Jeffrey A; Gangadharan, Sidhu; Costa, Daniel; Freeman, Gordon; Bueno, Raphael; Hodi, F. Stephen; Dranoff, Glenn; Wong, Kwok-Kin; Hammerman, Peter S.Despite compelling antitumour activity of antibodies targeting the programmed death 1 (PD-1): programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint in lung cancer, resistance to these therapies has increasingly been observed. In this study, to elucidate mechanisms of adaptive resistance, we analyse the tumour immune microenvironment in the context of anti-PD-1 therapy in two fully immunocompetent mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma. In tumours progressing following response to anti-PD-1 therapy, we observe upregulation of alternative immune checkpoints, notably T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (TIM-3), in PD-1 antibody bound T cells and demonstrate a survival advantage with addition of a TIM-3 blocking antibody following failure of PD-1 blockade. Two patients who developed adaptive resistance to anti-PD-1 treatment also show a similar TIM-3 upregulation in blocking antibody-bound T cells at treatment failure. These data suggest that upregulation of TIM-3 and other immune checkpoints may be targetable biomarkers associated with adaptive resistance to PD-1 blockade.Publication Activation of the PD-1 Pathway Contributes to Immune Escape in EGFR-Driven Lung Tumors(American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), 2013) Akbay, Esra A.; Koyama, S.; Carretero, J.; Altabef, A.; Tchaicha, J. H.; Christensen, Camilla; Mikse, O. R.; Cherniack, Andrew; Beauchamp, Ellen; Pugh, Trevor J.; Wilkerson, M. D.; Fecci, Peter; Butaney, M.; Reibel, J. B.; Soucheray, M.; Cohoon, T. J.; Janne, Pasi; Meyerson, Matthew; Hayes, D. N.; Shapiro, Geoffrey; Shimamura, Takeshi; Sholl, Lynette; Rodig, Scott; Freeman, Gordon; Hammerman, Peter S.; Dranoff, Glenn; Wong, Kwok-KinThe success in lung cancer therapy with Programmed Death (PD)-1 blockade suggests that immune escape mechanisms contribute to lung tumor pathogenesis. We identified a correlation between Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) pathway activation and a signature of immunosuppression manifested by upregulation of PD-1, PD-L1, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), and multiple tumor-promoting inflammatory cytokines. We observed decreased cytotoxic T cells and increased markers of T cell exhaustion in mouse models of EGFR-driven lung cancer. PD-1 antibody blockade improved the survival of mice with EGFR-driven adenocarcinomas by enhancing effector T cell function and lowering the levels of tumor-promoting cytokines. Expression of mutant EGFR in bronchial epithelial cells induced PD-L1, and PD-L1 expression was reduced by EGFR inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines with activated EGFR. These data suggest that oncogenic EGFR signaling remodels the tumor microenvironment to trigger immune escape, and mechanistically link treatment response to PD-1 inhibition.