ABL Kinases Regulate Translation in HER2+ Cells through Y-Box-Binding Protein 1 to Facilitate Colonization of the Brain McKernan et al
Description
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2/ERBB2) breast cancer patients often present with brain metastasis. HER2-targeted therapies have not been successful to treat brain metastases in part due to poor blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetrance and emergence of resistance. Here we report that ABL kinase allosteric inhibitors improve overall survival and impair HER2+ brain metastatic outgrowth in vivo. Mechanistically, ABL kinases phosphorylate the RNA binding protein Y-box-binding protein 1 (YB-1). ABL kinase inhibition disrupts binding of YB-1 to the ERBB2 mRNA and impairs translation, leading to a profound decrease in HER2 protein levels. ABL-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of YB-1 promotes HER2 translation. Notably, loss of YB-1 inhibits brain metastatic outgrowth and impairs expression of a subset of ABL-dependent brain metastatic targets. These data support a role for ABL kinases in the translational regulation of brain metastatic targets through YB-1 and offer a therapeutic target for HER2+ brain metastasis patients.