# Investigation of CXCR7 signaling in EGFR TKI resistant NSCLC

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2022 · $351,825

## Abstract

Although EGFR-targeted therapy significantly prolongs the survival of NSCLC patients with EGFR
kinase domain activating mutations, acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)
poses a significant clinical problem. Recent clinical studies demonstrated that an increasing
number of these resistant NSCLCs undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT); however,
the molecular basis of acquired EGFR TKI with an EMT phenotype remains elusive. Consequently,
patients with the acquired resistance do not benefit from effective therapies. We have
demonstrated that the inhibition of mutant EGFR in NSCLC promotes TGFβ1-mediated EMT. In
patient specimens, C-X-C chemokine receptor type 7 (CXCR7) is significantly upregulated in
acquired EGFR TKI resistant NSCLC cells with an EMT phenotype. Prolonged depletion of
CXCR7 with shRNA in the resistant cells not only restores epithelial phenotype but also sensitivity
to EGFR TKIs. Our central hypothesis is that CXCR7 is a novel therapeutic target which
promotes an EMT phenotype in EGFRmutant NSCLC and provides alternate survival/proliferation
pathways when mutated-EGFR is inhibited. The overall objective is to determine the mechanism
by which CXCR7 promotes EMT and thus resistance to EGFR TKI and determine whether CXCR7
is a superior drug target for NSCLC therapy. In Aim 1, we will determine the mechanism by which
CXCR7 promotes survival of EGFR TKI resistant NSCLC. For this aim, we will investigate if a
ligand activation of CXCR7 is required for the engagement of the resistant phenotype. Additionally,
we will evaluate therapeutic approaches using in vitro and in vivo models to suppress CXCR7
signaling to specifically target EMT-associated NSCLC cells with EGFR-TKI resistance. In Aim 2,
we will determine mechanisms responsible for EMT regulation by CXCR7 in NSCLC. To this end,
we will investigate how CXCR7 activates downstream transcription factors to support EMT in
EGFR mutant NSCLC by using genomics and proteomics approaches, cell culture and
complementary transgenic murine EGFR mutant NSCLC models. In Aim 3, we will determine the
therapeutic efficacy of targeting CXCR7 to eliminate EGFR TKI resistant cells with EMT. For this
aim, we will investigate if EGFR TKI resistant cells with an EMT phenotype emerge through
evolution from drug tolerant cells with increase expression of CXCR7 using PDX models and
CXCR7 inhibitors. The results obtained from this proposal will facilitate the discovery of prognostic
and therapeutic tools to inhibit CXCR7 expression leading to EGFR TKI resistance, to prevent the
induction of EMT upon EGFR inhibition, and to provide a rationale to stratify NSCLC patients who
become refractory to EGFR TKI with mesenchymal biomarkers for CXCR7-targeted therapeutics.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10465175
- **Project number:** 5R01CA230778-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Takeshi Shimamura
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $351,825
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-05 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10465175

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10465175, Investigation of CXCR7 signaling in EGFR TKI resistant NSCLC (5R01CA230778-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10465175. Licensed CC0.

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