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Nature Research, Nature Medicine, 11(22), p. 1314-1320, 2016

DOI: 10.1038/nm.4204

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Recurrent MET fusion genes represent a drug target in pediatric glioblastoma

Journal article published in 2016 by Sebastian Bender, Hans-Jörg Warnatz ORCID, Marina Ryzhova, Susanne Groebner, Florian Weinberg, Dominik Sturm ORCID, Thomas Zichner ORCID, Adrian M. Stutz, Kathrin Schramm, Jan Gronych ORCID, Thomas Risch, Barbara Hutter ORCID, Barbara C. Worst, Cornelis M. van Tilburg, Ursula D. Weber and other authors.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Pediatric glioblastoma is one of the most common and most deadly brain tumors in childhood. Using an integrative genetic analysis of 53 pediatric glioblastomas and five in vitro model systems, we identified previously unidentified gene fusions involving the MET oncogene in similar to 10% of cases. These MET fusions activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and, in cooperation with lesions compromising cell cycle regulation, induced aggressive glial tumors in vivo. MET inhibitors suppressed MET tumor growth in xenograft models. Finally, we treated a pediatric patient bearing a MET-fusion-expressing glioblastoma with the targeted inhibitor crizotinib. This therapy led to substantial tumor shrinkage and associated relief of symptoms, but new treatment-resistant lesions appeared, indicating that combination therapies are likely necessary to achieve a durable clinical response.