Abstract 1138: LBH, a novel WNT effector in promoting basal-like breast cancer

Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND: Clinically aggressive basal-like breast cancers (BLBC) disproportionally contribute to cancer deaths, but lack effective treatment options due to absence of expression of key therapeutic targets (ER, PR, HER2). New evidence suggests BLBC may originate from luminal breast epithelial cells through luminal-to-basal cell lineage conversion and dedifferentiation. However, the factors that reprogram cell fate and differentiation states during BLBC development remain poorly understood. Our laboratory has identified a novel WNT/β-Catenin target transcriptional regulator, Limb-Bud-and-Heart (LBH), which is majorly overexpressed in aggressive BLBC harboring WNT hyperactivation. We previously showed in a conditional LBH knockout mouse model in vivo that LBH is a key stem cell and basal lineage regulator in normal mammary gland development. However, it's role in breast cancer remains elusive. Here, we crossed conditional LBH knockout (KO) mice with a mouse model for WNT-driven breast cancer (MMTV-Wnt1) to test if LBH is a critical effector of WNT-driven basaloid breast cancer, and whether its inhibition may affect BLBC tumorigenesis. RESULTS: In our in vivo mouse model, epithelial-specific LBH inactivation using a Keratin 14/K14-Cre significantly attenuated Wnt1-induced mammary gland hyperplasia and delayed tumor onset. Yet, tumor volumes and burden were not changed, indicating that LBH is not essential for WNT-induced tumorigenesis. However, LBH-deficient MMTV-Wnt1-transgenic tumors exhibited pronounced histopathological differences compared to LBH WT MMTV-Wnt1-transgenic tumors. Whereas Wnt1+;K14CreLbh WT tumors were highly vascularized, disorganized, with mixed basal and luminal cell identity; tumors from Wnt1+;K14CreLbh KO mice were more organized, differentiated, and predominantly luminal Keratin 8 positive. We are currently investigating if the attenuated hyperplasia and tumor onset caused by LBH loss may be due to a deficiency in cancer stem cells in this breast cancer model. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that LBH is an essential cell fate regulator downstream of WNT signaling that maintains basal lineage identity and the undifferentiated nature of BLBC. Thus, LBH inhibition may be a novel strategy to reduce the high mortality of BLBC patients through differentiation therapy. Citation Format: Kilan C. Ashad-Bishop, Karoline J. Briegel. LBH, a novel WNT effector in promoting basal-like breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1138.