Receptor tyrosine kinase profiles and human papillomavirus status in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are two distinct entities. We defined the molecular profiles of druggable receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in both groups. Materials and methodsE5 expression and RTK alterations were studied in 17 HPV-positive and 59 HPV-negative formalin-fixed OSCCs. RTK activation was explored in further 12 frozen OSCCs. ResultsThe HPV-positive OSCCs showed E5 expression and 33.3% expressed low level of HER2. The HPV-negative OSCCs showed HER2 expression (31.2%), increased HER2 gene copy number (46.51%, P=0.045) and HER2 activation through HER2/EGFR heterodimerisation; HER3 (51.06%, P=0.008) and neuregulin (65.63%; P=0.03) expression, HER3 activation and HER3/EGFR heterodimerisation; and increased IGF-1R copy number (40.50%, P=0.021), high IGF-1R cDNA values (P= 0.002), IGF-1R activation and expression of IGF1/2 and amphiregulin. PI3KCA mutations/expression/increased gene copy number and PTEN mutations were found in both groups, whereas PTEN gene loss was only observed in the HPV-positive cases. ConclusionHuman papillomavirus-positive and HPV-negative OSCC showed different RTK profiles. In HPV-positive cases, it would be interesting to study the expression of E5, which may modulate EGFR turnover and activate VEGF and PDGFR. In HPV-negative cases, HER3 may be a promising druggable biomarker that deserves further investigation. PI3KCA and PTEN alterations encourage the promising clinical evaluation of PI3K/mTOR inhibitor activity in OSCC, particularly in HPV-positive/PI3KCA-mutated OSCCs because they may be driven by PI3KCA mutation alone.