c-MET inhibitor inducing KSHV+ primary effusion lymphoma apoptosis

KSHV is a principal causative agent of primary effusion lymphoma (PEL). Despite this knowledge about the close relationship between HGF/c-MET network and solid tumors development, the role of HGF/c-MET in KSHV-related malignancies remains mostly unclear. We report that HGF/c-MET pathway is highly active within KSHV+ PEL cells and plays important role in tumor cell survival/growth. Targeting HGF/c-MET by a selective inhibitor, PF-2341066, significantly induces PEL apoptosis through a complex of underlying mechanisms, including cell-cycle arrest and DNA damage. By using microarray analysis, we have identified the global gene profile controlled by HGF/c-MET pathway within KSHV+ PEL cell-lines and several novel “druggable” candidates closely related to cancer cell survival/growth. Finally, we found that targeting HGF/c-MET pathway by PF-2341066 effectively prevents PEL tumor expansion and/or reduce established lymphoma progression in vivo. PEL cells were treated with vehicle control or c-MET inhibitor PF-2341066 (0.8 µM) for 24 h, and the gene expression signature was compared to respective vehicle controls