Experimental Oncology Group

Mariano Barbacid Group Leader
T +34 912246933 (Ext 4000)
mbarbacid@cnio.es

Staff Scientists

Sara García
Carmen Guerra

Post-Doctoral Fellows

Carolina Villarroya

Graduate Students

Gonzalo María Aizpurua
Oksana Brehey
Laura De la Puente
Sara Barrambana
Fernando Fernández
Ana María Fernández
Vasiliki Liaki
Lucía Morales
Pian Sun

Technicians

Rebeca Barrero
Mª Carmen González
Patricia Teresa Guerra
Silvia Jiménez
Alejandra López
Marta San Román
Raquel Villar

We recently demonstrated that ablation of RAF1 induces significant levels of tumour regression in mice bearing lung adenocarcinomas induced by KRas/Tp53 mutations. We observed similar results in mice bearing pancreatic tumours providing that RAF1 ablation is combined with elimination of the EGF Receptor. We are now attempting to translate these observations to a pharmacological scenario. Unfortunately, none of the available putative RAF1 inhibitors has shown antitumour activity in the clinic. Therefore, we decided to interrogate by genetic means the best strategy to block RAF1 activity. Unexpectedly, expression of 2 kinase dead isoforms of RAF1 failed to exhibit therapeutic activity, indicating that RAF1 does not contribute to tumour development via its kinase activity. Hence, pharmacological targeting of RAF1 will require the use of other strategies such as the use of degrons, small chemotypes capable of inducing the degradation of their target proteins.

The KRAS locus encodes 2 protein isoforms, KRAS4A and KRAS4B, which differ in intracellular trafficking and location in the plasma membrane. KRAS mutations in human cancer affect both protein isoforms. Efforts to selectively target the KRAS4B isoform are under development. We have observed that expression of the endogenous KRAS4A mutant oncoprotein is sufficient to induce lung adenocarcinomas. Hence, effective therapeutic strategies against KRAS mutant tumours must take into account inhibition of both protein isoforms.

Publications

García-Alonso S, Mesa P, Ovejero LP, Aizpurua G, Lechuga CG, Zarzuela E, Santiveri CM, Sanclemente M, Muñoz J, Musteanu M, Campos-Olivas R, Martínez-Torrecuadrada J, Barbacid M, Montoya G. (2022). Structure of the RAF1-HSP90-CDC37 complex reveals the basis of RAF1 regulation. Mol Cell 82, 3438-3452. CNIO Publication.
Diego-González L, Fernández-Carrera A, Igea A, Martínez-Pérez A, Real Oliveira MECD, Gomes AC, Guerra C, Barbacid M, González-Fernández Á, Simón-Vázquez R (2022). Combined Inhibition of FOSL-1 and YAP Using siRNA-Lipoplexes Reduces the Growth of Pancreatic Tumor. Cancers 14, 3102. CNIO Publication.
Drosten M, Barbacid M. (2022). KRAS inhibitors: Going non-covalent.. Mol Oncol 16, 3911-3915. CNIO Publication.
Paniagua G, Jacob HKC, Brehey O, García-Alonso S, Lechuga CG, Pons T, Musteanu M, Guerra C, Drosten M, Barbacid M. (2022). KSR induces RAS-independent MAPK pathway activation and modulates the efficacy of KRAS inhibitors. Mol Oncol 16, 3066-3081. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Sanclemente M, Nieto P, Garcia-Alonso S, Fernández-García F, Esteban-Burgos L, Guerra C, Drosten M, Caleiras E, Martinez-Torrecuadrada J, Santamaría D, Musteanu M, Barbacid M (2021). RAF1 kinase activity is dispensable for KRAS/p53 mutant lung tumor progression.. Cancer Cell 39, 294-296. CNIO Publication.
Assi M, Achouri Y, Loriot A, Dauguet N, Dahou H, Baldan J, Libert M, Fain JS, Guerra C, Bouwens L, Barbacid M, Lemaigre FP, Jacquemin P (2021). Dynamic Regulation of Expression of KRAS and Its Effectors Determines the Ability to Initiate Tumorigenesis in Pancreatic Acinar Cells. Cancer Res 81, 2679-2689. CNIO Publication.
Salmón M, Paniagua G, Lechuga CG, Fernández-García F, Zarzuela E, Álvarez-Díaz R, Musteanu M, Guerra C, Caleiras E, Muñoz J, Ortega S, Drosten M, Barbacid M (2021). KRAS4A induces metastatic lung adenocarcinomas in vivo in the absence of the KRAS4B isoform. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 118, e2023112118. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Rosigkeit S, Kruchem M, Thies D, Kreft A, Eichler E, Boegel S, Jansky S, Siegl D, Kaps L, Pickert G, Haehnel P, Kindler T, Hartwig UF, Guerra C, Barbacid M, Schuppan D, Bockamp E. (2021). Definitive evidence for Club cells as progenitors for mutant Kras/Trp53-deficient lung cancer. Int J Cancer 149, 1670-1682. CNIO Publication.
Drosten M, Barbacid M (2021). Targeting KRAS mutant lung cancer: light at the end of the tunnel.. Mol Oncol (in press). CNIO Publication. Open Access
Köhler J, Zhao Y, Li J, Gokhale PC, Tiv HL, Knott AR, Wilkens MK, Soroko KM, Lin M, Ambrogio C, Musteanu M, Ogino A, Choi J, Bahcall M, Bertram AA, Chambers ES, Paweletz CP, Bhagwat SV, Manro JR, Tiu RV, Jänne PA (2021). ERK inhibitor LY3214996-based treatment strategies for RAS-driven lung cancer.. Mol Cancer Ther 20, 641-654. CNIO Publication.
Lechuga CG, Salmón M, Paniagua G, Guerra C, Barbacid M, Drosten M (2021). RASless MEFs as a Tool to Study RAS-Dependent and RAS-Independent Functions. Methods Mol Biol 2262, 335-346. CNIO Publication.
Drosten M, Barbacid M (2020). Targeting the MAPK Pathway in KRAS-Driven Tumors.. Cancer Cell 37, 543-550. CNIO Publication.
Esteban-Burgos L, Wang H, Nieto P, Zheng J, Blanco-Aparicio C, Varela C, Gómez-López G, Fernández-García F, Sanclemente M, Guerra C, Drosten M, Galán J, Caleiras E, Martínez-Torrecuadrada J, Fajas L, Peng SB, Santamaría D, Musteanu M, Barbacid M (2020). Tumor regression and resistance mechanisms upon CDK4 and RAF1 inactivation in KRAS/P53 mutant lung adenocarcinomas. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117, 24415-24426. CNIO Publication.
Vitos-Faleato J, Real SM, Gutierrez-Prat N, Villanueva A, Llonch E, Drosten M, Barbacid M, Nebreda AR (2020). Requirement for epithelial p38? in KRAS-driven lung tumor progression.. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117, 2588-2596. CNIO Publication.
Nokin MJ, Darbo E, Travert C, Drogat B, Lacouture A, San José S, Cabrera N, Turcq B, Prouzet-Mauleon V, Falcone M, Villanueva A, Wang H, Herfs M, Mosteiro M, Jänne PA, Pujol JL, Maraver A, Barbacid M, Nadal E, Santamaría D, Ambrogio C (2020). Inhibition of DDR1 enhances in vivo chemosensitivity in KRAS-mutant lung adenocarcinoma. JCI Insight 5, 137869. CNIO Publication.
Yao Z, Gao Y, Su W, Yaeger R, Tao J, Na N, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Rymar A, Tao A, Timaul NM, Mcgriskin R, Outmezguine NA, Zhao H, Chang Q, Qeriqi B, Barbacid M, de Stanchina E, Hyman DM, Bollag G, Rosen N (2019). RAF inhibitor PLX8394 selectively disrupts BRAF dimers and RAS-independent BRAF-mutant-driven signaling. Nat Med 25, 284-291. CNIO Publication.
Blasco MT, Navas C, Martín-Serrano G, Graña-Castro O, Lechuga CG, Martín-Díaz L, Djurec M, Li Jing, Morales-Cacho L, Esteban-Burgos L, Perales-Patón J, Bousquet-Mur E, Castellano E, Jacob Harrys KC, Cabras L, Mustenau M, Drosten M, Ortega S, Mulero F, Sainz B, Dusetti N, Iovanna J, Sánchez-Bueno F, Hidalgo M, Khiabanian H, Hidalgo M, Rabadán R, Al-Shahrour F, Guerra C, Barbacid M (2019). Complete Regression of Advanced Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinomas upon Combined Inhibition of EGFR and C-RAF. Cancer Cell 35, 573-587. CNIO Publication.
Barbacid M (2019). On the right TRK: from oncogene discovery to cancer therapeutics. Ann Oncol 30, viii3-viii4. CNIO Publication.
Quilichini E, Fabre M, Dirami T, Stedman A, De Vas M, Ozguc O, Pasek RC, Cereghini S, Morillon L, Guerra C, Couvelard A, Gannon M, Haumaitre C (2019). Pancreatic ductal deletion of Hnf1b disrupts exocrine homeostasis, leads to pancreatitis and facilitates tumorigenesis.. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 8, 487-511. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Moll HP, Mohrherr J, Blaas L, Musteanu M, Stiedl P, Grabner B, Zboray K, König M, Stoiber D, Rülicke T, Strehl S, Eferl R, Casanova E (2019). A Mouse Model to Assess STAT3 and STAT5A/B Combined Inhibition in Health and Disease Conditions. Cancers 11, E1226. CNIO Publication. Open Access
García-Gutiérrez L, Bretones G, Molina E, Arechaga I, Symonds C, Acosta JC, Blanco R, Fernández A, Alonso L, Sicinski P, Barbacid M, Santamaría D, León (2019). Myc stimulates cell cycle progression through the activation of Cdk1 and phosphorylation of p27. Sci Rep 9, 18693. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Cussó L, Musteanu M, Mulero F, Barbacid M, Desco M (2019). Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on [18F]FDG-PET Imaging in a Mouse Model of Lung Cancer. Mol Imaging Biol 21, 279-285. CNIO Publication.
Y. Gao, M. Chang, D. McKay, N. Na, B. Zhou, R. Yaeger, N. Torres, K. Muniz, M. Drosten, M. Barbacid, G. Caponigro, D. Stuart, H. Möbitz, D. Solit, O. Abdel-Wahab, B. Taylor, Z. Yao, and N. Rosen (2018). Allele-specific mechanisms of activation of MEK1 mutants determine their properties. Cancer Discovery 8, 648-651. CNIO Publication.
Sanclemente M, Francoz S, Esteban-Burgos L, Bousquet-Mur E, Djurec M, Lopez-Casas PP, Hidalgo M, Guerra C, Drosten M, Musteanu M, Barbacid M (2018). c-RAF Ablation Induces Regression of Advanced Kras/Trp53 Mutant Lung Adenocarcinomas by a Mechanism Independent of MAPK Signaling. Cancer Cell 33, 217-228. CNIO Publication.
Moll HP, Pranz K, Musteanu M, Grabner B, Hruschka N, Mohrherr J, Aigner P, Stiedl P, Brcic L, Laszlo V, Schramek D, Moriggl R, Eferl R, Moldvay J, Dezso K, Lopez-Casas PP, Stoiber D, Hidalgo M, Penninger J, Sibilia M, Gyorffy B, Barbacid M, Dome B, Popper H, Casanova E (2018). Afatinib restrains K-RAS driven lung tumorigenesis. Sci Transl Med 10, 446. CNIO Publication.
Djurec M, Graña O, Lee A, Troulé K, Espinet E, Cabras L, Navas C, Blasco MT, Martín-Díaz L, Burdiel M, Li J, Liu Z, Vallespinós M, Sanchez-Bueno F, Sprick MR, Trumpp A, Sainz B Jr., Al-Shahrour F, Rabadan R, Guerra C, Barbacid M (2018). Saa3 is a key mediator of the protumorigenic properties of cancer-associated fibroblasts in pancreatic tumors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115, E1147-E1156. CNIO Publication.
Orozco CA, Martinez-Bosch N, Guerrero PE, Vinaixa J, Iglesias M, Moreno M, Djurec M, Poirier F, Gabius HJ, Fernandez-Zapico M, Hwang RF, Guerra C, Rabinovich G and Navarro P (2018). Targeting galectin-1 inhibits pancreatic cancer progression by interrupting tumor-stroma cross-talk. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115, E3769-E3778. CNIO Publication.
Sonntag R, Giebeler N, Nevzorova YA, Bangen JM, Fahrenkamp D, Lambertz D, Haas U, Hu W, Gassler N, Cubero FJ, Müller-Newen G, Abdallah AT, Weiskirchen R, Ticconi F, Costa IG, Barbacid M, Trautwein C, Liedtke C (2018). Cyclin E1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 are critical for initiation, but not for progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115, 9282-9287. CNIO Publication.
Mayor-Ruiz C, Olbrich T, Drosten M, Lecona E, Vega-Sendino M, Ortega S, Dominguez O, Barbacid M, Ruiz S, Fernandez-Capetillo O (2018). ERF deletion rescues RAS deficiency in mouse embryonic stem cells. Genes Dev 32, 568-576. CNIO Publication. Open Access
Drosten M, Guerra C, Barbacid M (2018). Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of K-Ras-Driven Lung and Pancreatic Tumors: Validation of Therapeutic Targets. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 8, a031542. CNIO Publication.
Cussó L, Musteanu M, Mulero F, Barbacid M, Desco M (2018). Effects of a Ketogenic Diet on [18F]FDG-PET Imaging in a Mouse Model of Lung Cancer. Mol Imaging Biol 21, 279-285. CNIO Publication.
Simón-Carrasco L, Jiménez G, Barbacid M, Drosten M (2018). The Capicua tumor suppressor: a gatekeeper of Ras signaling in development and cancer. Cell Cycle 17, 702-711. CNIO Publication.