AKT1 E17K in colorectal carcinoma is associated with BRAF V600E but not MSI-H status: A clinicopathologic comparison to PIK3CA helical and kinase domain mutants Journal Article


Authors: Hechtman, J. F.; Sadowska, J.; Huse, J. T.; Borsu, L.; Yaeger, R.; Shia, J.; Vakiani, E.; Ladanyi, M.; Arcila, M. E.
Article Title: AKT1 E17K in colorectal carcinoma is associated with BRAF V600E but not MSI-H status: A clinicopathologic comparison to PIK3CA helical and kinase domain mutants
Abstract: The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is activated through multiple mechanisms in colorectal carcinoma. Here, the clinicopathologic and molecular features of AKT1 E17K-mutated colorectal carcinoma in comparison with PIK3CA-mutated colorectal carcinoma are described in detail. Interestingly, in comparison with PIK3CA mutants, AKT1 E17K was significantly associated with mucinous morphology and concurrent BRAF V600E mutation. Among PIK3CA mutants, exon 21 mutations were significantly associated with BRAF V600E mutation, MSI-H status, and poor differentiation, while exon 10 mutations were associated with KRAS/NRAS mutations. Three of four AKT1 mutants with data from both primary and metastatic lesions had concordant AKT1 mutation status in both. Both AKT1- and PIK3CA-mutant colorectal carcinoma demonstrated frequent loss of PTEN expression (38% and 34%, respectively) and similar rates of p-PRAS 40 expression (63% and 50%, respectively). Both patients with AKT1 E17K alone had primary resistance to cetuximab, whereas 7 of 8 patients with PIK3CA mutation alone experienced tumor shrinkage or stability with anti-EGFR therapy. These results demonstrate that AKT1 E17K mutation in advanced colorectal carcinoma is associated with mucinous morphology, PIK3CA wild-type status, and concurrent RAS/RAF mutations with similar pattern to PIK3CA exon 21 mutants. Thus, AKT1 E17K mutations contribute to primary resistance to cetuximab and serve as an actionable alteration. Implications: This first systematic study of AKT1 and PIK3CA hotspot mutations and their association with cetuximab resistance and BRAF V600E mutation has important ramifications for the development of personalized medicine, particularly in identifying patient candidates for PI3K or AKT inhibitors. © 2015 American Association for Cancer Research.
Keywords: adult; aged; unclassified drug; major clinical study; exon; missense mutation; histopathology; fluorouracil; cancer radiotherapy; cetuximab; cancer resistance; irinotecan; colorectal carcinoma; folinic acid; liver resection; mutation rate; k ras protein; floxuridine; dna extraction; phosphotransferase; mismatch repair protein; b raf kinase; genomic dna; yttrium 90; genotyping technique; human; male; female; priority journal; article; akt1 e17k protein; phosphoinositide 3 kinase ca protein
Journal Title: Molecular Cancer Research
Volume: 13
Issue: 6
ISSN: 1541-7786
Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research  
Date Published: 2015-06-01
Start Page: 1003
End Page: 1008
Language: English
DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-15-0062-t
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 25714871
PMCID: PMC4978128
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 2 November 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Marc Ladanyi
    1328 Ladanyi
  2. Jinru Shia
    720 Shia
  3. Rona Denit Yaeger
    316 Yaeger
  4. Jason T Huse
    143 Huse
  5. Maria Eugenia Arcila
    657 Arcila
  6. Efsevia Vakiani
    264 Vakiani
  7. Jaclyn Frances Hechtman
    212 Hechtman