PNNL

Abstract

The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER/ErbB) system comprises the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1) and three other homologues viz. HERs2-4. This receptor system plays a critical role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Over-expression of these receptors can be associated with poor prognosis in cancers of the epithelium. It is believed that the dimerization pattern among members of the HER family may play a key role in controlling downstream signaling and the eventual biological response. Here, we examine the effect of co-expressing varying levels of HERs1-3 on the receptor dimerization patterns using mathematical modeling. The model integrates biochemical reactions such as ligand binding, receptor dimerization and phosphorylation with biophysical trafficking reactions to predict the concentrations of activated receptors in various cellular compartments. Our results indicate that co-expression of EGFR with HER2 or HER3 biases signaling to the cell surface and retards signal down-regulation. In addition, simultaneous co-expression of HERs1-3 leads to preferential formation of HER2-HER3 heterodimers, which are known to be potent inducers of cell growth and transformation. We further examined the effect of receptor dimerization patterns on cell phenotype using a simple phenomenological model. Results indicate that co-expression of HER2 and HER3 at low to moderate levels may enable cells to match the phenotype of a high HER2 expresser.