The abnormal activation of HER family
kinase activity is closely related to the development of human
malignancies. In this study, we used HER
kinases as targets for the treatment of
nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and explored the anti-
tumor effects of the novel pan-HER inhibitor
HM781-36B, alone or in combination with
cisplatin. We found that HER family
proteins were positively expressed in
tumor tissues of some NPC patients, and the high levels of those
proteins were significantly related to poor prognosis.
HM781-36B inhibited NPC in vitro and in vivo.
HM781-36B exerted synergistic effects with
cisplatin on inhibiting proliferation and promoting apoptosis of NPC cells. In NPC xenograft models in nude mice,
HM781-36B and
cisplatin synergistically inhibited
tumor growth. Downregulating the activity of HER family
proteins and their downstream signaling pathways and regulating tumor microenvironment may explain the synergistic anti-
tumor effects of
HM781-36B and
cisplatin. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for HER family
proteins as prognostic
biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for NPC. The pan-HER inhibitor
HM781-36B alone or in combination with
cisplatin represents promising
therapeutic effects for the treatment of NPC patients, which provides a new idea for the comprehensive treatment of NPC.