Methods of detecting Akt3 and administering Ax1 inhibitor
The use of Akt3 as a biomarker for detecting the occurrence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a subject, and the use of Akt3 inhibitors to treat cancer is disclosed herein. Also disclosed are various methods for detecting the occurrence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a subject by measuring Akt3 expression and/or activity.
1. A method of diagnosing and treating breast cancer comprising: (a) obtaining a sample from a subject; (b) detecting a level of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the sample from the subject by contacting the sample with a reagent that specifically binds Akt3 protein or Akt3 mRNA and detecting the expression level of Akt3 in the sample; (c) diagnosing the subject with increased risk of metastatic breast cancer when the level of EMT is increased in the sample as compared to a reference level; and (d) administering an effective amount of an Axl inhibitor to the subject diagnosed with increased risk of metastatic breast cancer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein Akt3 mRNA is detected in step (b).
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein Akt3 mRNA comprises an mRNA encoding the protein of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein Akt3 protein is detected in step (b).
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein Akt3 protein comprises SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Axl inhibitor comprises BGB324/R428.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is a breast tumour cell.
8. A method of treating breast cancer in a subject comprising: contacting a sample from the subject with a reagent that specifically binds Akt3 protein or Akt3 mRNA; detecting the expression level of Akt3 to determine the level of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as compared to a reference level; and administering a therapeutically effective amount of an Axl inhibitor to the subject provided that a sample from the subject has an increased level of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as compared to a reference level.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein Akt3 mRNA is contacted.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein Akt3 mRNA comprises an mRNA encoding the protein of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein Akt3 protein is contacted.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein Akt3 protein comprises SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the Axl inhibitor comprises BGB324/R428.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sample is a breast tumour cell.