The role of anlotinib-mediated EGFR blockade in a positive feedback loop of CXCL11-EGF-EGFR signalling in anaplastic thyroid cancer angiogenesis

Background Hypoxia-induced angiogenesis functions importantly in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) progression. However, the therapeutic potential of broad-spectrum anti-angiogenic agent remains undefined. Anlotinib conventionally targets VEGFR, FGFR and PDGFR. Here, a novel role of anlotinib on ATC angiogenesis was illustrated. Methods Molecular expressions were established via tissue microarray. Multiple assays (tubule formation, 3D sprouting and chicken chorioallantoic membrane model) were used for angiogenic evaluation. Panels of molecular screening were achieved by antibody and PCR arrays. The loop binding motif of EGFR for homology modelling was prepared using Maestro. Results Anlotinib could dose- and time-dependently inhibit cell viability under normoxia and hypoxia and could repress hypoxia-activated angiogenesis more efficiently in vitro and in vivo. CXCL11 and phospho-EGFR were hypoxia-upregulated with a positive correlation. The cancer-endothelium crosstalk could be mediated by the positive CXCL11-EGF-EGFR feedback loop, which could be blocked by anlotinib directly targeting EGFR via a dual mechanism by simultaneous inhibitory effects on cancer and endothelial cells. The AKT-mTOR pathway was involved in this regulatory network. Conclusions The newly identified CXCL11-EGF-EGFR signalling provided mechanistic insight into the interaction between cancer and endothelial cells under hypoxia, and EGFR was a novel target. Anlotinib may be the encouraging therapeutic candidate in ATC.