We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Understanding EGFR Signaling Networks May Lead to New Cancer Treatments

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 20 Jun 2012
Cancer researchers have shown that a combination of drugs already approved by the [US] Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could block the oncogenic activity of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and restore drug sensitivity in advanced cases of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma.

EGFR activation is both a key molecular driver of cancer progression and the target of a broad class of molecular agents designed to treat advanced forms of the disease. More...
Nevertheless, drug resistance develops through several mechanisms, including activation of AKT signaling. AKT, also known as protein kinase B (PKB), is a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase that plays a key role in multiple cellular processes such as glucose metabolism, apoptosis, cell proliferation, transcription, and cell migration.

Investigators at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH, USA) and colleagues at Mount Sinai School of Medicine (New York, NY, USA) characterized the downstream mediators of EGFR signaling in order to develop new classes of targeted molecular therapies to treat resistant forms of cancer.

They reported in the June 1, 2012, online edition of the Journal of Clinical Investigation that they had identified a transcriptional network involving the tumor suppressor proteins Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1). KLF6 and FOXO1 are tumor suppressor genes that are turned off in actively growing cancer cells.

Working with both cell culture and xenograft models of lung adenocarcinoma, the investigators showed that the use of the FDA-approved drug trifluoperazine hydrochloride (a medication used to treat schizophrenia), which had been shown to inhibit FOXO1 nuclear export, restored sensitivity to AKT-driven erlotinib (a targeted cancer drug) resistance through modulation of the KLF6/FOXO1 signaling cascade.

“Because of the financial constraints and length of time it takes to bring new drugs through clinical trials, scientists are moving toward using existing drugs in new ways so that the process of translating the discoveries of today into the treatments of tomorrow can be accelerated,” said senior author Dr. Goutham Narla, assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

Results of this study highlight the central importance of defining key signaling networks in cancer and the potential use of this information to identify clinically relevant modulators of treatment response.

Related Links:

Case Western Reserve University
Mount Sinai School of Medicine



New
Gold Member
Cardiovascular Risk Test
Metabolic Syndrome Array I & II
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Human Estradiol Assay
Human Estradiol CLIA Kit
New
Capillary Blood Collection Tube
IMPROMINI M3
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The ONC IN-CYT platform leverages cross indication biomarker cyto-signatures (Photo courtesy of OraLiva)

AI-Powered Cytology Tool Detects Early Signs of Oral Cancer

Each year, 54,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer, yet only 28% of cases are identified at an early stage, when the five-year survival rate exceeds 85%. Most diagnoses occur in later stages, when... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: PD-1 protein blockade is the standard treatment for advanced melanoma among the different types of immunotherapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Precision Tool Predicts Immunotherapy Treatment Failure in Melanoma Patients

Melanoma, though accounting for only about 4% of skin tumors, is the deadliest form of skin cancer due to its high potential to metastasize. While immunotherapy, especially PD-1 protein blockade, has revolutionized... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Novel Method To Analyze Tumor Growth Rates Helps Tracks Progression Between Diagnosis and Surgery

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often worry about how quickly their tumors grow while they wait for surgery, and whether delays in treatment might allow the disease to spread beyond the point of cure.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.