1. Cooperative Hedgehog-EGFR signaling
- Author
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Markus Eberl, Fritz Aberger, Andrea Loipetzberger, Daniela Kern, and Doris Mangelberger
- Subjects
MAP Kinase Signaling System ,Druggability ,Models, Biological ,Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Neoplasms ,Medicine ,Humans ,Hedgehog Proteins ,Epidermal growth factor receptor ,Autocrine signalling ,Hedgehog ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,business.industry ,JAK-STAT signaling pathway ,Cancer ,medicine.disease ,3. Good health ,Cell biology ,ErbB Receptors ,Hes3 signaling axis ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,Cancer research ,biology.protein ,Signal transduction ,business ,Signal Transduction ,Transcription Factors - Abstract
It has been known for many years that cooperative interactions between oncogenes (e.g. RAS, MYC, BCL2) can fuel cancer growth (1-5), but the restricted druggability of many of those interacting cancer genes has hampered translation of combined targeting to medical cancer therapy. The identification and characterization of cooperative cancer signaling pathways amenable to medical therapy is therefore a crucial step towards the establishment of efficient targeted combination treatments urgently needed to improve cancer therapy. Here we review recent findings of our group and colleagues on the molecular mechanisms of cooperative Hedgehog/GLI and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) signaling, two clinically relevant oncogenic pathways involved in the development of many human malignancies. We also discuss the possible implications of these findings for the design of a therapeutic regimen relying on combined targeting of key effectors of both pathways.
- Published
- 2011