Signaling Articles

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone that maintains the structural and functional integrity of various protein clients involved in multiple oncogenic signaling pathways. Hsp90 holds a prominent role in tumorigenesis, as numerous members of its broad clientele are involved in the generation of the hallmark traits of cancer.

It is well known that Src tyrosine kinase, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-IR), and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) play important roles in prostate cancer (PrCa) development and progression.

Renal tumors comprise ~7% of all malignant pediatric tumors. Approximately 90% of pediatric kidney tumors comprise Wilms tumors, and the remaining 10% include clear cell sarcoma of the kidney, malignant rhabdoid tumor of the kidney, renal cell carcinoma and other rare renal tumors.

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. Prostate cancer therapy is severely hampered by lack of response and development of resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic drugs in patients.

Prostate cancer is a highly prevalent form of cancer that is usually slow-developing and benign. Due to its high prevalence, it is, however, still the second most common cause of death by cancer in men in the West.

MicroRNAs are the non-coding RNAs which regulate endogenous gene expression in animal and plant cells. Alterations in the level of micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) involving the deletions, overexpression, mutations, epigenetic silencing, or dysregulation of transcription factors that target specific miRNAs may culminate in various diseases including cancer.

Mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics provides a unique unbiased approach to evaluate signaling network in cancer cells. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib is registered as treatment for patients with renal cell cancer (RCC).

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor TAS-115 that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor MET signaling exhibits antitumor properties in xenografts of human gastric carcinoma.

Upon growth factor stimulation, PAK1 is recruited to the plasma membrane and activated by a mechanism that requires its phosphorylation at Ser-223 by the protein kinase CK2. However, the upstream signaling molecules that regulate this phosphorylation event are not clearly defined.