Phospholipase A2 expression in tumours: a target for therapeutic intervention?
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Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Assessing Cellular Target Engagement by SHP2 (PTPN11) Phosphatase Inhibitors
Published on: July 17, 2020
Jonathan P Laye1, Jason H Gill
1Cancer Research UK Laboratories, Tom Connors Cancer Research Centre, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DP, UK.
Abstract:
Phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) enzymes are involved in lipid metabolism and, as such, are central to several cellular processes. The different PLA(2)s identified to date can be classified into three groups: secreted PLA(2) (sPLA(2)), calcium-independent PLA(2) (iPLA(2)) and calcium-dependent cytosolic PLA(2) (cPLA(2)). In addition to their role in cellular signalling, PLA(2)s have been implicated in diverse pathological conditions, including inflammation, tissue repair and cancer. Elevated levels of sPLA(2) and cPLA(2) have been reported in several tumour types. Here, we summarize the current views on the PLA(2)s, and look at their expression, role in human malignancy and potential as targets for anticancer drug development.
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