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Blocking the PI3K/PKB pathway in tumor cells

Frédéric Stauffer1, Philipp Holzer, Carlos García-Echeverría

  • 1Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, WKL-136.4.84, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland.

Current Medicinal Chemistry. Anti-Cancer Agents
|September 24, 2005
PubMed

Insights

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway is crucial in human cancers. Research focuses on developing drugs to target this pathway and its components for cancer therapy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

  • The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) pathway plays a significant role in human cancer biology.
  • Deregulation of this signaling cascade is observed across various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on PI3K/PKB pathway alterations in cancer cells.
  • To discuss ongoing drug discovery efforts targeting the PI3K/PKB pathway for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental and epidemiological studies.
  • Focus on medicinal chemistry strategies for developing kinase inhibitors.

Main Results:

  • The PI3K/PKB pathway is frequently deregulated in human cancers.
  • Numerous anti-cancer therapeutic programs are investigating agents to block this pathway.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting the PI3K/PKB pathway is a key strategy in cancer drug discovery.
  • Medicinal chemistry is vital for developing compounds that modulate key kinase activities within this pathway.

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