Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Assessing Cellular Target Engagement by SHP2 (PTPN11) Phosphatase Inhibitors
08:45

Assessing Cellular Target Engagement by SHP2 (PTPN11) Phosphatase Inhibitors

Published on: July 17, 2020

A brake becomes an accelerator: PTP1B--a new therapeutic target for breast cancer

Nicholas K Tonks1, Senthil K Muthuswamy

  • 1Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA. tonks@cshl.edu

Cancer Cell
|March 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B, known for regulating insulin and leptin, also promotes breast cancer growth. PTP1B inhibitors, developed for diabetes and obesity, may offer new breast cancer treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a key regulator of insulin and leptin signaling pathways.
  • PTP1B's established role in metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity is well-documented.
  • Emerging evidence suggests PTP1B may have functions beyond metabolic regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of PTP1B in breast cancer development.
  • To explore the potential of PTP1B as a therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized biochemical assays to analyze PTP1B activity.
  • Employed cell-based models to study signaling pathways in breast cancer.
  • Examined the effects of PTP1B inhibition on tumor growth in preclinical models.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that PTP1B acts as a positive regulator in signaling pathways crucial for breast tumorigenesis.
  • Showed that inhibiting PTP1B can impede the progression of breast cancer.
  • Confirmed the involvement of PTP1B in promoting key events of tumor development.

Conclusions:

  • PTP1B plays a significant role in promoting breast cancer, contrary to its previously known inhibitory functions in metabolic signaling.
  • PTP1B inhibitors represent a promising therapeutic strategy for breast cancer treatment.
  • Repurposing existing PTP1B inhibitors for oncology offers a potential new avenue for cancer therapy.

More Related Videos

Utilization of the Soft Agar Colony Formation Assay to Identify Inhibitors of Tumorigenicity in Breast Cancer Cells11:06

Utilization of the Soft Agar Colony Formation Assay to Identify Inhibitors of Tumorigenicity in Breast Cancer Cells

Published on: May 20, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase01:11

Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase

Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers01:26

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers

Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are two critical categories of drugs employed in the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PAH is a disease that causes high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, resulting in chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells02:53

Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells

Cancer cells accumulate genetic changes at an abnormally rapid rate due to the defects in the DNA repair mechanisms. From an evolutionary perspective, such genetic instability is advantageous for cancer development. Mutant cell lines accumulate a series of beneficial mutations that contribute to their progression into cancer.
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...