Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

A Model for Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
08:59

A Model for Perineural Invasion in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Published on: January 5, 2017

Neuregulins and cancer

Juan Carlos Montero1, Ruth Rodríguez-Barrueco, Alberto Ocaña

  • 1Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.

Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
|June 4, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Neuregulins, a type of epidermal growth factor, may promote cancer by activating HER/ErbB receptors. Targeting neuregulins could be a strategy for treating cancers where they drive tumor growth.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Neuregulins are the largest subgroup of epidermal growth factor (EGF) family ligands.
  • They function as membrane-bound growth factors that bind to HER/ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases.
  • Neuregulins are implicated in cancer development and progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of neuregulins in cancer.
  • To investigate the potential of targeting neuregulins in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical data on neuregulin expression and function in cancer.
  • Analysis of neuregulin presence in various neoplasias.
  • Examination of neuregulin's correlation with response to HER-targeted therapies.

Main Results:

  • Increased neuregulin expression and function may provoke cancer.
  • Neuregulin expression is detected in several types of cancer.
  • Neuregulin presence correlates with response to HER-targeted treatments like trastuzumab.
  • Neuregulins are also implicated in resistance to anti-HER therapies.

Conclusions:

  • Neuregulins play a significant role in cancer generation and maintenance.
  • Targeting neuregulins may offer a therapeutic strategy for neoplastic diseases.
  • Understanding neuregulin's role is crucial for optimizing HER-targeted cancer treatments.

More Related Videos

Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells09:37

Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells

Published on: August 25, 2021

Identifying, Diagnosing, and Grading Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models08:57

Identifying, Diagnosing, and Grading Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in Genetically Engineered Mouse Models

Published on: May 17, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs01:15

Receptor Downregulation in MVBs

Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are mature endosomes that sort ubiquitinated proteins and then fuse with lysosomes to degrade the sorted proteins. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) form a complex that can be internalized through endocytosis, sorted into an MVB, and later degraded.
The EGFR can initiate signaling pathways that  lead to cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Overexpression of EGFR  stimulates cells to proliferate. Excessive  EGFR activation may...
Small GTPases - Ras and Rho01:24

Small GTPases - Ras and Rho

Ras and Rho are small monomeric GTPases that act downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and regulate various cellular processes. These GTPases switch between active and inactive states by binding to guanine nucleotides.
Three regulatory proteins control their activity:
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the daughter...
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Negative Regulator Molecules01:23

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.