Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay
08:34

Precise Visualization of Insulin Receptors A and B in Murine Brain with an RNA In Situ Hybridization Assay

Published on: July 15, 2025

Expression and function of the insulin receptor substrate proteins in cancer

Katerina Mardilovich1, Shannon L Pankratz, Leslie M Shaw

  • 1Department of Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA. leslie.shaw@umassmed.edu.

Cell Communication and Signaling : CCS
|June 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Insulin Receptor Substrate (IRS) proteins are key signaling adaptors in cancer. IRS-1/IRS-4 promote tumor growth, while IRS-2 drives invasion, impacting cancer progression.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Insulin Receptor Substrate (IRS) proteins are crucial cytoplasmic adaptors linking cell surface receptors to intracellular signaling pathways.
  • These proteins lack intrinsic kinase activity but act as scaffolds, organizing signaling complexes vital for cellular responses.
  • IRS proteins are implicated in cancer due to their role as common intermediates for multiple receptors influencing tumor progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the regulation of IRS protein expression and function.
  • To elucidate the contribution of IRS proteins to tumor initiation and progression.
  • To highlight the distinct roles of different IRS proteins in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on IRS protein expression in human tumors.
  • Analysis of studies on IRS protein function in human tumor cell lines.
  • Examination of data from mouse models investigating IRS protein roles in cancer.

Main Results:

  • IRS-1 and IRS-4 are predominantly associated with promoting tumor growth and proliferation.
  • IRS-2 is primarily linked to enhancing tumor cell motility and invasion.
  • Differential roles of IRS proteins suggest distinct contributions to cancer development.

Conclusions:

  • IRS proteins play pivotal roles in regulating tumor cell responses to microenvironmental stimuli.
  • Understanding IRS regulation and function is critical for targeting cancer initiation and progression.
  • Specific IRS proteins offer distinct therapeutic targets based on their roles in cancer.

More Related Videos

Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid from Melanoma Patients to Study Melanoma-Associated Leptomeningeal Disease06:25

Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid from Melanoma Patients to Study Melanoma-Associated Leptomeningeal Disease

Published on: March 29, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways01:28

Insulin: The Receptor and Signaling Pathways

Insulin action is mediated through a receptor tyrosine kinase, akin to the IGF-1 receptor. The number of receptors per cell varies significantly, from 40 on erythrocytes to 300,000 on adipocytes and hepatocytes. The insulin receptor consists of linked α/β subunit dimers, forming a heterotetramer glycoprotein with two extracellular α subunits and two β subunits spanning the membrane. The α subunits inhibit the inherent tyrosine kinase activity of the β subunits, but this inhibition is released...
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...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
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...
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...