Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Exploring the Pharmacological Action and Molecular Mechanism of Salidroside in Inhibiting MCF-7 Cell Proliferation and Migration
11:13

Exploring the Pharmacological Action and Molecular Mechanism of Salidroside in Inhibiting MCF-7 Cell Proliferation and Migration

Published on: June 9, 2023

Inhibition of ALK signaling for cancer therapy

Yael P Mossé1, Andrew Wood, John M Maris

  • 1Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-4318, USA.

Clinical Cancer Research : an Official Journal of the American Association for Cancer Research
|September 10, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Discovering anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) as a key cancer driver enables targeted therapies. Understanding ALK

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Genetics

Background:

  • Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) alterations (translocations, amplifications, mutations) are implicated in various human cancers.
  • These include anaplastic large cell lymphoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors, non-small cell lung cancer, and neuroblastoma.
  • Targeting ALK signaling represents a promising molecular therapy strategy for ALK-driven malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) in cancer development.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ALK-driven oncogenesis.
  • To identify therapeutic strategies targeting ALK signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on ALK in human malignancies.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways activated by ALK.
  • Identification of downstream effector pathways controlled by ALK.

Main Results:

  • ALK alterations are key oncogenic drivers in several human cancers.
  • Canonical signaling pathways activated by NPM-ALK have been elucidated.
  • Downstream effector pathways regulated by ALK have been identified.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting ALK signaling is a rational therapeutic approach for cancers with ALK aberrations.
  • Understanding ALK's molecular mechanisms facilitates the design of ALK-inhibition therapies.
  • This transdisciplinary knowledge supports the development of novel cancer treatments.

More Related Videos

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells13:38

Synthesis and Characterization of an Aspirin-fumarate Prodrug that Inhibits NFκB Activity and Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: January 18, 2017

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...
Inhibition of CDK Activity02:34

Inhibition of CDK Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
Inhibition of Cdk Activity02:34

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...
Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...