Cadherins as novel targets for anti-cancer therapy

Orest W Blaschuk1, Emmanuelle Devemy

  • 1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Urology Research Laboratories, Royal Victoria Hospital, Room H6.15, 687 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1A1. orest.blaschuk@mcgill.ca

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Structure of Cadherins

The cadherins were one of the first cell adhesion molecules discovered; the term “cadherins”   is based on their calcium-dependent adhering properties. The first cadherins discovered on the epithelial, neuronal, and placental cells were named E-cadherin, P-cadherin, and N-cadherin, respectively. These classical cadherins share sequence and structural similarities. Other cadherins, including those involved in cell signaling, are grouped into non-classical cadherins. This diversity of cadherins...
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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.
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