Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
11:02
Induction of Invasive Transitional Cell Bladder Carcinoma in Immune Intact Human MUC1 Transgenic Mice: A Model for Immunotherapy Development
Published on: October 30, 2013
Mucins in cancer: function, prognosis and therapy
1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. Donald_Kufe@dfci.harvard.edu
Nature Reviews. Cancer
|November 26, 2009
Summary
Mucins, key components of the mucous barrier, are increasingly recognized for their role in inflammation and cancer. Inhibiting transmembrane mucins shows promise as an anti-tumor strategy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Epithelial tissues are protected by a mucous barrier composed of secreted and transmembrane mucins.
- Mucins play a critical role in inflammation and cancer, though often overlooked.
- Transmembrane mucins are frequently overexpressed in human cancers, influencing cell growth and survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the significant, yet underappreciated, role of mucins in carcinogenesis.
- To establish mucins as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets in cancer.
- To provide experimental evidence for the anti-tumor potential of transmembrane mucin inhibitors.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on mucin function in epithelial biology and cancer.
- Analysis of data on transmembrane mucin expression in various human malignancies.
- Preclinical studies evaluating the efficacy of transmembrane mucin inhibitors as anti-cancer agents.
Main Results:
- Mucins are integral to both normal epithelial function and cancer development.
- Overexpression of transmembrane mucins in tumors correlates with poor prognosis.
- Inhibitors targeting transmembrane mucin function demonstrated anti-tumor activity in preclinical models.
Conclusions:
- Mucins are crucial effectors in carcinogenesis, not just structural components.
- Transmembrane mucins represent viable therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
- Targeted inhibition of mucin-driven signaling pathways offers a promising anti-cancer strategy.
Related Concept Videos
02:38Mitogens 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...
03:03mTOR 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...
The mTOR pathway or the...
03:03mTOR 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...
The mTOR pathway or the...
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
02:23Abnormal 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...
02:57Targeted 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...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...