Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Cerebral Spinal Fluid from Melanoma Patients to Study Melanoma-Associated Leptomeningeal Disease
06:25

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

Defining the pathway to insulin-like growth factor system targeting in cancer

Steven A Rosenzweig1, Hanudatta S Atreya

  • 1Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics and Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, PO Box 250505, Charleston, SC 29425-5050, USA. rosenzsa@musc.edu

Biochemical Pharmacology
|July 6, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Targeting the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a promising cancer therapy. IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) offer a novel approach to inhibit IGF-1R signaling, distinct from current drug development.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular oncology and cancer therapeutics
  • Endocrinology and growth factor signaling

Background:

  • Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), including IGF-1 and IGF-2, are crucial for cell growth, differentiation, survival, and metastasis.
  • The IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) mediates the biological effects of IGFs and its dysregulation is implicated in various cancers.
  • IGF-1R activation enhances tumorigenic potential in breast, prostate, lung, colon, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current landscape and future prospects of targeting the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) as a cancer therapeutic.
  • To highlight IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) as a novel class of IGF-1R inhibitors.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature and ongoing clinical trials evaluating IGF-1R inhibitors.
  • Analysis of the role of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) as natural antagonists of IGF signaling.

Main Results:

  • Over 30 drugs, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), are under investigation for targeting IGF-1R.
  • IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) act as natural inhibitors by sequestering IGFs, thereby blocking IGF-1R activation.
  • IGFBPs offer a unique therapeutic strategy by targeting IGFs without affecting insulin signaling.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting IGF-1R signaling is an emerging and increasingly important strategy in cancer therapy.
  • IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) represent an underexplored class of IGF-1R inhibitors with potential therapeutic applications.
  • Further research into IGFBPs may unlock new avenues for cancer treatment.

More Related Videos

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures07:48

Utilizing Functional Genomics Screening to Identify Potentially Novel Drug Targets in Cancer Cell Spheroid Cultures

Published on: December 26, 2016

Exploring the Pharmacological Action and Molecular Mechanism of Salidroside in Inhibiting MCF-7 Cell Proliferation and Migration11:13

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

Published on: June 9, 2023

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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...
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...
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...