Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
α-Enolase: a promising therapeutic and diagnostic tumor target
Michela Capello1, Sammy Ferri-Borgogno, Paola Cappello
1Department of Medicine and Experimental Oncology, Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies (CeRMS), San Giovanni Battista Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Abstract:
α-enolase (ENOA) is a metabolic enzyme involved in the synthesis of pyruvate. It also acts as a plasminogen receptor and thus mediates activation of plasmin and extracellular matrix degradation. In tumor cells, ΕΝΟΑ is upregulated and supports anaerobic proliferation (Warburg effect), it is expressed at the cell surface, where it promotes cancer invasion, and is subjected to a specific array of post-translational modifications, namely acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation. Both ENOA overexpression and its post-translational modifications could be of diagnostic and prognostic value in cancer. This review will discuss recent information on the biochemical, proteomics and immunological characterization of ENOA, particularly its ability to trigger a specific humoral and cellular immune response. In our opinion, this information can pave the way for effective new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to counteract the growth of the most aggressive human disease.
Related Concept Videos
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
Enzyme-linked Receptors
Neurotrophin (NT) receptors are a family of RTKs, including trkA, trkB, and trkC (tropomyosin-related kinase) receptors. TrkA is specific for nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin-6, and neurotrophin-7. TrkB binds...
Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Reactivity of Enols
