Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
07:38
Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants
Published on: June 6, 2025
Molecular pathways: MERTK signaling in cancer
Christopher T Cummings1, Deborah Deryckere, H Shelton Earp
1Authors' Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado; and Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Summary
MERTK receptor tyrosine kinase is overexpressed in many cancers, driving tumor growth and resistance. Inhibiting MERTK can reverse these effects, offering new therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- MERTK (Merlin receptor tyrosine kinase) is a member of the TAM receptor tyrosine kinase family.
- While MERTK has a defined normal expression profile, it is frequently overexpressed or ectopically expressed in various cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of MERTK in cancer development and progression.
- To explore the potential of MERTK inhibition as a therapeutic strategy.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on MERTK expression and function in cancer.
- Analysis of signaling pathways regulated by MERTK.
- Examination of the effects of MERTK inhibition on cancer cell phenotypes.
Main Results:
- MERTK overexpression activates oncogenic signaling pathways (MAPK, PI3K) and regulates transcription factors, migration proteins, and prosurvival proteins.
- MERTK signaling promotes cancer cell phenotypes like decreased apoptosis, increased migration, chemoresistance, and tumor formation.
- MERTK inhibition reverses these pro-oncogenic phenotypes.
Conclusions:
- MERTK plays a significant role in promoting cancer cell survival, migration, and resistance.
- Targeting MERTK through various inhibition strategies holds promise for cancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
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...
01:19Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
01:07MAPK Signaling Cascades
Mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MAPK pathway, activates three sequential kinases to regulate cellular responses such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis. The canonical MAPK pathway starts with a mitogen or growth factor binding to an RTK. The activated RTKs stimulate Ras, which recruits Raf or MAP3 Kinase (MAPKKK), the first kinase of the MAPK signaling cascade. Raf further phosphorylates and activates MEK or MAP2 Kinases (MAPKK), which in turn phosphorylates MAP...
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...
01:22PI3K/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...