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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Evaluating the Effect of SASP Factors on the Proliferation of Cancer Cells Using a Comparative Analysis of Three Distinct Methodologies
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Evaluating the Effect of SASP Factors on the Proliferation of Cancer Cells Using a Comparative Analysis of Three Distinct Methodologies

Published on: September 19, 2025

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Major Physiological Signaling Pathways in the Regulation of Cell Proliferation and Survival

Huifang Tang1, Gongda Xue2

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, 310058, China. tanghuifang@zju.edu.cn.

Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|February 25, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Targeted cancer therapies face drug resistance due to pro-survival signaling crosstalk. Interfering with this network may overcome acquired resistance, improving treatment efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular signaling pathways
  • Cancer biology
  • Drug resistance mechanisms

Background:

  • Cell proliferation and survival are tightly regulated by signaling pathways crucial for development.
  • Key pathways like PI3K/Akt, Ras/MAPK, and JAK/STAT promote cell growth, differentiation, and survival.
  • Acquired drug resistance is a major hurdle in clinical cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of intrinsic pro-survival signaling crosstalk in acquired resistance to targeted cancer therapies.
  • To explore potential therapeutic strategies to overcome drug resistance by targeting signaling networks.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of key signaling pathways (PI3K/Akt, Ras/MAPK, JAK/STAT) involved in cell survival.
  • Investigating the functional interactions and crosstalk between these signaling axes.
  • Evaluating the impact of interfering with signaling crosstalk on drug resistance in preclinical models (implied).

Main Results:

  • Identified intrinsic pro-survival signaling crosstalk as a driving force in acquired resistance.
  • Demonstrated the critical role of pathways like PI3K/Akt, Ras/MAPK, and JAK/STAT in maintaining cell survival.
  • Highlighted the potential of targeting this crosstalk to overcome resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Signaling pathway crosstalk is fundamental to overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy.
  • Interfering with cross-reacting networks offers a promising strategy to enhance the effectiveness of targeted therapies.
  • Further research into these networks could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for resistant cancers.
Keywords:
ApoptosisCell cycleDrug resistanceJAK/STATLung cancerMelanomaProliferationRas/MAPKSignaling crosstalkmTOR/PI3K/Akt

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