Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 10, 2025

Monitoring eIF4F Assembly by Measuring eIF4E-eIF4G Interaction in Live Cells
08:47

Monitoring eIF4F Assembly by Measuring eIF4E-eIF4G Interaction in Live Cells

Published on: May 1, 2020

3.2K

The role of Ephexin1 in translation and mTOR-targeted cancer therapy

Jeeho Kim1,2, In-Youb Chang3, Jung-Hee Lee1,4

  • 1Laboratory of Genomic Instability and Cancer therapeutics, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, South Korea.

Experimental & Molecular Medicine
|August 25, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Ephexin1 promotes cancer progression by enhancing protein translation, particularly for genes with specific 5' motifs. Targeting Ephexin1 could improve mTOR inhibitor efficacy in lung cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Ephexin1 (neuronal guanine nucleotide exchange factor, NGEF) is crucial for neuronal development.
  • Recent findings indicate Ephexin1's significant involvement in colon and lung cancer pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which Ephexin1 drives cancer progression.
  • To investigate Ephexin1's role in protein translation and its connection to cancer-related signaling pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Multidisciplinary approaches including molecular biology techniques and gene expression analysis.
  • Investigation of polysome formation and translation initiation complex assembly.
  • Utilized a mouse xenograft model to assess therapeutic efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Ephexin1 is essential for polysome formation and translation initiation complex assembly.
  • Ephexin1 specifically enhances the translation of genes with 5 acronym{'-'}terminal oligopyrimidine (TOP) or 5 acronym{'-'}TOP-like motifs.
  • Ephexin1 acts as a key mediator of mTOR-regulated translation.
  • Deficiency of Ephexin1 significantly potentiated the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in a lung cancer xenograft model.

Conclusions:

  • Ephexin1 plays a critical role in cancer progression by regulating translation of specific mRNA motifs via the mTOR pathway.
  • Ephexin1 represents a potential synthetic lethality target for mTORC1-targeting cancer therapeutics.
  • Targeting Ephexin1 could offer a novel strategy to enhance current cancer treatment outcomes.

More Related Videos

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants07:38

Intracellular Phosphoflow Cytometry of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patient-Derived Xenotransplants

Published on: June 6, 2025

261
Analysis of Translation Initiation During Stress Conditions by Polysome Profiling10:59

Analysis of Translation Initiation During Stress Conditions by Polysome Profiling

Published on: May 19, 2014

18.4K

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...
3.9K
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...
3.9K
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...
6.6K
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
2.3K
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...
7.8K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal 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...
4.6K