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Necroptosis: The Regulation Between EGFR and TNFR in Cancer
Jin Gyeom Kim1,2, Wook Jin1
1Laboratory of Molecular Disease and Cell Regulation, Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Most cancers are fatal and remain challenging to cure due to changes in tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. Despite significant advancements in cancer therapy, a substantial proportion of malignancies exhibit resistance to conventional therapies, driven primarily by cancer plasticity and the emergence of multidrug resistance. Recent cancer treatments include cytotoxic chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. A major hallmark of cancer cells is their ability to develop sophisticated evasion mechanisms that bypass programmed cell death when exposed to anti-cancer drugs. In addition, malignant cells evade the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs by altering cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. To suppress oncogenic characteristics, necroptosis-based therapies have attracted substantial attention, as they can inhibit tumorigenesis and improve treatment outcomes across many cancer types. Furthermore, an increasing body of research focuses on suppressing tumorigenesis by targeting receptors that are overexpressed in cancer cells. In this review, we elucidate how tumorigenesis is inhibited by regulating the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) signaling pathway in necroptosis. By delineating the underlying mechanisms of these receptors, we propose that the induction of necroptosis via EGFR and TNFR represents an innovative paradigm for targeted therapy, offering a strategy to enhance clinical outcomes in treatment-resistant cancers.
Insights
Targeting necroptosis via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) signaling pathway offers a novel strategy to overcome cancer plasticity and therapeutic resistance, improving outcomes in difficult-to-treat malignancies.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Death Mechanisms
Background:
- Cancer remains a leading cause of death due to complex mechanisms like tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance.
- Conventional therapies (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy) face challenges from cancer cell plasticity and multidrug resistance.
- Cancer cells employ sophisticated evasion strategies to bypass programmed cell death and maintain proliferation, survival, and metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of necroptosis-based therapies in suppressing tumorigenesis and enhancing treatment outcomes.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) signaling pathway inhibits tumorigenesis via necroptosis.
- To propose this pathway as an innovative targeted therapy for treatment-resistant cancers.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on cancer therapy, resistance mechanisms, and necroptosis.
- Analysis of signaling pathways involving EGFR and TNFR in the context of cancer cell death.
- Delineation of the molecular mechanisms underlying EGFR- and TNFR-mediated necroptosis induction.
Main Results:
- Necroptosis-based therapies show promise in inhibiting tumorigenesis and improving outcomes across various cancer types.
- Targeting overexpressed receptors on cancer cells is a key strategy for suppressing tumorigenesis.
- Regulation of the EGFR-TNFR signaling pathway through necroptosis offers a mechanism to inhibit cancer growth.
Conclusions:
- Inducing necroptosis via the EGFR-TNFR pathway represents a novel therapeutic paradigm.
- This approach holds potential for enhancing clinical outcomes in patients with treatment-resistant cancers.
- Targeting necroptosis offers a strategy to overcome cancer plasticity and multidrug resistance.
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