Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (focal adhesion kinase)
44,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Overexpression of the growth factor receptors EGFR and erbB2 occurs frequently in several human cancers and is associated with aggressive tumour behaviour and poor patient prognosis. We have investigated the effects of ZD1839 (Iressa), a novel EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on the growth, in vitro and in vivo, of human cancer cell lines expressing various levels of EGFR and erbB2. Proliferation of EGFR-overexpressing A431 and MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro was potently inhibited (50%-70%) by ZD1839 with half-maximally effective doses in the low nanomolar range. In parallel, ZD1839 blocked autophosphorylation of EGFR and prevented activation of PLC-gamma 1, ERK MAP kinases and PKB/Akt by EGF. It also inhibited proliferation in EGFR(+) cancer cell lines overexpressing erbB2 (SKBr3, SKOV3, BT474) by between 20% and 80%, effects which correlated with inhibition of EGF-dependent erbB2 phosphorylation and activation of ERK MAP kinase and PKB/Akt in SKOV3 cells. Oral administration of ZD1839 inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 and SKOV3 tumours, established as xenografts in athymic mice, by 71% and 32%, respectively. Growth inhibition coincided with reduced proliferation but no change in apoptotic index. Collectively, these results show that ZD1839, at the doses studied, is a potent inhibitor of proliferation not only in cells overexpressing EGFR but also in EGFR(+) cells that overexpress erbB2.
...
PMID:ZD1839 (Iressa), a novel epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, potently inhibits the growth of EGFR-positive cancer cell lines with or without erbB2 overexpression. 1174 77

Because conventional chemotherapy is not specific for cancer cells leading to toxic side effects there is a need for novel agents with high grade antitumor specificity. The major prerequisite to develop such drugs is to understand the targets that these agents should attack. In recent years a number of promising new anticancer drugs have been developed which target intracellular pathways or extracellular cell molecules. The clinically most effective compounds function as tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In the past, various tyrosine kinase receptors have been identified as regulators of tumor or tumor vessel growth. Having shown their expression characteristics in different tumor entities, specific inhibitors of the ATP binding sites of these receptors or antibodies were developed and entered clinical trials. The pathognomonic role of the tyrosine kinase defines the way of action of the inhibiting drug, whereas the amount of expression in tumor tissue defines the rationale to use the inhibitor to treat a specific protein. The future will define indications for such drugs by tumor kinase profiles instead of tumor entities. Gleevec, inhibiting the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase; Iressa, inhibiting the EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase; Herceptin, inhibiting the Her2/neu tyrosine kinase and PTK787/ZK222584, inhibiting the VEGF-receptor tyrosine kinase will be discussed as representatives of selective tyrosine kinase inhibitors whereas ZD6474 and SU6668 will be discussed as representatives of multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
...
PMID:Receptor tyrosine kinases: the main targets for new anticancer therapy. 1255 64

Increasing knowledge of the mechanism of the initiation and progression of various cancers is the catalyst for developing new anticancer therapeutics that target specific molecules expressed in cancer cells. STI571 (imatinib mesylate) is an example of the successful development of a rationally designed and targeted agent. Its target is the constitutively active tyrosine kinase, BCR-ABL in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Clinical studies with STI571 in CML demonstrated that many patients with advanced stage disease respond initially but then relapse. Drug resistance is associated with the reactivation of BCR-ABL signal transduction. Another targeted protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that was approved for clinical use is ZD1839 (Iressa). ZD1839 is an orally active and selective inhibitor for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase. HER2 is overexpressed in 25-30% of breast cancers and associated with shorter time to relapse and lower survival rate. Specific targeting of these cancers can be accomplished with Herceptin directed against the extracellular domain of the HER2 protein. However, even in the selected group of patients with high levels of HER2, the response to Herceptin is limited in magnitude and duration. The mechanisms of the resistance to these targeted agents were reviewed.
...
PMID:[The mechanisms of the resistance to molecular targeting agents]. 1528 47

Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) is a half-molecule ATP-binding cassette transporter that pumps out various anticancer agents such as 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin, topotecan and mitoxantrone. We have previously identified three polymorphisms within the BCRP gene, G34A (substituting Met for Val-12), C376T (substituting a stop codon for Gln-126) and C421A (substituting Lys for Gln-141). C421A BCRP-transfected murine fibroblast PA317 cells showed markedly decreased protein expression and low-level drug resistance when compared with wild-type BCRP-transfected cells. In contrast, G34A BCRP-transfected PA317 cells showed a similar protein expression and drug resistance profile to wild-type. The C376T polymorphism would be expected to have a considerable impact as active BCRP protein will not be expressed from a T376 allele. Hence, people with C376T and/or C421A polymorphisms may express low levels of BCRP, resulting in hypersensitivity of normal cells to BCRP-substrate anticancer agents. Estrogens, estrone and 17beta-estradiol, were previously found to restore drug sensitivity levels in BCRP-transduced cells by increasing the cellular accumulation of anticancer agents. BCRP transports sulfated estrogens but not free estrogens and in a series of screening experiments for synthesized and natural estrogenic compounds, several tamoxifen derivatives and phytoestrogens/flavonoids were identified that effectively circumvent BCRP-mediated drug resistance. The kinase inhibitors gefitinib and imatinib mesylate also interact with BCRP. Gefitinib, an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase, inhibits its transporter function and reverses BCRP-mediated drug resistance both in vitro and in vivo. BCRP-transfected human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells and BCRP-transfected human non-small cell lung cancer PC-9 cells show gefitinib resistance. Imatinib, an inhibitor of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, also inhibits BCRP-mediated drug transport. Hence, both functional SNPs and inhibitors of BCRP reduce its transporter function and thus modulate substrate pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
...
PMID:Functional SNPs of the breast cancer resistance protein-therapeutic effects and inhibitor development. 1630 43

Akt, also called PKB, is a serine/threonine kinase that plays a major role in cell survival. It can be activated by several cellular receptors, including integrins and growth factor receptors, in PI3K-dependent manners. In this study, we analyzed the two current models for Akt activation upon beta1 integrin-mediated adhesion: via focal adhesion kinase and via transactivation of the EGF receptor. Distinct differences in the pathways leading to phosphorylation and activation of Akt from stimulated beta1 integrins and EGF receptor were observed, including opposing sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors PP2 and Gefitinib. Using knockout cells and integrin mutant cells, we show that beta1 integrins can induce phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and Thr308 and Akt kinase activity independently of the EGF receptor activity, focal adhesion kinase, and the Src family members. In contrast to stimulation with EGF, beta1 integrin-mediated adhesion did not induce Akt tyrosine phosphorylation. Moreover, tyrosine phosphorylation of Akt was found not to be required for its catalytic activity. The results identify a previously unrecognized mechanism by which beta1 integrins activate the PI3K/Akt pathway.
...
PMID:EGFR and beta1 integrins utilize different signaling pathways to activate Akt. 1791 Sep 52

The mechanisms involved in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) are integrated in concert with master developmental and oncogenic pathways regulating in tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, as well as the reprogrammation of specific gene repertoires ascribed to both epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Consequently, it is not unexpected that EMT has profound impacts on the neoplastic progression, patient survival, as well as the resistance of cancers to therapeutics (taxol, vincristine, oxaliplatin, EGF-R targeted therapy and radiotherapy), independent of the "classical" resistance mechanisms linked to genotoxic drugs. New therapeutic combinations using genotoxic agents and/or EMT signaling inhibitors are therefore expected to circumvent the chemotherapeutic resistance of cancers characterized by transient or sustained EMT signatures. Thus, targeting critical orchestrators at the convergence of several EMT pathways, such as the transcription pathways NF-kappaB, AKT/mTOR axis, MAPK, beta-catenin, PKC and the AP-1/SMAD factors provide a realistic strategy to control EMT and the progression of human epithelial cancers. Several inhibitors targeting these signaling platforms are already tested in preclinical and clinical oncology. In addition, upstream EMT signaling pathways induced by receptor and nonreceptor tyrosine kinases (e.g. EGF-R, IGF-R, VEGF-R, integrins/FAK, Src) and G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) constitute practical options under preclinical research, clinical trials or are currently used in the clinic for cancer treatment: e.g. small molecule inhibitors (Iressa: targeting selectively the EGF-R; CP-751,871, AMG479, NVP-AEW541, BMS-536924, PQIP, AG1024: IGF-R; AZD2171, ZD6474: VEGF-R; AZD0530, BMS-354825, SKI606: Src; BIM-46174: GPCR; rapamycin, CCI-779, RAD-001: mTOR) and humanized function blocking antibodies (Herceptin: ErbB2; Avastin: VEGF-A; Erbitux: EGF-R; Abegrin: alphavbeta3 integrins). We can assume that silencing RNA and adenovirus-based gene transfer of therapeutic miR and dominant interferring expression vectors targeting EMT pathways and signaling elements will bring additional ways for the treatment of epithelial cancers. Identification of the factors that initiate, modulate and effectuate EMT signatures and their underlying upstream oncogenic pathways should provide the basis of more efficient strategies to fight cancer progression as well as genetic and epigenetic forms of drug resistance. This goal can be accomplished using global screening of human clinical tumors by EMT-associated cDNA, proteome, miRome, and tissue arrays.
...
PMID:Molecular signature and therapeutic perspective of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions in epithelial cancers. 1871 6

Tyrosine kinases (TKs) are attractive targets for cancer therapy, as quite often their abnormal signaling has been linked with tumor development and growth. Constitutive activated TKs stimulate multiple signaling pathways responsible for DNA repair, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. During the last few years, thorough analysis of the mechanism underlying tyrosine kinase's activity led to novel cancer therapy using TKs blockers. These drugs are remarkably effective in the treatment of various human tumors including head and neck, gastric, prostate and breast cancer and leukemias. The most successful example of kinase blockers is Imatinib (Imatinib mesylate, Gleevec, STI571), the inhibitor of Bcr/Abl oncoprotein, which has become a first-line therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia. The introduction of STI571 for the treatment of leukemia in clinical oncology has had a dramatic impact on how this disease is currently managed. Others kinase inhibitors used recently in cancer therapy include Dasatinib (BMS-354825) specific for ABL non-receptor cytoplasmic kinase, Gefitinib (Iressa), Erlotinib (OSI-774, Tarceva) and Sunitinib (SU 11248, Sutent) specific for VEGF receptor kinase, AMN107 (Nilotinib) and INNO-406 (NS-187) specific for c-KIT kinase. The following TK blockers for treatment of various human tumors are in clinical development: Lapatinib (Lapatinib ditosylate, Tykerb, GW-572016), Canertinib (CI-1033), Zactima (ZD6474), Vatalanib (PTK787/ZK 222584), Sorafenib (Bay 43-9006, Nexavar), and Leflunomide (SU101, Arava). Herein, we discuss the chemistry, biological activity and clinical potential of new drugs with tyrosine kinase blockers for cancer treatment.
...
PMID:Tyrosine kinase blockers: new hope for successful cancer therapy. 1914 83

Protein kinases catalyse key phosphorylation reactions in signalling cascades that affect every aspect of cell growth, differentiation and metabolism. The kinases have become prime targets for drug intervention in the diseased state, especially in cancer. There are currently 10 drugs that have been approved for clinical use and many more in clinical trials. This review summarises the structural basis for protein kinase inhibition and discusses the mode of action for each of the approved drugs in the light of structural results. All but one of the approved compounds target the ATP binding site on the kinase. Both the active and inactive conformations of protein kinases have been used in strategies to produce potent and selective compounds. Targeting the inactive conformation can give high specificity. Targeting the active conformation is favourable where the diseased state has arisen from activating mutations, but such inhibitors generally target several protein kinases. Drug resistance mutations are a potential risk for both conformational states, where drug-binding regions are not directly involved in catalysis. Imatinib (Glivec), the most successful of protein kinase inhibitors, targets the inactive conformation of ABL tyrosine kinase. Newer compounds, such as dasatinib, which targets the ABL active state, have been developed to increase potency and have proved effective for some, but not all, drug-resistant mutations. The first epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors in clinical use [gefitinib (Iressa) and erlotinib (Tarceva)] targeted the active form of the kinase, and this proved advantageous for patients whose cancer was caused by mutations that resulted in a constitutively active EGFR kinase domain. Newer approved compounds, such as lapatinib (Tykerb), target the inactive conformation with high potency. A further compound that forms a covalent attachment to the kinase has been found to overcome one of the major drug resistance mutations, where the effectiveness of the drug in vivo is dependent on its ability to compete successfully in the presence of cellular concentrations of ATP. Inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) kinase against cancer angiogenesis show the advantage of some relaxation in specificity. Sorafenib, originally developed as RAF inhibitor, is now in clinical use as a VEGFR inhibitor. Temsirolimus (a derivative of rapamycin) is the only example of a drug in clinical use that does not target the kinase ATP site. Instead rapamycin, when in complex with the protein FKBP12, effectively targets mTOR kinase at a site located on a domain, the FRB domain, that appears to be involved in localisation or substrate docking.
...
PMID:Protein kinase inhibitors: contributions from structure to clinical compounds. 1929 66

The incidence of pulmonary toxicities with the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is not very high; however, various case reports and studies continue to show significant variability in the incidence of these adverse events, ranging from 0.2% to 10.9%. Gefitinib and erlotinib are orally active, small-molecule inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase that are mainly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. Imatinib is an inhibitor of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase that is used to treat various leukemias, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and other cancers. In this article, we review data to identify the very rare but fatal pulmonary toxicities (mostly interstitial lung disease) caused by these drugs.
...
PMID:Pulmonary toxicities of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 2225 15

Traditional drug discovery efforts have resulted in the approval of a handful of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors; however, their discovery relied solely on screening recombinant kinases, often with poor cellular activity outcome. The ability to screen RTKs in their natural environment is sought as an alternative approach. We have adapted a novel strategy utilizing a green fluorescent protein-labeled SRC homology 2 domain-based biosensor as a surrogate reporter of endogenous epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activity in A549 cells. Upon activation of the receptor, EGFR function in live cells is measured by the number of green granules that form. Here we describe assay miniaturization and demonstrate specificity for EGFR through its chemical inhibition and RNAi-dependent knockdown resulting in complete abrogation of granule formation. Gefitinib and PD 153035 were identified as hits in a pilot screen. This approach allows for the identification of novel EGFR modulators in high-throughput formats for screening chemical and RNAi libraries.
...
PMID:Domain-based biosensor assay to screen for epidermal growth factor receptor modulators in live cells. 2228 60


1 2 Next >>