scholarly journals Role of fibroblast growth factors in pancreatic cancer

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 622-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A. Gnatenko ◽  
E.P. Kopantsev ◽  
E.D. Sverdlov

Fibroblast growth factors belong to a family of growth factors that are involved in various processes in organism and have a wide range of biological functions. Specifically for pancreas, FGFs are important during both organogenesis and carcinogenesis. One of the main characteristic of pancreatic cancer, is it close interaction between cancer and stromal cells via different factors, including FGF. Pathological changes in FGF/FGFR signaling pathway is a complex process. The remodeling effects and stimulation of tumor growth are mostly depend not only on types of receptors, but also from their isoforms. FGF/FGFR signaling pathway is a perspective specific marker for cancer progression, and a potential drug target, which can be used for treatment of pancreatic cancer.

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 852-870
Author(s):  
Hassan Dianat-Moghadam ◽  
Ladan Teimoori-Toolabi

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are pleiotropic molecules exerting autocrine, intracrine and paracrine functions via activating four tyrosine kinase FGF receptors (FGFR), which further trigger a variety of cellular processes including angiogenesis, evasion from apoptosis, bone formation, embryogenesis, wound repair and homeostasis. Four major mechanisms including angiogenesis, inflammation, cell proliferation, and metastasis are active in FGF/FGFR-driven tumors. Furthermore, gain-of-function or loss-of-function in FGFRs1-4 which is due to amplification, fusions, mutations, and changes in tumor–stromal cells interactions, is associated with the development and progression of cancer. Although, the developed small molecule or antibodies targeting FGFR signaling offer immense potential for cancer therapy, emergence of drug resistance, activation of compensatory pathways and systemic toxicity of modulators are bottlenecks in clinical application of anti-FGFRs. In this review, we present FGF/FGFR structure and the mechanisms of its function, as well as cross-talks with other nodes and/or signaling pathways. We describe deregulation of FGF/FGFR-related mechanisms in human disease and tumor progression leading to the presentation of emerging therapeutic approaches, resistance to FGFR targeting, and clinical potentials of individual FGF family in several human cancers. Additionally, the underlying biological mechanisms of FGF/FGFR signaling, besides several attempts to develop predictive biomarkers and combination therapies for different cancers have been explored.


2003 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 1921-1930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Twila A. Jackson ◽  
David M. Koterwas ◽  
Melissa A. Morgan ◽  
Andrew P. Bradford

Abstract Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) play a critical role in pituitary development and in pituitary tumor formation and progression. We have previously characterized FGF signal transduction and regulation of the tissue-specific rat prolactin (rPRL) promoter in GH4 pituitary cells. FGF induction of rPRL transcription is independent of Ras, but mediated by a protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ)-dependent activation of MAPK (ERK). Here we demonstrate a functional role for the Rho family monomeric G protein, Rac1, in FGF regulation of PRL gene expression via an atypical signaling pathway. Expression of dominant negative Rac, but not RhoA or Cdc42, selectively inhibited FGF-induced rPRL promoter activity. Moreover, expression of dominant negative Rac also attenuated FGF-2 and FGF-4 stimulation of MAPK (ERK). However, in contrast to other Rac-dependent signaling pathways, FGF activation of rPRL promoter activity was independent of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt cascades. FGFs failed to activate JNK1 or JNK2, and expression of dominant negative JNK or Akt constructs did not block FGF-induced PRL transcription. Consistent with the role of PKCδ in FGF regulation of PRL gene expression, activation of the rPRL promoter was blocked by an inhibitor of phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) activity. FGF treatment also induced rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCγ in a Rac-dependent manner. These results suggest that FGF-2 and FGF-4 activate PRL gene expression via a novel Rac1, PLCγ, PKCδ, and ERK cascade, independent of phosphoinositol-3-kinase and JNK.


2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A. Gnatenko ◽  
E.P. Kopantzev ◽  
E.D. Sverdlov

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) – growth factors that regulate many important biological processes, including proliferation and differentiation of embryonic cells during organogenesis. In this review, we will summarize current information about the involvement of FGFs in the pancreas organogenesis. Pancreas organogenesis is a complex process, which involves constant signaling from mesenchymal tissue. This orchestrates the activation of various regulator genes at specific stages, determining the specification of progenitor cells. Alterations in FGF/FGFR signaling pathway during this process lead to incorrect activation of the master genes, which leads to different pathologies during pancreas development. Understanding the full picture about role of FGF factors in pancreas development will make it possible to more accurately understand their role in other pathologies of this organ, including carcinogenesis.


2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 709-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Kwabi-Addo ◽  
M Ozen ◽  
M Ittmann

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men in the USA and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), including FGF1 (acidic FGF), FGF2 (basic FGF), FGF6 and FGF8 are all expressed at increased levels in prostate cancer as paracrine and/or autocrine growth factors for the prostate cancer cells. In addition, increased mobilization of FGFs from the extracellular matrix in cancer tissues can increase the availability of FGFs to cancer cells. Prostate cancer epithelial cells express all four types of FGF receptors (FGFR-1 to -4) at variable frequencies. Expression of FGFR-1 and FGFR-4 is most closely linked to prostate cancer progression, while the role of FGFR-2 remains controversial. Activation of FGF receptors can activate multiple signal transduction pathways including the phospholipase Cγ, phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathways, all of which play a role in prostate cancer progression. Sprouty proteins can negatively regulate FGF signal transduction, potentially limiting the impact of FGF signaling in prostate cancer, but in a significant fraction of prostate cancers there is decreased expression of Sprouty1 mRNA and protein. The effects of increased FGF receptor signaling are wide ranging and involve both the cancer cells and surrounding stroma, including the vasculature. The net result of increased FGF signaling includes enhanced proliferation, resistance to cell death, increased motility and invasiveness, increased angiogenesis, enhanced metastasis, resistance to chemotherapy and radiation and androgen independence, all of which can enhance tumor progression and clinical aggressiveness. For this reason, the FGF signaling system it is an attractive therapeutic target, particularly since therapies targeting FGF receptors and/or FGF signaling can affect both the tumor cells directly and tumor angiogenesis. A number of approaches that could target FGF receptors and/or FGF receptor signaling in prostate cancer are currently being developed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 437 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jørgen Wesche ◽  
Kaisa Haglund ◽  
Ellen Margrethe Haugsten

FGFs (fibroblast growth factors) and their receptors (FGFRs) play essential roles in tightly regulating cell proliferation, survival, migration and differentiation during development and adult life. Deregulation of FGFR signalling, on the other hand, has been associated with many developmental syndromes, and with human cancer. In cancer, FGFRs have been found to become overactivated by several mechanisms, including gene amplification, chromosomal translocation and mutations. FGFR alterations are detected in a variety of human cancers, such as breast, bladder, prostate, endometrial and lung cancers, as well as haematological malignancies. Accumulating evidence indicates that FGFs and FGFRs may act in an oncogenic fashion to promote multiple steps of cancer progression by inducing mitogenic and survival signals, as well as promoting epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion and tumour angiogenesis. Therapeutic strategies targeting FGFs and FGFRs in human cancer are therefore currently being explored. In the present review we will give an overview of FGF signalling, the main FGFR alterations found in human cancer to date, how they may contribute to specific cancer types and strategies for therapeutic intervention.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document