Promising molecular targets for cancer prevention: AP-1, NF-kappa B and Pdcd4.
There are still many unanswered questions regarding the processes by which extracellular signals are transduced from plasma-membrane receptors to the transcription machinery in the nucleus and the translation machinery in the cytoplasm. Some of these gene expression events become misregulated as a result of environmental or endogenous exposure to agents that cause multistage carcinogenesis. We are now beginning to identify and validate the crucial molecular events that drive the rate-limiting steps of carcinogenesis and to target these events for cancer prevention. Transcription factors AP-1 and nuclear factor kappa B can be specifically targeted to prevent cancer induction in mouse models. A protein known as programmed-cell-death-4 is a new potential molecular target that has a surprising mode of action.
Young
Matthew R
MR
The Gene Regulation Section, Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute - Frederick, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA. youngm@ncifcrf.gov
Yang
Hsin-Sheng
HS
Colburn
Nancy H
NH
D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; C114487:PDCD4 protein, human; C498443:Pdcd4 protein, mouse; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011506:Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C439528:TAM67 peptide; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1