Focal adhesion kinase: a potential target in cancer therapy.
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in signal transduction pathways that are initiated at sites of integrin-mediated cell adhesions and by growth factor receptors. FAK is a key regulator of survival, proliferation, migration and invasion: processes that are all involved in the development and progression of cancer. FAK is also linked to oncogenes at both a biochemical and functional level. Moreover, overexpression and/or increased activity of FAK is common in a wide variety of human cancers, implicating a role for FAK in carcinogenesis. Given the important role of FAK in a large number of processes involved in tumorigenesis, metastasis and survival signalling FAK should be regarded as a potential target in the development of anti-cancer drugs. Therefore, selective inhibitors of FAK need to be developed. Combination of these selective FAK inhibitors with cytotoxic agents could be a very promising anti-cancer therapy.
van Nimwegen
Maroesja J
MJ
Division of Toxicology, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Gorlaeus Laboratories, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
van de Water
Bob
B
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051416:Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases