RalB signaling: a bridge between inflammation and cancer.
A connection between the genetic events that lead to tumor formation and the signaling pathways of the innate immune response has been established. In this issue, Chien et al. (2006) show that the RalB GTPase regulates the IKK family member TBK1, providing an unexpected link between the signaling pathways that promote inflammation and cancer. In tumor cells the RalB/TBK1 pathway inhibits apoptosis and in nontumorigenic cells it stimulates an innate immune response.
Mantovani
Alberto
A
Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano and University of Milan, Italy. alberto.mantovani@humanitas.it
Balkwill
Frances
F
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D020725:ral GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
C483163:Ralb protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; C403191:TBK1 protein, human; D020725:ral GTP-Binding Proteins