title: Wnt signaling as a therapeutic target for cancer.
abstract: The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is tightly regulated and has important functions in development, tissue homeostasis, and regeneration. Deregulation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is frequently found in various human cancers. Eighty percent of colorectal cancers alone reveal activation of this pathway by either inactivation of the tumor-suppressor gene adenomatous polyposis coli or mutation of the proto-oncogene beta-catenin. Activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has been found to be important for both initiation and progression of cancers of different tissues. Therefore, targeted inhibition of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is a rational and promising new approach for the therapy of cancers of various origins.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit for Gastrointestinal Cancers, Department of Medicine II, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herbst
authors.forename: Frank Thomas
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Kolligs
mesh_terms: D011125:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin