The Notch pathway in colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. It is also the third most common cancer diagnosis among men, and the second most common cancer diagnosis among women. Globally, CRC can account for nearly 694,000 annual deaths. It is widely appreciated that CRC is the result of dysregulated cellular pathways that promote an inappropriate stem-cell-like phenotype, apoptotic resistance, unchecked proliferation and metastatic spread. While no single pathway is responsible for all of these attributes, an array of recent studies suggests a pivotal role for abnormal Notch-1 signaling in CRC, in part due to interconnectivity of Notch with other pathways. This review will summarize recent evidence for a role of Notch signaling in CRC, will consider interconnectivity between Notch and other pathways involved in CRC and will discuss the possible utility of targeting Notch as a CRC therapeutic.
Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Kaitlyn E
KE
Vinson
Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Dennis C
DC
George
Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Alexander W
AW
Fender
Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.|Department of Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Fred E
FE
Bertrand
Department of Internal Medicine, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
George
G
Sigounas
D000818:Animals; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
D051880:Receptors, Notch
EMT; Notch signaling; colorectal cancer; stemness