title: The Hedgehog Signaling Networks in Lung Cancer: The Mechanisms and Roles in Tumor Progression and Implications for Cancer Therapy.
abstract: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide and is classified into small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Several gene mutations that contribute to aberrant cell proliferation have been identified in lung adenocarcinoma, a part of NSCLC. Various anticancer drugs that target these mutated molecules have been developed for NSCLC treatment. However, although molecularly targeted drugs are initially effective for patients, the 5-year survival rate remains low because of tumor relapse. Therefore, more effective drugs for lung cancer treatment should be developed. The hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway contributes to organ development and stem cell maintenance, and aberrant activation of this signaling pathway is observed in various cancers including lung cancer. In lung cancer, HH signaling pathway upregulates cancer cell proliferation and maintains cancer stem cells as well as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Furthermore, physical contact between CAFs and NSCLC cells induces HH signaling pathway activation in NSCLC cells to enhance their metastatic potential. Therefore, HH signaling pathway inhibitors could be a useful option for lung cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki 211-8533, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3894-494X
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, 1-396 Kosugi-cho, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki 211-8533, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6373-2220
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins