Signalling pathway
A chain of proteins that passes a message from the cell surface to the nucleus, each one switching on the next like a relay race. Cancer drugs try to break a link in the chain.
A typical pathway runs receptor, adaptor, small switch protein (RAS), kinase cascade (RAF, MEK, ERK), transcription factor, gene; the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway runs in parallel and controls growth and survival. Pathways branch, feed back on themselves, and cross-talk, so blocking one link often leads the cell to reroute the signal, which is a major cause of drug resistance and the rationale for combining drugs that hit two points. Each pathway page on this site shows the chain, the mutations that jam it on, and the drugs that hit each node.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- TermEnzyme
Shares Phosphorylation, Kinase.
- TermHormone therapy
Shares Receptor, Oestrogen receptor signalling, Androgen receptor signalling, Drug resistance (primary and acquired).
- TermLigand
Shares Growth factor, Receptor.
- TermTargeted therapy
Shares Growth signal, Kinase, Drug resistance (primary and acquired).
- IdeaMacrocyclic peptides to cover protein surfaces that pills cannot
- TermHallmark: sustaining proliferative signalling
Shares Growth signal, PI3K / AKT / mTOR, RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK).
- TermProtein
- IdeaDesign drug pairs where resisting one makes you vulnerable to the other
Shares Androgen receptor signalling, RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK).