Untangling the ErbB signalling network

Y Yarden, MX Sliwkowski - Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 2001 - nature.com
Y Yarden, MX Sliwkowski
Nature reviews Molecular cell biology, 2001nature.com
When epidermal growth factor and its relatives bind the ErbB family of receptors, they trigger
a rich network of signalling pathways, culminating in responses ranging from cell division to
death, motility to adhesion. The network is often dysregulated in cancer and lends credence
to the mantra that molecular understanding yields clinical benefit: over 25,000 women with
breast cancer have now been treated with trastuzumab (HerceptinŽ), a recombinant
antibody designed to block the receptor ErbB2. Likewise, small-molecule enzyme inhibitors …
Abstract
When epidermal growth factor and its relatives bind the ErbB family of receptors, they trigger a rich network of signalling pathways, culminating in responses ranging from cell division to death, motility to adhesion. The network is often dysregulated in cancer and lends credence to the mantra that molecular understanding yields clinical benefit: over 25,000 women with breast cancer have now been treated with trastuzumab (HerceptinŽ), a recombinant antibody designed to block the receptor ErbB2. Likewise, small-molecule enzyme inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies to ErbB1 are in advanced phases of clinical testing. What can this pathway teach us about translating basic science into clinical use?
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