Activation of Notch-1 signaling maintains the neoplastic phenotype in human Ras-transformed cells

S Weijzen, P Rizzo, M Braid, R Vaishnav… - Nature medicine, 2002 - nature.com
S Weijzen, P Rizzo, M Braid, R Vaishnav, SM Jonkheer, A Zlobin, BA Osborne, S Gottipati…
Nature medicine, 2002nature.com
Truncated Notch receptors have transforming activity in vitro and in vivo. However, the role
of wild-type Notch signaling in neoplastic transformation remains unclear. Ras signaling is
deregulated in a large fraction of human malignancies and is a major target for the
development of novel cancer treatments. We show that oncogenic Ras activates Notch
signaling and that wild-type Notch-1 is necessary to maintain the neoplastic phenotype in
Ras-transformed human cells in vitro and in vivo. Oncogenic Ras increases levels and …
Abstract
Truncated Notch receptors have transforming activity in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of wild-type Notch signaling in neoplastic transformation remains unclear. Ras signaling is deregulated in a large fraction of human malignancies and is a major target for the development of novel cancer treatments. We show that oncogenic Ras activates Notch signaling and that wild-type Notch-1 is necessary to maintain the neoplastic phenotype in Ras-transformed human cells in vitro and in vivo. Oncogenic Ras increases levels and activity of the intracellular form of wild-type Notch-1, and upregulates Notch ligand Delta-1 and also presenilin-1, a protein involved in Notch processing, through a p38-mediated pathway. These observations place Notch signaling among key downstream effectors of oncogenic Ras and suggest that it might be a novel therapeutic target.
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