Targeting a Cancer Pathway — Phosphoinosotide (PI) 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are intracellular enzymes that play an important role in cell proliferation, survival and metabolism. A particular form of PI3K called PIK3CB is unusual because it is regulated by G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Importantly, PIK3B has been implicated in the growth of tumors driven by mutations of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. Jonathan M. Backer, M.D., and Anne R. Bresnick, Ph.D., have received a four-year, $1.2 million NIH grant to investigate the mechanisms that regulate the activity of PIK3CB in normal and malignant cells. This work may lead to the design of novel drugs that target PI3Ks that are regulated by GPCRs in human cancers.
Posted on: Monday, February 09, 2015