Targeting the hedgehog pathway to mitigate treatment resistance

Cell Cycle. 2007 Aug 1;6(15):1826-30. doi: 10.4161/cc.6.15.4545. Epub 2007 Jun 5.

Abstract

'Hedgehog' (HH) molecules are secretory signaling proteins that were first discovered in Drosophila. Three HH homologs have been identified in humans including Sonic hedgehog (SHH), Indian hedgehog (IHH) and Desert hedgehog (DHH). During embryonic development, the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway is critical, and it regulates both proliferation and differentiation of various types of stem cells.1This article provides a brief overview of HH signaling, summarizes the correlation between HH signaling and treatment resistance of cancer cells, and discusses the recent advances in targeting this signaling cascade to overcome treatment resistance with supporting experimental results.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Cycle
  • Drug Resistance*
  • Hedgehog Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1

Substances

  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1