Work

Molecular Pathways: Dysregulated Glutamatergic Signaling Pathways in Cancer

Year: 2012

Type: review

Abstract: The neurotransmitter glutamate interacts with glutamate receptor proteins, leading to the activation of multiple signaling pathways. Dysfunction in the glutamatergic signaling pathway is well established as a frequent player in diseases such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, and brain tumors (gliomas). Recently, aberrant functioning of this pathway has also been shown in melanoma. In both glioma and melanoma, glutamate secretion stimulates tumor growth, proliferation, and survival through activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt pathways. In the future, extracellular glutamate levels and glutamatergic signaling may serve as biological markers for tumorigenicity and facilitate targeted therapy for melanoma. .

Source: Clinical Cancer Research

DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-11-1217

Authors: Todd D. Prickett, Yardena Samuels

Institutions: National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute

Language: English

Topic: Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism

Subfield: Biochemistry

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute