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Review
. 2019 Nov 7;9(11):713.
doi: 10.3390/biom9110713.

The Mechanisms Underlying PTEN Loss in Human Tumors Suggest Potential Therapeutic Opportunities

Hyeyoun Chang  1   2   3 , Zhenying Cai  1   2 , Thomas M Roberts  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The Mechanisms Underlying PTEN Loss in Human Tumors Suggest Potential Therapeutic Opportunities

Hyeyoun Chang et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

In this review, we will first briefly describe the diverse molecular mechanisms associated with PTEN loss of function in cancer. We will then proceed to discuss the molecular mechanisms linking PTEN loss to PI3K activation and demonstrate how these mechanisms suggest possible therapeutic approaches for patients with PTEN-null tumors.

Keywords: PI3K; PTEN; cancer.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

T.M.R. has a consulting relationship with Novartis, is a founder of Crimson Biotech and Geode Therapeutics, and is a member of the corporate boards of iKang Healthcare, Crimson Biotech, and Geode Therapeutics.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Class I PI3Ks are heterodimers composed of a catalytic subunit (p110) and a regulatory subunit (p85 or p101). Once activated by cell surface receptors, PI3Ks phosphorylate PIP2 to PIP3, which activates AKT for cell survival, growth, and proliferation. PTEN is the main negative regulator of the signaling pathway. PTEN-null tumor cells often rely on p110b for PI3K signaling, and the figure above depicts the potential mechanism of p110b activation via CRKL/p130Cas/Src/Rac, which results in their localization in lipid rafts in the absence of PTEN.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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