Targeting prion protein interactions in cancer #MMPMID26110608
Santos TG; Lopes MH; Martins VR
Prion 2015[May]; 9 (3): 165-73 PMID26110608show ga
In recent years, prion protein (PrPC) has been considered as a promising target molecule for cancer therapies, due its direct or indirect participation in tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to cell death induced by chemotherapy. PrPC functions as a scaffold protein, forming multiprotein complexes on the plasma membrane, which elicits distinct signaling pathways involved in diverse biological phenomena and could be modulated depending on the cell type, complex composition, and organization. In addition, PrPC and its partners participate in self-renewal of embryonic, tissue-specific stem cells and cancer stem cells, which are suggested to be responsible for the origin, maintenance, relapse, and dissemination of tumors. Interference with protein?protein interaction has been recognized as an important therapeutic strategy in cancer; indeed, the possible interference in PrPC engagement with specific partners is a novel strategy. Recently, our group successfully used that approach to interfere with the interaction between PrPC and HSP-90/70 organizing protein (HOP, also known as stress-inducible protein 1 - STI1) to control the growth of human glioblastoma in animal models. Thus, PrPC-organized multicomplexes have emerged as feasible candidates for anti-tumor therapy, warranting further exploration.
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Prion 2015 ; 9 (3): 165-73
