dominant-negative EGFR

Dominant-negative EGFR (dnEGFR) is a truncated or mutated version of the epidermal growth factor receptor that lacks the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain while retaining its extracellular ligand-binding and transmembrane domains. It acts as a competitive inhibitor by sequestering EGF ligands and forming inactive heterodimers with endogenous wild-type EGFR, thereby blocking downstream oncogenic signaling pathways such as MAPK and PI3K/Akt. In oncology research, particularly for glioblastoma, dnEGFR is often delivered via viral vectors as a gene therapy approach to inhibit tumor invasion and angiogenesis. By preventing the activation of wild-type EGFR, this approach aims to shift the tumor phenotype from an invasive, non-angiogenic growth pattern to one that is more susceptible to conventional anti-angiogenic therapies.

Other names

dominant-negative epidermal growth factor receptortruncated EGFR