Multiple endogenous growth factor pathways

Multiple endogenous growth factor pathways refer to the integrated network of signaling cascades initiated by the binding of various growth factors—such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)—to their specific cell-surface receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) (Lemmon & Schlessinger, Cell 2010). These pathways are fundamental to physiological processes including angiogenesis, cell proliferation, and tissue repair. In many diseases, particularly malignancies and fibrotic disorders, these pathways are pathologically overactivated, driving tumor vascularization and the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (Richeldi et al., NEJM 2014). Therapeutic strategies often utilize multi-kinase inhibitors, such as nintedanib or lenvatinib, which are designed to target several of these receptors simultaneously (FDA Label: Ofev, 2014; Schlumberger et al., NEJM 2015). This broad-spectrum inhibition is intended to overcome redundant signaling mechanisms and provide more robust clinical efficacy than targeting a single growth factor pathway alone.

Other names

Growth factor signaling cascadesAngiogenic signaling pathwaysReceptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) pathwaysMulti-kinase signaling

Simultaneous inhibition of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), primarily VEGFR, PDGFR, and FGFR, to block downstream intracellular signaling cascades such as PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK.