Receptors on cancer cells

Receptors on cancer cells refer to a heterogeneous group of membrane-bound proteins that facilitate communication between the malignant cell and its environment [1]. These receptors, which include Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs), G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and immune checkpoint molecules, are often mutated, overexpressed, or otherwise dysregulated to drive uncontrolled cell growth and survival [2]. For example, the overexpression of HER2 or mutations in EGFR are classic hallmarks of breast and lung cancers, respectively, serving as critical drivers of the oncogenic phenotype [3]. Therapeutic intervention often involves monoclonal antibodies or small-molecule inhibitors designed to interrupt these aberrant signaling pathways or to flag the cells for destruction by the immune system [4]. However, the therapeutic utility of targeting these receptors is often challenged by the development of resistance mechanisms and potential toxicity to normal cells that express lower levels of the same receptors [5]. Sources: [1] National Cancer Institute (NCI) Dictionary of Cancer Terms; [2] Butti R, et al. (2018) Cancers; [3] Yamaoka T, et al. (2018) International Journal of Molecular Sciences; [4] Pardoll DM. (2012) Nature Reviews Cancer; [5] Groenendijk FH & Bernards R. (2014) Molecular Oncology.

Other names

Tumor cell receptorsCancer-associated receptorsCell surface receptors in malignancyOncogenic receptors

Drugs targeting these receptors typically act through competitive inhibition of ligand binding, blockade of intracellular kinase activity, or recruitment of the immune system to destroy the target cell.