Campbell Tessa N, Robbins Stephen M
Southern Alberta Cancer Research Institute, Departments of Oncology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2008;10(1-2):61-6.
Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (Ephs) and their membrane-anchored ligands (ephrins) form a vital cell communication system capable of bi-directional signaling. This Eph receptor/ephrin system has classically been demonstrated to play a role in development. However, emerging evidence has revealed differential expression of Ephs and ephrins in numerous cancers. Recent studies suggest that this system influences invasive behaviour, promoting a more aggressive and metastatic phenotype. Hence, this minireview summarizes the current understanding of the contribution of both Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands to invasiveness in cancer, as well as their use as potential therapeutic targets.
Eph受体酪氨酸激酶（Ephs）及其膜锚定配体（ephrins）形成了一个能够进行双向信号传导的重要细胞通讯系统。经典研究表明，这个Eph受体/ephrin系统在发育过程中发挥作用。然而，新出现的证据显示，Ephs和ephrins在多种癌症中存在差异表达。最近的研究表明，该系统会影响侵袭行为，促进更具侵袭性和转移性的表型。因此，本综述总结了目前对Eph受体及其ephrin配体在癌症侵袭性中的作用的理解，以及它们作为潜在治疗靶点的应用。
