The roles and therapeutic potentials of Ephs and ephrins in lung cancer.

Eph receptors and their membrane-bound ephrin ligands are intimately involved in embryonic patterning, neuronal targeting, and vascular development during normal embryogenesis. In recent years, a growing number of studies revealed their participation in the development of various cancers. In this review, we concentrate on their involvement in lung cancer. In this context, we summarize their aberrant expressions, their pro- or anti-oncogenic effects as well as related mechanisms, and their potential as drug targets in lung cancer.