Loading
Cancer cells must make protein at furious speed. The eIF4F complex that starts protein synthesis is the funnel where growth signals converge, and drugs that pinch the funnel starve the tumour of the proteins it needs most.
mTORC1 phosphorylates 4E-BPs, releasing eIF4E to form eIF4F (eIF4E/4G/4A) and translate cap-dependent, oncogene-rich mRNAs (MYC, cyclin D1, BCL-2, MCL-1); MNK kinases phosphorylate eIF4E. Ribosomal protein and rRNA synthesis (POLR1, RNA pol I inhibitors such as CX-5461) are collateral dependencies. Drugs: eIF4A inhibitors (zotatifin, phase 1/2 in ER+ breast and KRAS-mutant cancers), MNK inhibitors (tomivosertib), mTOR inhibitors (everolimus approved), and RNA pol I inhibitors in BRCA/HRD (CX-5461 with PARP). Translation control is a shared node downstream of PI3K, RAS, and MYC.
A factory's single loading dock (eIF4F). No matter how many orders the managers (RAS, PI3K, MYC) shout, everything must pass through the dock. Narrow the dock and the most urgent, oversized orders (oncogene proteins) are the first to fail.
Shares MYC, MYC, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the tag mechanism.
Shares MYC, MYC, PIK3CA / PI3K-alpha, PI3K / AKT / mTOR and the tag mechanism.
Shares Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK) and the tag mechanism.
Shares PI3K / AKT / mTOR, RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK) and the tag mechanism.
Shares MYC, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the tag mechanism.
Shares Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, RAS / RAF / MEK / ERK (MAPK) and the tag mechanism.