Research Highlights

Short, accessible synopses of recent important articles concerning signalling pathways.

October 2007

• Cancer: On the move

  

  The highly invasive nature of cancerous cells is a key problem for the surgical removal of malignant gliomas. Therefore, the identification of factors that promote invasion is crucial for the development of effective treatment strategies. In a recent study published in PLoS Biology, Johnston et al. identified the neurotrophin receptor p75 (p75^NTR) as a likely mediator of glioma cell invasion.

  Original research paper Nature Reviews Neuroscience 8 738 doi:10.1038/nrn2245

• Tumour suppressors: One faulty copy tips the balance

  

  TIP60 is an acetyl-transferase that co-regulates MYC and p53, and modulates the MYC-induced DNA-damage response (DDR). A new study shows that loss of a single copy of Tip60 is associated with tumorigenesis, and that this is caused by impairment of the DDR and is independent of p53.

  Original research paper Nature Reviews Cancer 7 725 doi:10.1038/nrc2239

• Oncogenes: Suppressive organization

  

  The cells in epithelial tissues are structurally organized and have apicobasal polarity, and this epithelial architecture has been shown to control many cellular processes including cell proliferation and death. Although it is known that oncogenes can disrupt the initial formation of epithelial architecture, Juha Klefstrom and colleagues now show that, once established, this architecture can regulate proliferation and apoptosis by the oncogene MYC.

  Original research paper Nature Reviews Cancer 7 730 - 731 doi:10.1038/nrc2238

• Cell division: CDK1 in the driving seat

  

  The division of mammalian cells is thought to require the sequential activation of at least four cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) — CDK2, CDK3, CDK4 and CDK6 — during cell-cycle interphase, followed by the activation of CDK1 (which is encoded by Cdc2a). However, Barbacid and colleagues now show that CDK1 activity alone can drive the mammalian cell cycle through cell division, as is the case in unicellular organisms such as yeast.

  Original research paper Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 8 755 doi:10.1038/nrm2267

• Innate immunity: An unexpected role for NF-KB

  

  The IKK (inhibitor of nuclear factor-B (NF-B) kinase-)-dependent activation of NF-B is central in the transcriptional control of acute and chronic inflammation. For this reason IKK inhibitors have been proposed as plausible anti-inflammatory drugs. However, in this study, Greten and colleagues challenge this view by showing that the targeted deletion of IKK in mouse myeloid cells or the pharmacological inhibition of IKK unexpectedly result in a greater susceptibility to endotoxin-induced shock and mortality, owing to increased levels of circulating interleukin-1 (IL-1) as a result of enhanced pro-IL-1 processing.

  Original research paper Nature Reviews Immunology 7 750 - 751 doi:10.1038/nri2182