Oncogene Proteins v erbB, also known as ErbB proteins, are a group of cell surface receptors that play a significant role in cellular growth and development. These proteins are encoded by oncogenes, which are genes that, when mutated or overexpressed, can cause the formation of tumors and promote cancer progression.
The ErbB family consists of several subtypes, including ErbB1 (also known as epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR), ErbB2 (also called HER2), ErbB3, and ErbB4. These proteins are transmembrane receptors that span the cell membrane and have an extracellular ligand-binding domain and an intracellular domain that initiates signal transduction processes.
Oncogene Proteins v erbB are crucial for regulating cell growth, survival, differentiation, and migration. Upon activation by specific growth factor ligands, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), these receptors undergo dimerization and autophosphorylation, leading to the activation of downstream signaling pathways such as the Ras-Raf-MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways.
Abnormal activation or overexpression of ErbB proteins can occur through various mechanisms, including gene amplification, mutation, or receptor overexpression. This dysregulation can result in uncontrolled cell growth and malignant transformation, leading to the development and progression of various types of cancers, including breast, lung, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.
Due to their critical role in promoting tumor growth, ErbB proteins have become targets for anticancer therapies. Therapeutic interventions, such as monoclonal antibody-based drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin), have been developed to specifically target and inhibit the activity of ErbB receptors
