The Src family of kinases is commonly associated with its role in “invasion and tumor progression, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and development of metastasis,” all hallmarks of cancer progression. [9] Fyn’s normal function in cellular growth and proliferation has the potential to be exploited in the progression and metastasis of cancer cells. Overexpression of Fyn has been found to drive morphologic transformation in normal cells and increase “anchorage-independent growth and prominent morphologic changes.” [5]
Fyn overexpression has been studied in relation to the following cancers: prostate cancer, glioblastoma multiform, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, pancreatic cancer, chronic melogenic leukemia, and melanoma. [5] [76] This overexpression triggers a promotion of “anti-apoptotic activity of Akt” in prostate cancer, meaning that these cells have gained the ability to avoid the normal cell death pathways (a common hallmark of cancer). [7] Additionally, in glioblastoma multiform, Src and Fyn have been found to be “effectors of oncogenic EGFR signaling” which has led to tumor invasion and cancer cell survival. [5]
Fyn’s normal role in cell migration and adhesion enables it to utilize the normal cell biology of integrin and FAK for cancer growth. Normal integrin is a cell surface receptor that interacts with the extracellular matrix to send signals influencing cell shape and motility. Normal FAK is a tyrosine kinase that gets recruited to focal adhesion sites and plays a key role in directed cell movement. These normal pathways plan a key role in “mediation of Fyn transmitted cellular events impacting shape and motility.” A compromised version of this pathway would enable cancer cells to change shape and motility, increasing the possibility for advanced invasion and metastasis. Additional pathways under investigation regarding Fyn’s role in cancer progression include: the Rac and Rho family of GTPases, Ras, Erk, and MAPK. [5] [7]
Because of this, Fyn has been a common target for anti-cancer therapeutic research. The inhibition of Fyn (like other SFKs) results in decreased cell growth. Furthermore, “expression of kinase-dead-Fyn (KD-Fyn), a specific competitor of endogenous Fyn,” was found to reduce the size of primary tumors in mice. Specifically targeting the unique identifying properties of Fyn as well as inhibiting FAK and PXN has the potential to create a very effective molecularly targeted combination cancer therapy. [7] [9] Fyn inhibitors are also being explored as potential therapies for Alzheimer's Disease. [77]
Lck is a 56 kDa protein that is found inside specialized cells of the immune system called lymphocytes. The Lck is a member of Src kinase family (SFK) and is important for the activation of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling in both naive T cells and effector T cells. The role of Lck is less prominent in the activation or in the maintenance of memory CD8 T cells in comparison to CD4 T cells. In addition, the constitutive activity of the mouse Lck homolog varies among memory T cell subsets. It seems that in mice, in the effector memory T cell (TEM) population, more than 50% of Lck is present in a constitutively active conformation, whereas less than 20% of Lck is present as active form in central memory T cells. These differences are due to differential regulation by SH2 domain–containing phosphatase-1 (Shp-1) and C-terminal Src kinase.
Tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 11 (PTPN11) also known as protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1D (PTP-1D), Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-2 (SHP-2), or protein-tyrosine phosphatase 2C (PTP-2C) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PTPN11 gene. PTPN11 is a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) Shp2.
Adapter molecule crk also known as proto-oncogene c-Crk is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CRK gene.
Tyrosine-protein kinase ITK/TSK also known as interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase or simply ITK, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ITK gene. ITK is a member of the TEC family of kinases and is highly expressed in T cells.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit alpha is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PIK3R1 gene.
Tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 6, also known as Src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PTPN6 gene.
Cbl is a mammalian gene family. CBL gene, a part of the Cbl family, encodes the protein CBL which is an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase involved in cell signalling and protein ubiquitination. Mutations to this gene have been implicated in a number of human cancers, particularly acute myeloid leukaemia.
RAS p21 protein activator 1 or RasGAP, also known as RASA1, is a 120-kDa cytosolic human protein that provides two principal activities:
KH domain-containing, RNA-binding, signal transduction-associated protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the KHDRBS1 gene.
Protein tyrosine kinase 2 beta is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the PTK2B gene.
Breast cancer anti-estrogen resistance protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the BCAR1 gene.
Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Yes is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that in humans is encoded by the YES1 gene.
Tyrosine-protein kinase ABL2 also known as Abelson-related gene (Arg) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ABL2 gene.
Activated CDC42 kinase 1, also known as ACK1, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the TNK2 gene. TNK2 gene encodes a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, ACK1, that binds to multiple receptor tyrosine kinases e.g. EGFR, MERTK, AXL, HER2 and insulin receptor (IR). ACK1 also interacts with Cdc42Hs in its GTP-bound form and inhibits both the intrinsic and GTPase-activating protein (GAP)-stimulated GTPase activity of Cdc42Hs. This binding is mediated by a unique sequence of 47 amino acids C-terminal to an SH3 domain. The protein may be involved in a regulatory mechanism that sustains the GTP-bound active form of Cdc42Hs and which is directly linked to a tyrosine phosphorylation signal transduction pathway. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified from this gene, but the full-length nature of only two transcript variants has been determined.
Megakaryocyte-associated tyrosine-protein kinase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MATK gene.
Proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase FER is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FER gene.
Cytoplasmic tyrosine-protein kinase BMX is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the BMX gene.
Tyrosine-protein kinase BLK, also known as B lymphocyte kinase, is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that in humans is encoded by the BLK gene. It is of the Src family of tyrosine kinases.
Signal transduction protein CBL-C is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CBLC gene.
A non-receptor tyrosine kinase (nRTK) is a cytosolic enzyme that is responsible for catalysing the transfer of a phosphate group from a nucleoside triphosphate donor, such as ATP, to tyrosine residues in proteins. Non-receptor tyrosine kinases are a subgroup of protein family tyrosine kinases, enzymes that can transfer the phosphate group from ATP to a tyrosine residue of a protein (phosphorylation). These enzymes regulate many cellular functions by switching on or switching off other enzymes in a cell.