Indian hedgehog, a neglected member of hedgehog pathway, may offer a novel avenue for colorectal cancer therapy

Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2009 Dec;24(6):733-5. doi: 10.1089/cbr.2009.0683.

Abstract

Published data on hedgehog (Hh) pathway activation in colorectal cancer (CRC) are conflicting, and the effect of the Hh pathway inhibitor on the viability of colon cancer cells is controversial. This article focuses attention on the often-neglected, yet likely, critical role of Indian Hh in the course of colonic tumor progression and hypothesizes that upregulation of Indian Hh expression may offer a novel therapeutic approach against CRC through inducing differentiation of tumor cells and through abrogating the Sonic Hh signaling that drives CRC growth.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenoma / genetics
  • Adenoma / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Colon / physiology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Hedgehog Proteins / genetics
  • Hedgehog Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Hedgehog Proteins