A retroinhibition approach reveals a tumor cell-autonomous response to rapamycin in head and neck cancer.

ABSTRACT: Emerging evidence supporting the activation of the Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling network in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression has provided the rationale for exploring the therapeutic potential of inhibiting this pathway for HNSCC treatment. Indeed, rapamycin, a clinically relevant mTOR inhibitor, promotes the rapid regression of HNSCC-tumor xenografts in mice. However, rapamycin does not affect the growth of HNSCC cells in vitro, thus raising the possibility that, as for other cancer types, rapamycin may not target cancer cells directly but may instead act on a component of the tumor microenvironment, such as tumor-associated vasculature. Here, we used a retroinhibition approach to assess the contribution of cancer cell-autonomous actions of rap

SUBMITTER: Amornphimoltham P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3443567 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature