Proteins, drug targets and the mechanisms they control: the simple truth about complex networks

Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2007 Nov;6(11):871-80. doi: 10.1038/nrd2381.

Abstract

Realizing the promise of molecularly targeted inhibitors for cancer therapy will require a new level of knowledge about how a drug target is wired into the control circuitry of a complex cellular network. Here we review general homeostatic principles of cellular networks that enable the cell to be resilient in the face of molecular perturbations, while at the same time being sensitive to subtle input signals. Insights into such mechanisms may facilitate the development of combination therapies that take advantage of the cellular control circuitry, with the aim of achieving higher efficacy at a lower drug dosage and with a reduced probability of drug-resistance development.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Protein Array Analysis
  • Signal Transduction*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Neoplasm Proteins