A sweet new role for EGFR in cancer

Cancer Cell. 2008 May;13(5):375-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2008.04.008.

Abstract

The epidermal growth factor (EGFR) has served as an attractive bull's-eye for targeted cancer therapies. Although the importance of EGFR as an oncogenic tyrosine kinase seems well established, a report by Weihua et al. in this issue of Cancer Cell adds a new wrinkle to the role of EGFR in cancer. In this study, the authors demonstrate that EGFR facilitates glucose transport into cells by associating with and stabilizing a sodium/glucose cotransporter (SGLT1). Additionally, they find that this function does not require EGFR kinase activity. These results point to a new kinase-independent role for EGFR in promoting metabolic homeostasis in cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • ErbB Receptors / physiology*
  • Homeostasis
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Sodium-Glucose Transporter 1 / physiology

Substances

  • SLC5A1 protein, human
  • Sodium-Glucose Transporter 1
  • ErbB Receptors