Pathology: Neoplasia Flashcards
What is the molecular basis of cancer?
a tumor is initiated by the clonal expansion of a single precursor cell that has incurred genetic damage
What does “hallmarks of cancer” mean?
carcinogenesis results from the accumulation of complementary mutations in a stepwise fashion over time
What are the 4 classes of normal regulatory gene that are the principle targets of cancer causing mutations?
1) Proto-oncogenes
2) DNA repair genes
3) Tumor suppressor genes
4) Genes regulating cell death
How does a cell proliferate?
Using the growth signal pathway GF binds to receptor thus activating that receptor. Production/activation of numerous cytoplasmic signal transducing proteins in the nucleus. This activates transcription factors in the DNA. This leads to transcription of growth promotors & regulators
What is Growth Factor (GF) used for?
Normal cells require GF to proliferate
How does growth factor work?
Most soluble GF are made by a cell to act on a neighboring cell.
True/False: tumor cells can synthesize their on GF to which they respond to?
True
What can lead from common mutations in GF receptors?
Constitutive signaling that is independent of the presence of GF
What are examples of constitutive signaling ?
C-kit & HER2
What are the 2 signaling transducing proteins?
RAs and P13 kinase
What is Ras and what does it encode for?
Is a normal protooncogene that is activated by tyrosine kinase receptor activity & it encodes for a protein that binds to GDP & GTP
What does active & inactive Ras bind to?
Inactive Ras binds to GDP and when surface receptor binding facilitates swapping of bond GDP for GTP is active RAs
What are P13 kinase?
Normal proto-oncogenes in AKT signaling (another growth signaling pathway)
How is p13 kinase activated?
like Ras it is activated by GF binding & initiating receptor tyrosine kinase activity
What is transcription factor?
Are the proteins that actually bind to the DNA & turn it on/off
What does Myc do that we know of?
Very broad activities
activates the expression of many genes involved in cell growth
Can upregulate expression of telomerase
Can reprogram somatic cells to pluripotential stem cells
What is the importance of telomerase in neoplasia?
It is an important mechanism of cell aging
“Tumors up regulate this & have “cell replicate immortality”
What do Rb (retinoblastoma proteins) do?
They normally inhibit cell proliferation and lives in an active form that binds to E2F (transcription factor that goes to DNA & says lets grow)