Monday September 24, 2012 16:30 - 17:00 @ Auditorium 

p38 MAPK signaling in tumorigenesis

Abstract:

The p38α MAP kinase pathway plays key roles in the cellular responses to stress but can also integrate signals that affect many other cellular processes in a cell context-specific and cell type-specific manner. Studies using genetically modified mice have elucidated some in vivo functions for p38α, and provided insights into how this pathway can suppress tumor initiation. There is good evidence that normal cells rely on p38α signaling to engage various tumor suppressor mechanisms, such as apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest or cell differentiation. Intriguingly, p38α does not seem to be usually mutated in human tumors. On the contrary, this signaling pathway sometimes can play new roles during tumor development, facilitating the proliferation, survival and invasivity of the cancer cells. We are using mouse models to investigate physiological functions of p38α signaling and how they are subverted during tumorigenesis.