Gleevec inhibits the oncogenic BCR–ABL tyrosine kinase in chronic myelogenous leukaemia and thus safely and effectively suppresses this human cancer. Gleevec also inhibits the normal cellular ABL, a downstream effector of the Eph-receptors, which mediate repulsive cell–cell interactions to regulate axon guidance, angiogenesis and epithelial homeostasis. New work shows that Eph-dependent tumour suppression requires ABL and is blocked by Gleevec, thus cautioning against the indiscriminate use of this drug in cancer therapy.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Deininger, M., Buchdunger, E. & Druker, B. J. Blood 105, 2640–2653 (2005).
Shah, N. P. et al. Cancer Cell 2, 117–125 (2002).
Noren, N., Foos, G, Hauser, C. A., & Pasquale, E. B. Nature Cell Biol. 8, 815–825 (2006).
Wang, J. Y. Nature Cell Biol. 6, 3–7 (2004).
Wang, J. Y. Cell Res. 15, 43–48 (2005).
Furstoss, O. et al. EMBO J. 21, 514–524 (2002).
Pasquale, E. B. Nature Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 6, 462–475 (2005).
Clevers, H. & Batlle, E. Cancer Res. 66, 2–5 (2006).
Holmberg, J. et al. Cell 125, 1151–1163 (2006).
Macrae, M. et al. Cancer Cell 8, 111–118 (2005).
Kain, K. H. & Klemke, R. L. J. Biol. Chem. 276, 16185–16192 (2001).
Frasca, F., Vigneri, P., Vella, V., Vigneri, R. & Wang, J. Y. Oncogene 20, 3845–3856 (2001).
Truong, T., Sun, G., Doorly, M., Wang, J. Y. & Schwartz, M. A. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 10281–10286 (2003).
Depaepe, V. et al. Nature 435, 1244–1250 (2005).
Vigneri, P. & Wang, J. Y. Nature Med. 7, 228–234 (2001).
Vella, V. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 25151–25157 (2003).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, J. Eph tumour suppression: the dark side of Gleevec. Nat Cell Biol 8, 785–786 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb0806-785
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb0806-785