FAK in Cancer: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Strategies

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Feb 2;23(3):1726. doi: 10.3390/ijms23031726.
Hsiang-Hao Chuang  1 Yen-Yi Zhen  2 Yu-Chen Tsai  1 Cheng-Hao Chuang  1 Michael Hsiao  3 Ming-Shyan Huang  4 Chih-Jen Yang  1  5  6
Affiliations
  • 1. Division of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
  • 2. Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
  • 3. Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
  • 4. Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan.
  • 5. Faculty of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
  • 6. Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan.
Abstract

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, is overexpressed and activated in many Cancer types. FAK regulates diverse cellular processes, including growth factor signaling, cell cycle progression, cell survival, cell motility, angiogenesis, and the establishment of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments through kinase-dependent and kinase-independent scaffolding functions in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Mounting evidence has indicated that targeting FAK, either alone or in combination with Other agents, may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for various cancers. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying FAK-mediated signaling networks during tumor development. We also summarize the recent progress of FAK-targeted small-molecule compounds for Anticancer activity from preclinical and clinical evidence.

Keywords
combination therapy; drug resistance; focal adhesion kinase; metastasis; tumor microenvironment.
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