Title:Notch Signalling: A Potential Therapeutic Pathway in Oral Squamous
Cell Carcinoma
Volume: 21
Issue: 12
Author(s): Ankit Pandey, Sreeshma Bhuvanadas, Joel P. Joseph, Rama Jayaraj and Arikketh Devi*
Affiliation:
- Department of Genetic Engineering, School of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Potheri, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District, Tamilnadu 603203,India
Keywords:
Cancer, notch signalling pathway, oral squamous cell carcinoma, tumour progression, metastasis, cellular dysfunction.
Abstract: Cancer, a set of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth resulting from alteration
in the expression pattern of diverse genes, is one of the prominent causes of mortality and morbidity
worldwide. This modification of various genes leads to altered signalling cascades and changes
in the molecular network. These changes eventually give rise to cellular dysfunction and then to
systemic failure causing death. Of the several pathways that are aberrantly activated in cancer,
Notch signalling pathway is a prominent one. Notch signalling pathway is a juxtracrine signalling
pathway which activates the genes associated with cell proliferation, survival and angiogenesis.
Notch signalling pathway components are seen to be upregulated in several types of cancer. Oral
squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a predominant category of oral cancer where aberrant activation
of Notch signalling causes tumour progression and metastasis. In this review, we discuss the
Notch signalling pathway, its components, forms and its role in the progression and metastasis of
oral squamous cell carcinoma.
