Novel receptor antagonists for cancer therapy: hedgehog pathway inhibitors

The hedgehog (Hh) pathway is an essential agent of developmental patterning, wherein the local concentration of the Hh morphogens directs cellular differentiation and expansion [Ingham, P.W. and McMahon, A.P. (2001) Hedgehog signaling in animal development: paradigms and principles. Genes Dev. 15, 3059–3087 (review)]. Although Hh signaling is significantly curtailed in adults, it retains functional roles in stem cell maintenance, tissue repair and aberrantly in the tumorigenesis of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and medulloblastoma. The Hh pathway has also been implicated in tumor/stromal interaction and cancer stem cell biology, and therefore presents a novel therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment.

Section editor:Robert Copeland – Epizyme Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA