MyD88 and Cancer

Abstract

Cancer is a condition characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells that leads to formation of lumps or masses of tissues called tumors. There are different types of cancer, each of which are basically linked to the type of cell that it affects. Cancer may be caused by hereditary factors, environmental factors, carcinogenic agents and exposure to radiation, among other sources. Often referred to as the “Silent Killer,” cancer is one of the deadliest diseases affecting human populations worldwide. In India, approximately 1 million cases of cancer are detected annually and added to the total pool of patients suffering from this disease. Cancer cases are rising at an alarming rate over the last decade in India, with increases being particularly high in the North Eastern part of the country. Head and neck cancer leads the list in northeast India, as per reports from the National Cancer Registries and ICMR. Researchers all over the globe, however, have adopted numerous ways to study the molecular mechanisms associated with cancer biology and all their approaches can be broadly summarized under genomic and proteomic studies. Many pathways have been proposed to reflect the mechanisms involved in cancer. However, the one mediated by P53 and the myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) has gained significant attention. P53 is a tumor suppressor protein, encoded by the gene TP53 in humans. It acts by regulating the cell cycle via integration of various signals linked to cell life and death, and as such plays a crucial role in preventing cancer. It also activates the programmed cell death pathway, or apoptosis, thereby arresting cell growth. While a substantial amount of data has been published on p53, the MyD88 pathway remains much less studied and largely unknown; research efforts are ongoing with the aim of elucidating the signaling mechanism of MyD88 in cancer. In this article, emphasis is laid on discussing the signaling pathways associated with MyD88.