Biochemical Mechanisms of Hedgehog Signal Transduction Through Primary Cilia in Medulloblastoma
Abstract
The Hedgehog pathway is a molecular mechanism that is essential for embryonic development, but misactivation of Hedgehog signaling can cause cancer. Medulloblastomas are rare pediatric brain tumors, and approximately one-third of medulloblastomas are caused by Hedgehog pathway misactivation. Hedgehog signals are transduced through tiny antennae on the surface of most cells called primary cilia, but the molecular interactions in primary cilia that are important for Hedgehog signal transduction remain poorly understood. In alignment with the Fiscal Year 2020 Rare Cancers Research Program Focus Area Biology and Etiology, our objective is to define the molecular mechanisms underlying the accumulation and activity of two critical Hedgehog pathway members in primary cilia. Broadly, understanding mechanisms underlying Hedgehog signal transduction is critical for developing new treatments for Hedgehog-associated cancers, such as medulloblastoma. Although this proposal focuses on understanding the basic science of Hedgehog signal transduction, the data generated by our experiments will lay the foundation for future therapeutic innovation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110760
Entities
People
- David Raleigh
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of California, San Francisco