Cell signalling and radiation survival: The impact of protein phosphatases

Abstract

Purpose: This review will examine the role of phosphatases in cancer cell signalling and also outline emerging findings regarding the influence of phosphatases on tumor cell survival after ionising radiation.

Conclusion: The exposure of tumour cells to clinically relevant doses of ionising radiation causes DNA damage and rapidly activates a series of signaling cascades involved in cell survival (reviewed in (Valerie et al. )). The role of kinases in this signalling has been extensively studied, but the role of phosphatases is less well defined. There is an abundance of literature implicating phosphatases in cell cycle control, cell growth and survival but there has been much less reported on the involvement of these enzymes as determinants of radiosensitivity. Recent studies, however, suggest that phosphatases may modulate tumor cell radiosensitivity and may be targets for the enhancement of radiotherapy.

Keywords:

• cell signaling
• phosphorylation
• radiosensitivity
• PTEN
• PP1
• PP2A
• PHLPP

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.