Intracellular insulin in human tumors: examples and implications

• Main Author: Radulescu Razvan T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011-04-01
• Series: Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome
• Online Access: http://www.dmsjournal.com/content/3/1/5

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Insulin is one of the major metabolic hormones regulating glucose homeostasis in the organism and a key growth factor for normal and neoplastic cells. Work conducted primarily over the past 3 decades has unravelled the presence of insulin in human breast cancer tissues and, more recently, in human non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC). These findings have suggested that intracellular insulin is involved in the development of these highly prevalent human tumors. A potential mechanism for such involvement is insulin's binding and inactivation of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (RB) which in turn is likely controlled by insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE). This model and its supporting data are collectively covered in this survey in order to provide further insight into insulin-driven oncogenesis and its reversal through future anticancer therapeutics.</p>