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Anti-PTEN (clone QR042)

Anti-PTEN (clone QR042)

PTEN – Key Tumor Suppressor Gene in Cancer Growth Regulation
✔ PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog) – A Major Tumor Suppressor That:
      
  • Inhibits cell growth
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  • Increases cellular susceptibility to apoptosis
Mechanism of PTEN Action – Regulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway
✔ PTEN functions as a phosphatase, metabolizing PIP3 – a lipid product of PI3 kinase.
✔ It acts as an antagonist to the oncogenic PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which regulates:
      
  • Proliferation
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  • Cell survival
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  • Tumor growth
    ✔ Loss of PTEN function leads to excessive activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, promoting tumorigenesis.
PTEN – One of the Most Frequently Inactivated Tumor Suppressor Genes in Cancer
✔ PTEN loss is one of the most common events in oncogenesis and is found in various cancers, including:
      
  • Glioblastoma
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  • Endometrial cancer
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  • Melanoma
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  • Prostate cancer
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  • Colorectal cancer (CRC)
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  • Lung cancer
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  • Breast cancer
    ✔ PTEN mutations are also linked to hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes.
Mechanisms of PTEN Loss in Cancer
✔ The most frequently observed mechanisms of PTEN inactivation:
      
  • Deletion of a single PTEN gene copy
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  • Epigenetic silencing of PTEN gene expression
    ✔ Loss or significant reduction of PTEN protein levels, detected by IHC, is typical for both primary and metastatic tumors.
Prognostic Significance of PTEN as a Biomarker
✔ PTEN loss is most commonly found in aggressive and metastatic cancers.
✔ PTEN is being developed as a prognostic biomarker to:
      
  • Differentiate between tumors with an indolent course and those prone to progression
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  • Predict treatment response, particularly in the context of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors
Summary
✔ PTEN is a crucial tumor suppressor gene, and its loss activates the oncogenic PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
✔ It is most frequently inactivated in aggressive cancers, such as glioblastoma, endometrial cancer, melanoma, prostate cancer, CRC, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
✔ Loss of PTEN correlates with poor prognosis and increased metastatic potential.
✔ PTEN is being explored as a prognostic biomarker in oncology, particularly for targeted therapies.
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