The cross-talking hedgehog

For about a decade, abnormal activation of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been thought to play a role in tumorigenesis, possibly mediated by the tumor suppressor p53, but the molecular mechanisms linking Hh to cancer remained elusive. Newly reported in vitro studies in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences now have shown a signaling connection between Hh and p53-induced apoptosis, thereby establishing the first molecular pathway between Hh and tumor survival and growth.

Though it remains to be seen how extensive this pathway is in human cancers, the findings could offer new cancer targets and provide markers for predicting whether existing therapies are likely to be effective. Until now, exploiting suggestive evidence about the Hh signaling path has proved unfruitful for drug developers (see "The elusive hedgehog")...