Role of YAP in Cancer Revealed Using EGFR Phosphorylation Array

Jan. 27, 2010 - PRLog -- The transcription factor YAP was the focus of a study published in the December 2009 issue of Nature Cell Biology (Zhang, et al. Nat Cell Biol. 2009; 11:1444-1450). This groundbreaking publication revealed details of the role of YAP in tumor growth and identified new potential therapeutic targets for cancer.  YAP (yes-associated protein) promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and is highly upregulated in cancers.

Two antibody arrays from RayBiotech, a pioneer and leader in protein and antibody array technologies, were instrumental in these investigations.  First, using the RayBio® Human Growth Factor Antibody Array, this group identified amphiregulin (AREG) as the key effector molecule in YAP-mediated proliferation of breast epithelial cells.  Since AREG is a ligand for EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), the researchers then utilized the RayBio® Human EGFR Phosphorylation Antibody Array to determine site-specific activation of these receptors.  Using data from these 2 arrays, they discovered not only a key effector in their model system, but also a preliminary mechanism of action for their transcription factor, YAP.  Furthermore, the fact that the effector molecule AREG is a diffusible, secreted factor raises the possibility of eventual therapeutic applications.  

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, which includes ErbB-1 (EGFR), ErbB-2 (HER2), ErbB-3, and ErbB-4, constitutes an important group of cell surface receptors which can have a profound impact on cancer initiation, progression, and cancer patient outcomes. Since different phosphorylation patterns on ErbB receptors can activate one or more distinct signaling pathways, the array could aid in correlating ErbB phosphorylation patterns and activation of different signaling pathways with disease mechanisms, diagnosis, prognosis or even drug treatment responses.

The RayBio® EGFR Phosphorylation Antibody Array is a specialized assay designed to simultaneously detect phosphorylation at 17 specific residues on the Human EGFR family receptors.  “This array is a unique assay kit available exclusively from RayBiotech; there is no other comparable product available in the market today,” according to Dr. Ray Huang, President and Founder of RayBiotech, Inc. “We expect this EGFR phosphorylation array will enable many more landmark discoveries related to the role of EGFR activation in cancer and other diseases.”

For more information, contact Brett Burkholder, Manager of Marketing & Business Development at RayBiotech, Inc.

# # #

About RayBiotech:

RayBiotech, Inc., introduced the first commercially available cytokine antibody array in 2001. Since then, RayBiotech array products have been featured in hundreds of publications, including some in top-tier journals: Nature, Nature Medicine, Cell, Lancet, PNAS (USA), and many others. Offering more antibody array choices than any of its competitors, RayBiotech continues to lead in the development of protein array technologies. A spin-off from Emory University’s School of Medicine, RayBiotech is privately owned, with headquarters in metropolitan Atlanta (Norcross, GA).