Dual-Specificity Phosphatases in Neuroblastoma Cell Growth and Differentiation

Caroline Nunes-Xavier, Laura Zaldumbide, Olaia Aurtenetxe, Ricardo López-Almaraz, José López, Rafael Pulido
2019 International Journal of Molecular Sciences  
Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) are important regulators of neuronal cell growth and differentiation by targeting proteins essential to neuronal survival in signaling pathways, among which the MAP kinases (MAPKs) stand out. DUSPs include the MAPK phosphatases (MKPs), a family of enzymes that directly dephosphorylate MAPKs, as well as the small-size atypical DUSPs, a group of low molecular-weight enzymes which display more heterogeneous substrate specificity. Neuroblastoma (NB) is a
more » ... ncy intimately associated with the course of neuronal and neuroendocrine cell differentiation, and constitutes the source of more common extracranial solid pediatric tumors. Here, we review the current knowledge on the involvement of MKPs and small-size atypical DUSPs in NB cell growth and differentiation, and discuss the potential of DUSPs as predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human NB.
doi:10.3390/ijms20051170 fatcat:cqcbu5qjvjfzjkziqdrpdqhuvq