The Sound of Evolution
Cetuximab
Mechanism of action:
Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR activates the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK (MAPK) pathway to promote cell proliferation, the PI3K-AKT pathway to inhibit apoptosis, and the JAK-STAT pathway to regulate gene expression and angiogenesis. Cetuximab specifically binds to EGFR and blocks its interaction with ligands such as EGF and TGF-α, thereby preventing EGFR activation. It can also promote EGFR internalization and downregulation of receptor expression. In addition, its antibody structure may trigger immune effects such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC).
Reference(s):
1. Chen X et al. (2002). TTD: Therapeutic Target Database. Nucleic Acids Res.
2. Snyder LC et al. (2005). Overview of monoclonal antibodies and small molecules targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway in colorectal cancer. Clin Colorectal Cancer.