Human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in multiple cancers of epithelial derivation. EGFR is a transmembrane receptor kinase that spans the cell membrane and is activated by a number of external ligands, including EGF and transforming growth factor α. Activation of EGFR initiates several signal transduction cascades, leading to DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. There is one orthologous gene in flies, Dmel\Egfr, for which classical amorphic and hypomorphic alleles, constitutively active alleles, RNAi-targeting constructs, and alleles caused by insertional mutagenesis have been generated. Dmel\Egfr is orthologous to three additional human genes, ERBB4, ERBB3 and ERBB2; ERBB2 has also been implicated in multiple cancers.
The human Hsap\EGFR gene has been introduced into flies, but has not been used in the context of this disease model.
Using adult flies and two forms of activated Egfr (btl::Egfrλ.UAS or EgfrU.A887T.UAS), it has been demonstrated that overexpression of activated Egfr in intestinal stem cells and enterocytes results in stem cell hyperproliferation. The phenotype is comparable to that observed using the disease model 'cancer, intestinal stem cell, RAS-related' (FBhh0001032). The EGFR overexpression system has allowed characterization of interacting genes and related downstream signaling pathways.
Using a GAL4 line expressed in adult ISC, effects of DHA treatment on Egfr-dependent proliferation has been characterized.
[updated Jan. 2022 by FlyBase; FBrf0222196]
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase of the ErbB family. Binding of the protein to a ligand induces receptor dimerization and tyrosine autophosphorylation and leads to cell proliferation. Binding of EGFR can activate at least 4 major downstream signaling cascades including the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK, PI3 kinase-AKT, PLCgamma-PKC and STATs modules. [from Gene Cards, EGFR; 2021.06.29]
Many to one: 4 human genes to 1 Drosophila gene.
Orthologous to human genes EGFR, ERBB4, ERBB3, and ERBB2 (1 Drosophila to 4 human). Dmel\Egfr shares 33-37% identity and 46-51% similarity with the human genes.