The Role of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) in Brain Tumors

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 21; no. 8; p. 2863
• Main Authors: Perepechaeva, Maria L, Grishanova, Alevtina Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 20-04-2020; MDPI
• Subjects: AhR; Animals; Aromatic compounds; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - metabolism; Brain cancer; Brain Neoplasms - etiology; Brain Neoplasms - metabolism; Brain Neoplasms - pathology; Brain Neoplasms - therapy; Brain research; Brain tumors; Carcinogenesis; Carcinogens; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell cycle; Classification; Disease Management; Disease Susceptibility; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Homeostasis; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Invertebrates; Kynurenine - metabolism; kynurenine pathway; Ligands; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Metabolites; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Mutation; Nervous system; Nervous System - metabolism; Nervous System - pathology; Nervous System Neoplasms - etiology; Nervous System Neoplasms - metabolism; Nervous System Neoplasms - pathology; Physiology; Proteins; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon - genetics; Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon - metabolism; Review; Reviews; Signal Transduction; Therapeutic applications; therapeutic target; Tryptophan - metabolism; Tumor suppressor genes; Tumors; Vertebrates; United States > US; AhR; therapeutic target; brain tumors; kynurenine pathway; aryl hydrocarbon receptor
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082863

Primary brain tumors, both malignant and benign, are diagnosed in adults at an incidence rate of approximately 23 people per 100 thousand. The role of AhR in carcinogenesis has been a subject of debate, given that this protein may act as either an oncogenic protein or a tumor suppressor in different cell types and contexts. Lately, there is growing evidence that aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays an important part in the development of brain tumors. The role of AhR in brain tumors is complicated, depending on the type of tumor, on ligands that activate AhR, and other features of the pathological process. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about AhR in relation to brain tumors and provide an overview of AhR's potential as a therapeutic target.