Targeted therapies in epithelial ovarian cancer: Molecular mechanisms of action

Figure 3 Human epidermal growth factor receptor family members and their specific ligands. The human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family consists of four distinct transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors, and 10 different ligands can selectively bind to each of them. The receptor undergoes homo- or hetero-dimerization that leads to receptor autophosphorylation that activates a series of downstream signaling pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathways that control cell growth and apoptotic signaling. AR: Amphiregulin; TGFα: Transforming growth factor α; BTC: β-cellulin; HB-EGF: Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor; EPR: Epiregulin; NRG: Neuregulins; P: Phosphate; EGFR: Epidermal growth factor receptor.