Notch in lung development and lung cancer

Although data regarding the role of the Notch pathway in human lung cancer are still limited, fetal lung developmental studies suggest that Notch signaling plays a critical role in regulating airway epithelial development. The moderate hypotrophic phenotype of lungs from animals bearing a Hes1 mutation, and the expression of Notch components in the distal lung bud during branching morphogenesis, together suggest that Notch may play a role in normal lung growth, especially in Clara cell precursors. Non-small cell lung cancers, including adenocarcinoma, appear to actively utilize this conserved developmental pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of the Notch pathway is a potential experimental approach to lung cancer treatment. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.