The regulation of PI 3-kinase second messenger molecules, PtdIns(3,4)P2 and PtdIns 3-P.

细胞对外部环境、激素和生长因子的反应是在细胞内部产生信息，向细胞核发送刺激细胞生长的信号。一个这样的信号网络是由称为磷脂酰肌醇的膜脂产生的。产生这些信号的酶被称为激酶。由于在许多人类癌症中，由该酶产生的信号增加，所以人们对PI3-激酶有相当大的兴趣。遗传性癌症综合征已经被描述为已经失去了关闭PI 3-激酶信号的能力。目前的项目旨在研究最近发现的一种名为4-磷酸酶的酶，它具有终止PI 3-激酶信号的能力。最近的研究表明，这种酶调节细胞生长。此外，关键实验表明，这种酶很重要，因为它可能调节某些菌株的细菌感染。这项研究计划旨在研究酶是如何调节这些促进生长的信号的。这可能有助于我们开发新的治疗策略来控制细胞生长。

Cells respond to the external environment, hormones, and growth factors by generating messages inside the cell that send a signal to the nucleus that stimulates cell growth. One such signalling network is that produced by membrane lipids known as phosphoinositides. Enzymes that produce these signals are known as kinases. There has been considerable interest in the PI 3-kinase as the signals generated by this enzyme are increased in many human cancers. Inherited cancer syndromes have been described that have lost the ability to switch off PI 3-kinase signals. The current project aims to investigate a recently identified enzyme called the 4-phosphatase that has the ability to terminate PI 3-kinase signals. Recent studies have shown this enzyme regulates cell growth. In addition key experiments have shown the enzyme is important as it may regulate certain strains of bacterial infection. This research proposal aims to investigate how the enzyme works to regulate these growth promoting signals. This may help us develop novel therapeutic strategies to control cell growth.