Categorizing Molecular Features of NOTCH4 Involved in Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in women. It is observed that hormonal, lifestyle and environmental factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer and often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (invasive ductal carcinoma), glandular tissue called lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue within the breast. The major signaling pathways involved in the breast cancer are Estrogen pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway and P53 signaling pathway. Over the past decade, abnormal activation of Notch signaling in breast cancer has been stated by many different groups. In invasive breast cancer, the elevated expression of Notch signaling pathway components has been reported, including Jagged1-2, Dll1, Dll3, and Dll4, Notch receptor (Notch1 to Notch4). It is observed that increased JAG1-NOTCH4 signaling in human breast tumors is an important stimulator of cancer stem cells. The present investigation deals with the thorough understanding of molecular features of NOTCH4 protein emphasizing its key role in triggering the cancer pathway, by using different bioinformatics tools. The detailed insights into molecular features and the functional elements of NOTCH4 by analyzing its physicochemical parameters, secondary and tertiary structure prediction, domain analysis and intermolecular interactions, it can be considered as one of the potent drug target in breast cancer and can contribute to a novel alternate and promising treatment strategy for breast cancer through computer aided drug designing.