Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptors (EPHs) represent the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). EPH interaction with ephrins, their membrane-bound ligands, holds a pivotal role in embryonic development, while, though less active, it is also implicated in various physiological functions during adult life. In normal hematopoiesis, different patterns of EPH/ephrin expression have been correlated with hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance and lineage-committed hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) differentiation, as well as with the functional properties of their mature offspring. Research in the field of hematologic malignancies has unveiled a rather complex involvement of the EPH/ephrinsignaling pathway in the pathophysiology of these neoplasms. Aberrations in genetic, epigenetic, and protein levels have been identified as possible players implicated both in tumor progression and suppression, while correlations have also been highlighted regarding prognosis and response to treatment. Initial efforts to therapeutically target the EPH/ephrin axis have been undertaken in the setting of hematologic neoplasia but are mainly confined to the preclinical level. To this end, deciphering the complexity of this signaling pathway both in normal and malignant hematopoiesis is necessary.
促红细胞生成素产生性肝细胞癌受体（EPH）是受体酪氨酸激酶（RTK）中最大的家族。EPH与其膜结合配体肝配蛋白（ephrin）的相互作用在胚胎发育中起着关键作用，同时在成年期的多种生理功能中虽活性较低但也参与其中。在正常造血过程中，不同的EPH/ephrin表达模式与造血干细胞（HSC）的维持、定向造血祖细胞（HPC）的分化以及成熟后代细胞的功能特性相关。血液恶性肿瘤领域的研究揭示了EPH/ephrin信号通路在这些肿瘤病理生理学中相当复杂的参与机制。遗传学、表观遗传学和蛋白质水平的异常已被确认可能与肿瘤进展和抑制有关，同时其与预后及治疗反应的相关性也受到关注。在血液肿瘤治疗中针对EPH/ephrin轴线的初步干预已展开，但主要局限于临床前阶段。因此，在正常与恶性造血过程中解析该信号通路的复杂性显得至关重要。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家