Role of Nuclear EGFR During Cellular Radiation Response

Emerging evidence suggests the existence of a new mode of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling in which activated EGFR undergoes nuclear translocation. We provide evidence that the nuclear EGFR transport is a stress specific cellular reaction, which is linked to src dependent EGFR internalization into caveolae. Internalized EGFR is sorted into a peri-nuclear localization. This peri-nuclear EGFR may serve as a reservoir for nuclear transport which is regulated by PKC ε. Nuclear EGFR induces transcription of genes essential for cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation. In addition, nuclear EGFR has physical contact with compounds of the DNA repair machinery and is involved in removal of DNA-damage. The exact role of nuclear EGFR has to be elucidated in future experiments