The FGFR3-TACC3 fusion is an oncogenic driver in diverse malignancies, including bladder cancer, characterized by upregulated tyrosine kinase activity. To gain insights into distinct properties of FGFR3-TACC3 down-stream signalling, we utilised telomerase-immortalised normal human urothelial cell lines expressing either the fusion or wild-type FGFR3 (isoform IIIb) for subsequent quantitative pr...

UNLABELLED PTH stimulates bone formation in Fgfr3 knockout mice through promotion of proliferation and differentiation in osteoblasts. INTRODUCTION Previous studies showed that endogenous fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) is required for parathyroid hormone (PTH)-stimulated bone anabolic effects, however, the exact mechanisms by which PTH stimulate bone formation and the function of FGF rece...

Primary cartilaginous tumors often arise from endochondral ossification, range from benign endochondroma and osteochondroma to malignant chondrosarcoma, and are notoriously resistant to chemotherapy or radiation. This urges development of novel therapeutic approaches particularly in chondrosarcoma, which is a terminal disease in more than 90% of unresectable cases [1]. Now research of Zhou and ...

RNA sequencing facilitates the discovery of novel gene fusions in cancer. In this issue of the JCI, Parker et al. identify an FGFR3-TACC3 fusion oncogene in glioblastoma and demonstrate a novel mechanism of pathogenicity. A miR-99a binding site within the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of FGFR3 is lost, releasing FGFR3 signaling from miR-99a-dependent inhibition and greatly enhancing tumor pro...

UNLABELLED Activating mutations of FGFR3 are a common and early event in bladder cancer. Ectopic expression of mutant FGFR3 in normal urothelial cells has both pro-proliferative and antiapoptotic effects at confluence, suggesting that mutant cells are insensitive to cell-cell contact inhibition. Herein, detailed analysis revealed that these cells have reduced cell-cell adhesion, with large inte...

Epidermal nevi are common congenital skin lesions with an incidence of 1 in 1,000 people; however, their genetic basis remains elusive. Germline mutations of the FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) cause autosomal dominant skeletal disorders such as achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia, which can be associated with acanthosis nigricans of the skin. Acanthosis nigricans and common epidermal nevi of the...

Mutations that cause constitutive activation of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) result in skeletal disorders that are characterized by short-limbed dwarfism and premature closure of cranial sutures. In previous work, it was shown that congenital deficiency of FGFR3 led to skeletal overgrowth. Using a combination of imaging, classic histology and molecular cell biology we now show th...

The t(4;14) translocation occurs frequently in multiple myeloma (MM) and results in the simultaneous dysregulated expression of 2 potential oncogenes, FGFR3 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 3) from der(14) and multiple myeloma SET domain protein/Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate gene 1 from der(4). It is now shown that myeloma cells carrying a t(4;14) translocation express a functional FGFR3...

Activating mutations and/or overexpression of FGFR3 are common in bladder cancer, making FGFR3 an attractive therapeutic target in this disease. In addition, FGFR3 gene rearrangements have recently been described that define a unique subset of bladder tumors. Here, a selective HSP90 inhibitor, ganetespib, induced loss of FGFR3-TACC3 fusion protein expression and depletion of multiple oncogenic ...