Driving cancer: Motor and adaptor protein dysregulation in endocytic receptor signalling

Receptor tyrosine kinases and other cell surface receptors are tightly regulated by endocytosis, which controls both the duration and spatial organisation of their downstream signalling. In cancers, altered internalisation and trafficking lead to sustained or misrouted signalling that promotes uncontrolled cell growth and survival. Motor proteins and their cargo adaptors are central to receptor signalling since they determine intracellular endosome positioning, recycling, and degradation. While their roles in intracellular transport have long been studied, the dysfunction of motors and adaptors in the context of aberrant receptor signalling and cancer progression has only recently begun to emerge. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding motor and adaptor function in healthy cells, discuss evidence implicating these proteins in oncogenic signalling, and consider how these insights may guide future directions in the field.