A Time to Kill: Targeting Apoptosis in Cancer

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jean L. Koff, Emory University; Sampath Ramachandiran, Emory University; Leon Bernal-Mizrachi, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2015-02-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2015 by the authors
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms16022942
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• ISSN: 1422-0067
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: 2942
• End Page: 2955
• Grant/Funding Information: Leon Bernal-Mizrachi received funding from the Byron-Davis Hematology and Medical Oncology Research Fund.
• Keywords: Chemistry; COLON CANCERS; BCL-2; CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA; MULTIPLE-MYELOMA; CELL-DEATH; Physical Sciences; CYTOCHROME-C; NF-KAPPA-B; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; BH3 MIMETIC ABT-199; FAMILY; Science & Technology; GENE
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, General; Health Sciences, Oncology

Abstract

The process of apoptosis is essential for maintaining the physiologic balance between cell death and cell growth. This complex process is executed by two major pathways that participate in activating an executioner mechanism leading to chromatin disintegration and nuclear fragmentation. Dysregulation of these pathways often contributes to cancer development and resistance to cancer therapy. Here, we review the most recent discoveries in apoptosis regulation and possible mechanisms for resensitizing tumor cells to therapy.