Can Targeting Apoptosis Resolve the Cancer Saga?

Abstract

A defect in apoptosis is almost always linked to many pathologies, including cancer. Carcinogenesis has been linked to abnormalities in the apoptotic pathway, and many drugs that are targeted at different parts of this pathway are being developed. There have been many promising drugs that target the extrinsic death receptor pathway as well as the intrinsic mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. There have also been developments in targeting initiator and effector caspases, as well as the death domains that are involved in transducing the apoptotic signals. In this review, the authors will briefly explain how apoptosis deregulation can lead to cancer and discuss drugs that promise success in targeting this anomaly. This article shall also explain how co-treatments with chemotherapy can increase survival of cancer patients. There is a problem of acquired resistance in some of these therapies but there may be ways to overcome this.

Keywords::

• apoptosis
• apolipoprotein L2/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand treatment
• aspirin
• butyrate
• cytochrome c release
• N-acetyl-cysteine
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• sulindac acid
• Taxol®
• thalidomine