Abstract
Suppression of cell death (most often apoptosis) by survival signals, or by defects in cell death signal transduction pathways, is considered one of the obligate hallmarks of malignant transformation. However, molecular survival strategies to evade cell death only have relevance in the presence of pro-death signals. Discovery of the apoptotic properties of oncogenes responsible for increased tumor cell proliferation (e.g. c-Myc) provided the most important example for such signals and led to the concept of synthetic lethal targeting as a strategy of identifying cancer specific drug target molecules. Besides growth signal autonomy, other hallmarks of oncogenesis (insensitivity to anti-growth signals, limitless replicative potential, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis and increased genomic instability) are also challenged by increased susceptibility to various forms of cell death. Therefore, cancer cells must acquire survival strategies to suppress these cell death/apoptosis mechanisms. Novel signal transduction therapies can target molecules involved in these strategies to trigger tumor specific cell death.
Keywords: Cell death, apoptosis, cancer
Current Signal Transduction Therapy
Title: Molecular Targeting of Cell Death Signal Transduction Pathways in Cancer
Volume: 1 Issue: 1
Author(s): Istvan Petak, Janet A. Houghton and Laszlo Kopper
Affiliation:
Keywords: Cell death, apoptosis, cancer
Abstract: Suppression of cell death (most often apoptosis) by survival signals, or by defects in cell death signal transduction pathways, is considered one of the obligate hallmarks of malignant transformation. However, molecular survival strategies to evade cell death only have relevance in the presence of pro-death signals. Discovery of the apoptotic properties of oncogenes responsible for increased tumor cell proliferation (e.g. c-Myc) provided the most important example for such signals and led to the concept of synthetic lethal targeting as a strategy of identifying cancer specific drug target molecules. Besides growth signal autonomy, other hallmarks of oncogenesis (insensitivity to anti-growth signals, limitless replicative potential, invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis and increased genomic instability) are also challenged by increased susceptibility to various forms of cell death. Therefore, cancer cells must acquire survival strategies to suppress these cell death/apoptosis mechanisms. Novel signal transduction therapies can target molecules involved in these strategies to trigger tumor specific cell death.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Petak Istvan, Houghton A. Janet and Kopper Laszlo, Molecular Targeting of Cell Death Signal Transduction Pathways in Cancer, Current Signal Transduction Therapy 2006; 1 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157436206775269217
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157436206775269217 |
Print ISSN 1574-3624 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-389X |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
The Role of DNA Methylation in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Cancer
Current Clinical Pharmacology Substance P: Structure, Function, and Therapeutics
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry The Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Pathway in Human Cancer: Genetic Alterations and Therapeutic Implications
Current Genomics Role of Alterations in the Apoptotic Machinery in Sensitivity of Cancer Cells to Treatment
Current Pharmaceutical Design Cancer Pharmacogenetics: The Move from Pharmacokinetics to Pharmacodynamics
Current Pharmacogenomics Immunologic Diseases and Brain Tumors
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) LAT1 Targeted Delivery of Methionine Based Imaging Probe Derived from M(III) Metal Ions for Early Diagnosis of Proliferating Tumours using Molecular Imaging Modalities
Current Cancer Drug Targets In Vitro Regulatory Effect of Epididymal Serpin CRES on Protease Activity of Proprotein Convertase PC4/PCSK4
Current Molecular Medicine Histidine Rich Glycoprotein, an Endogenous Regulator of Macrophage and Endothelial Biology
Current Angiogenesis (Discontinued) Carbohydrate-Metal Complexes and their Potential as Anticancer Agents
Current Medicinal Chemistry Biological Evaluation of Fluorinated p-Boronophenylalanine Derivatives as a Boron Carrier
Protein & Peptide Letters Dendrimers As Vectors for Genetic Material Delivery to the Nervous System
Current Medicinal Chemistry Tumor Angiogenesis and VEGFR-2: Mechanism, Pathways and Current Biological Therapeutic Interventions
Current Drug Metabolism Targeting Angiogenic Pathways in Colorectal Cancer: Complexities, Challenges and Future Directions
Current Drug Targets Cell Penetrating Peptides for Tumor Targeting
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Adenovirus-Based Cancer Gene Therapy
Current Gene Therapy Recent Advancements in Fuzzy C-means Based Techniques for Brain MRI Segmentation
Current Medical Imaging Discovery of Small Molecule c-Met Inhibitors: Evolution and Profiles of Clinical Candidates
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Anti-EGFR Therapy: Strategies in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery Aurora A and B Kinases - Targets of Novel Anticancer Drugs
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery