Death and anti-death: tumour resistance to apoptosis

Frederik H Igney; Peter H Krammer

doi:10.1038/nrc776

Death and anti-death: tumour resistance to apoptosis

Nat Rev Cancer. 2002 Apr;2(4):277-88. doi: 10.1038/nrc776.

Authors

Frederik H Igney¹, Peter H Krammer

Affiliation

¹ Tumor Immunology Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg.

PMID: 12001989
DOI: 10.1038/nrc776

Abstract

Every cell in a multicellular organism has the potential to die by apoptosis, but tumour cells often have faulty apoptotic pathways. These defects not only increase tumour mass, but also render the tumour resistant to therapy. So, what are the molecular mechanisms of tumour resistance to apoptosis and how can we use this knowledge to resensitize tumour cells to cancer therapy?

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Apoptosis*
Down-Regulation
Humans
Ligands
Mitochondria / metabolism
Models, Biological
Neoplasms / pathology*
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / metabolism
Signal Transduction
Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

Ligands
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
Tumor Suppressor Protein p53