Drugs Interfering with Apoptosis in Breast Cancer

Title: Drugs Interfering with Apoptosis in Breast Cancer

Volume: 17 Issue: 3

Author(s): Daniela Grimm, Markus Wehland, Jessica Pietsch, Manfred Infanger and Johann Bauer

Affiliation:

Keywords: Apoptosis, breast cancer, BCL-2, Fas, TNF-alpha, TRAIL, PARP inhibitors

Abstract: Apoptosis plays an important role in development, growth, differentiation, altered gravity conditions, tissue homeostasis, immune defense, and cancer. It can be initiated by external signals via death receptors, but may also emerge from mitochondria. Today most of the key players in cellular apoptosis regulation are identified and can be targeted by therapeutic strategies. In this review we focus on recent development of drugs, which interfere with apoptosis and are currently used or tested for treatment of breast cancer. These novel agents include those targeting the extrinsic pathway such as Fas, tumor necrosis factor – alpha and tumor necrosis factor related apoptosisinducing ligand, as well as drugs targeting the intrinsic Bcl-2 family pathway, or drugs inhibiting repair enzymes such as Poly (ADPribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. Their function will be explained, their role in tumor biology and actual clinical studies will be discussed.

Cite this article as:

Grimm Daniela, Wehland Markus, Pietsch Jessica, Infanger Manfred and Bauer Johann, Drugs Interfering with Apoptosis in Breast Cancer, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2011; 17 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161211795049723