Activation of Pyroptotic Cell Death Pathways in Cancer: An Alternative Therapeutic Approach.

Activation of Pyroptotic Cell Death Pathways in Cancer: An Alternative Therapeutic Approach. Transl Oncol. 2019 May 11;12(7):925-931 Authors: Nagarajan K, Soundarapandian K, Thorne RF, Li D, Li D Abstract Cancer can be considered the result of a series of genetic variations that lead to a normal cell being transformed into a malignant one while avoiding cell death-atypical characteristics of tumor development. Although a large number of genomics and epigenetic alterations have been identified in cells undergoing apoptotic, autophagic or necrotic cell death, the treatment of cancer remains thought-provoking. Pyroptosis is differentiated from other types of programmed cell death and is mainly activated by Caspase-1. To initiate pyroptosis, cells receive specific "death" messages, produce cytokines, swell, burst, and ultimately die. The deficiency of Caspase-1 expression may lead to inflammation-mediated tumor progression. Hence, the molecular mechanisms for the Caspase-1 activation in tumor tissues are yet to be exploited extensively. This review aims to summarise the latest discoveries about pyroptosis and its new exciting role in inducing cancer cell death. PMID: 31085408 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Translational Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Transl Oncol Source Type: research