title: The role of the Bcl-2 protein family in cancer.
abstract: Seminal studies on the proto-oncogene bcl-2 have first demonstrated that mutations that inhibit programmed cell death (apoptosis) can promote lymphomagenesis and influence the sensitivity of tumour cells to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It is now widely believed that neoplastic transformation of many, perhaps even all, cell types requires mutational changes that interfere with the cell death programme. In this review, we describe current knowledge of the molecular control of cell death and discuss the role of pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 protein family in tumourigenesis and anti-cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Vic. 3050, Australia.
authors.forename: Leigh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Coultas
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strasser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2