title: Caspase-mediated cell death in hematological malignancies: theoretical considerations, methods of assessment, and clinical implications.
abstract: Apoptosis, the caspase-mediated cell death, plays an important role in the etiology, pathogenesis and therapy of a variety of diseases. Abnormalities of apoptosis regulation, resulting in either its inhibition or enhancement, play a key role in the development of various malignant hematological disorders. Several routine and new therapeutic strategies in Oncohematology are based on apoptosis modulation. Cytotoxic effects of most antineoplastic drugs are based on induction of apoptosis. The accurate estimate of incidence of apoptosis, therefore, is of importance in Oncohematology. In this review we provide an overview of the methods designed to measure the incidence of apoptosis, including the recently developed assays that are based on detection of caspases activation. We also review recent findings on the role of caspase-mediated cell death in hematological malignancies and discuss their clinical implications, including new therapeutical strategies that evolve from these findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, Copernicus Hospital, ul. Ciokowskiego 2, 93-510 Lodz, Poland. piotr_smolewski@wp.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Smolewski
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Darzynkiewicz
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Robak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D020169:Caspases