title: Emerging applications of the tumor necrosis factor family of ligands and receptors in cancer therapy.
abstract: Abnormalities of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family members have been linked to several human diseases, including cancer. Novel treatment strategies for cancer are emerging based on an understanding of the function of TNF family members. The advantage of these strategies is their potential to selectively target cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. Combining these new strategies with currently available treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy is under investigation, with promising results. However, because some TNF family members are toxic to normal mammalian cells when administered systemically, only a few TNF family members have potential therapeutic value. This concise review focuses on the clinical implications of four TNF family members for cancer treatment: CD30/CD30 ligand, CD40/CD40 ligand, receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK)/RANK ligand, and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) Apo-2L/TRAIL receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, Unit 429, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA. ayounes@mail.mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Anas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Younes
authors.forename: Marshall E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kadin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053285:CD30 Ligand; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000502:physiology; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction; D048008:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 3; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D047988:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053285:CD30 Ligand; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D048008:TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 3; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; C505774:TNFSF8 protein, human; C090656:TRAF3 protein, human; D047988:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha