title: Therapeutic potential of antisense Bcl-2 as a chemosensitizer for cancer therapy.
abstract: Bcl-2 protein plays a critical role in inhibiting anticancer drug-induced apoptosis, which is mediated by a mitochondria-dependent pathway that controls the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria through anion channels. Constitutive overexpression of Bcl-2 or unchanged expression after treatment with anticancer drugs confers drug resistance not only to hematologic malignancies but also to solid tumors. The down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein by the antisense (AS) Bcl-2 (oblimesen sodium) may be a useful method for targeting the antiapoptotic protein and thereby increasing the chemotherapeutic effect of anticancer drugs. Several randomized, controlled, Phase III trials have compared standard chemotherapy with a combination of AS Bcl-2 and standard chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, malignant melanoma, and nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Nonrandomized clinical trials and preclinical evaluations of AS Bcl-2 also are underway for patients with other malignancies. Here, the authors review the current clinical and preclinical evaluations of AS Bcl-2 and discuss its potential to act as a chemosensitizer and to enhance the therapeutic effect of cancer chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. rkim@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryungsa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Emi
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toge
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D045304:Cytochromes c; D015536:Down-Regulation; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D045304:Cytochromes c