title: Lysosomes as targets for cancer therapy.
abstract: Tumor invasion and metastasis are associated with altered lysosomal trafficking and increased expression of the lysosomal proteases termed cathepsins. Emerging experimental evidence suggests that such alterations in lysosomes may form an "Achilles heel" for cancer cells by sensitizing them to death pathways involving lysosomal membrane permeabilization and the release of cathepsins into the cytosol. Here, we highlight recent results on cancer-related changes in the composition and function of lysosomes, focusing on possible implications for the development of novel cancer therapeutics that target tumor cell lysosomes.
authors.affiliation: Danish Cancer Society, Apoptosis Department, Institute of Cancer Biology, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. nf@cancer.dk
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fehrenbacher
authors.forename: Marja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jäättelä
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002403:Cathepsins