title: Role of early plasma membrane events in chemotherapy-induced cell death.
abstract: Most current anticancer therapies induce tumor cell death through the induction of apoptosis. However, the pathways leading to cell death are not always understood. For example, for several DNA-damaging agents the specific biochemical lesions (DNA damage) have been associated with the induction of apoptosis. However, several of these DNA-damaging agents (cisplatin, 1-beta-arabinofuranosylcytosine, daunorubicin or doxorubicin) as well as other antitumor agents, such as edelfosine or resveratrol, have been recently shown to induce apoptosis via signaling through plasma membrane lipid rafts involving the death receptor pathway. In this review we focus on the role of early plasma membrane events in chemotherapy-induced cell death. Special attention is given to changes in plasma membrane fluidity, activation of the acid sphingomyelinase and the Fas death pathway in response to chemotherapy as well as their possible interrelationships.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U620, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Rennes 1, 2 Av du Pr Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes, France. marie-therese.boitrel@rennes.inserm.fr
authors.forename: Marie-Thérèse
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Dimanche-Boitrel
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Meurette
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rebillard
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacour
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002518:Ceramides / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002518:Ceramides