title: BH3-only proteins in cell death initiation, malignant disease and anticancer therapy.
abstract: Induction of apoptosis in tumour cells, either by direct activation of the death receptor pathway using agonistic antibodies or recombinant ligands, or direct triggering of the Bcl-2-regulated intrinsic apoptosis pathway by small molecule drugs, carries high hopes to overcome the shortcomings of current anticancer therapies. The latter therapy concept builds on a more detailed understanding of how Bcl-2-like molecules maintain mitochondrial integrity and how BH3-only proteins and Bax/Bak-like molecules can undermine it. Means to unleash the apoptotic potential of BH3-only proteins in tumour cells, or bypass the need for BH3-only proteins by blocking possible interactions of Bcl-2-like prosurvival molecules with Bax and/or Bak allowing their direct activation, constitute interesting options for the design of novel anticancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Pathophysiology and Immunology, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Labi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erlacher
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiessling
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villunger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53