title: Targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in cancer therapy.
abstract: The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway plays a central role in the degradation of proteins involved in several pathways including the cell cycle, cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Bortezomib is the first proteasome inhibitor to enter clinical use, and received approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma, therefore validating inhibition of the proteasome as an anticancer target. The approval of Bortezomib was based on a large, international, multicenter phase III trial showing its efficacy and safety compared with conventional therapy. Preclinical data also demonstrates the synergistic effect of bortezomib with other chemotherapeutic agents and its ability to overcome drug resistance. Since then several other proteasome inhibitors have been developed. The anti-tumor activities of bortezomib have been attributed to its effect on pro-apoptotic pathways including the inhibition of NF-kappaB and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress. However, the molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In this review, we will summarize the molecular mechanism of apoptosis by bortezomib.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Waxman
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Germain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001897:Boronic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069286:Bortezomib; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000502:physiology*; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001897:Boronic Acids; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors; D011719:Pyrazines; D025801:Ubiquitin; D019938:Cyclin D1; D000069286:Bortezomib; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex