Targeting survivin in cancer therapy.
BACKGROUND
Survivin is a structurally unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family that acts as a suppressor of apoptosis and plays a central role in cell division. Owing to its massive upregulation in human tumors and its involvement in cancer progression and treatment resistance, survivin is currently undergoing extensive investigation as a novel therapeutic target.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this review is to define the potential of survivin as a therapeutic target for new anticancer interventions.


METHODS
The literature dealing with the therapeutic targeting of survivin has been carefully reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that downregulation of survivin expression or function, accomplished by means of various strategies, reduced tumor growth potential, increased the apoptotic rate and sensitized tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation in different human tumor models. Moreover, the first survivin inhibitors are being currently evaluated in clinical settings.
Pennati
Marzia
M
Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Folini
Marco
M
Zaffaroni
Nadia
N
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077022:Survivin
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000077022:Survivin