Targeting AAC-11 in cancer therapy.
BACKGROUND
Since its discovery in 1997, the antiapoptotic factor AAC-11 has rapidly gained attention due to its potential use in cancer therapy. Indeed, most cancer cells express elevated levels of AAC-11, which is now known to be involved in both tumor cells growth as well as sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs.


METHODS
In this review, we examine the most recent evidence about the role of AAC-11 in cancer biology and the therapeutic perspectives associated with its specific targeting. For that purpose, literature dealing with AAC-11 in the PubMed database was reviewed from 1997 up to date.


RESULTS
AAC-11 is an antiapoptotic gene that has the potential to be a target for anti-cancer therapy, and warrants further investigation. As its expression seems to predict unfavorable prognosis, at least in some cancers, it also may become a potent prognostic marker.


CONCLUSIONS
Blocking AAC-11 function in cancer for therapeutic purposes might be of great interest. The recent report of efficient AAC-11 inhibiting peptides that sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs has raise the exciting notion that AAC-11 might be a druggable target and fueled the search for new therapeutic agents that could block AAC-11 function.
Faye
Audrey
A
INSERM UMRS 940, Equipe Avenir, Université Paris 7, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, 75010 Paris, France.
Poyet
Jean-Luc
JL
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
C108386:API5 protein, human; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins