title: The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and lung cancer: still following the right TRAIL?
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand is a type II membrane-bound protein whose C-terminal extracellular domain shows clear homology to other tumor necrosis factor family members. It is constitutively expressed on macrophages, T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells and selectively kills transformed cells leaving most of the normal cells alone. This selectivity has led to great interest in it use as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of malignancy. In this review, this critical pathway is described, highlighting its mechanistic manipulation for therapeutic benefit and the recent phase I and II trials in lung cancer that have been performed or are currently ongoing are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. e.e.mcgrath@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Emmet E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand