title: Stress management at the ER: regulators of ER stress-induced apoptosis.
abstract: The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an elaborate cellular organelle essential for cell function and survival. Conditions that interfere with ER function lead to the accumulation and aggregation of unfolded proteins which are detected by ER transmembrane receptors that initiate the unfolded protein response (UPR) to restore normal ER function. If the ER stress is prolonged, or the adaptive response fails, apoptotic cell death ensues. Many studies have focused on how this failure initiates apoptosis, particularly because ER stress-induced apoptosis is implicated in the pathophysiology of several neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. In this review we aim to shed light on the proteins that are not core components of the UPR signaling pathway but which can influence the course of the ER stress response by regulating the switch from the adaptive phase to apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Apoptosis Research Centre, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road., Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Adrienne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gorman
authors.forename: Sandra J M
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Healy
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samali
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D059865:Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D056811:Unfolded Protein Response / Q000502:physiology