title: DICE: A novel tumor surveillance mechanism-a new therapy for cancer?
abstract: The conventional view of CD95 (Fas/APO-1) is that it is a dedicated apoptosis-inducing receptor with important functions in immune cell homeostasis and in viral and tumor defense. There is an emerging recognition, however, that CD95 also has multiple non-apoptotic activities. In the context of cancer, CD95 was shown to have tumor-promoting activities, and the concept of this new function of CD95 in cancer is gaining traction. Recently, we showed that not only is CD95 a growth promoter for cancer cells, but, paradoxically, when either CD95 or CD95 ligand (CD95L) is removed, that virtually all cancer cells die through a process we have named DICE (death induced by CD95R/L elimination). In this perspective, I outline a hypothesis regarding the physiological function of DICE, and why it may be possible to use induction of DICE to treat many, if not most, cancers.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University; Feinberg School of Medicine; Division Hematology/Oncology; Chicago, IL USA.
authors.forename: Marcus E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor
keywords: Fas; cancer; cell death; immune system; surveillance