title: Signalling of Apoptin.
abstract: The virus-derived protein Apoptin has the ability to induce p53-independent apoptosis in a variety of human cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. It thus represents a potential anti-cancer therapeutic agent of the future but a proper understanding of Apoptin-induced signalling events is necessary prior to clinical application. The tumor-specific nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of Apoptin by a cellular kinase such as protein kinase C seem to be required for its function but otherwise the mode of tumor selectivity remains unknown. Apoptin has been shown to interact with several cellular proteins including Akt and the anaphase-promoting complex that regulate its activity and promote caspase-dependent apoptosis. This chapter summarizes the available data on tumor-specific pathways sensed by Apoptin and the mechanism of Apoptin-induced cell death.
authors.affiliation: Kings College London, Guy's Hospital, Floor 2 Room 2.66S, Hodgkin Building, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bullenkamp
authors.forename: Mahvash
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tavassoli
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C495901:TP53 protein, human; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C091717:VP3 protein, Chicken anemia virus; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020169:Caspases