title: Cathepsin L targeting in cancer treatment.
abstract: Proteolytic enzymes may serve as promising targets for novel therapeutic treatment strategies seeking to impede cancer progression and metastasis. One such enzyme is cathepsin L (CTSL), a lysosomal cysteine protease. CTSL upregulation, a common occurrence in a variety of human cancers, has been widely correlated with metastatic aggressiveness and poor patient prognosis. In addition, CTSL has been implicated to contribute to cancer-associated osteolysis, a debilitating morbidity affecting both life expectancy and the quality of life. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms by which CTSL contributes to tumor progression and dissemination and discuss the therapeutic utility of CTSL intervention strategies aimed at impeding metastatic progression and bone resorption.
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors: Dhivya R
authors: DR
authors: Sudhan
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: siemadw@ufl.edu.
authors: Dietmar W
authors: DW
authors: Siemann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D056668:Cathepsin L
keywords: Bone resorption; Cancer; Cathepsin L; Metastasis; Protease targeting