Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Establishing Cell Lines Overexpressing DR3 to Assess the Apoptotic Response to Anti-mitotic Therapeutics
12:28

Establishing Cell Lines Overexpressing DR3 to Assess the Apoptotic Response to Anti-mitotic Therapeutics

Published on: January 11, 2019

Chemopreventive agent-induced modulation of death receptors

S-Y Sun1

  • 1Department of Hematology and Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. shi-yong_sun@emoryhealthcare.org

Apoptosis : an International Journal on Programmed Cell Death
|October 11, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Chemoprevention agents can eliminate cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, a programmed cell death pathway. Targeting death receptors with these agents offers a promising strategy for effective cancer prevention.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Cancer chemoprevention aims to inhibit or delay cancer development using specific agents.
  • Inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) is a more effective strategy than merely slowing cancer cell proliferation.
  • Apoptosis pathways are key targets for both cancer chemotherapy and chemoprevention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of apoptosis pathways, particularly death receptors, in cancer chemoprevention.
  • To investigate how chemopreventive agents modulate death receptors and induce apoptosis.
  • To provide a rational basis for using chemopreventive agents in cancer prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Reviewing existing literature on chemopreventive agents and their mechanisms of action.
  • Analyzing the role of extrinsic apoptotic pathways and death receptor activation in tumor immunosurveillance.
  • Examining in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating apoptosis induction by chemopreventive agents in premalignant and malignant cells.

Main Results:

  • Many identified chemopreventive agents induce apoptosis in various cancer cell types.
  • Specific agents, including NSAIDs, triterpenoids, and retinoids, enhance death receptor expression.
  • Activation of death receptors triggers the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, crucial for tumor immunosurveillance.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the modulation of death receptors by chemopreventive agents is vital for effective cancer prevention.
  • Utilizing agents that enhance death receptor-mediated apoptosis offers a rational strategy for chemoprevention.
  • Combination therapies involving chemopreventive agents may improve apoptosis induction and cancer prevention outcomes.

More Related Videos

MEDUSA for Identifying Death Regulatory Genes in Chemo-genetic Profiling Data07:17

MEDUSA for Identifying Death Regulatory Genes in Chemo-genetic Profiling Data

Published on: February 7, 2025

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death09:18

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

Related Concept Videos

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:17

The Extrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

The extrinsic apoptotic pathway is initiated when extracellular death-inducing signals, such as specific cytokines, activate the death receptors expressed on the cell surface. The immune cells involved in this pathway are natural killer cells (NK cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. NK cells are critical in innate immune response, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are associated with adaptive immune response. These cells recognize specific receptors expressed on the altered cells and activate...
Overview of Cell Death01:30

Overview of Cell Death

Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway01:31

The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway

Internal cellular stress, such as cellular injury or hypoxia, triggers intrinsic apoptosis. The B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are the primary regulators of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. For example, during DNA damage, checkpoint proteins, such as Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM protein) and Checkpoints Factor-2 (Chk2) proteins, are activated. These proteins phosphorylate p53 which further activates pro-apoptotic proteins, such as Bax, Bak, PUMA, and Noxa, and inhibits...
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size reduction of the tissue.
Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells01:17

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies that must be removed immediately to prevent inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and necrosis. Phagocytosis is carried out by professional phagocytes such as macrophages or  immature dendritic cells. Non-professional phagocytes such as  epithelial cells and fibroblasts also take part in this process; however, they are not as effective as professional phagocytes. 
Normal cells contain receptors that prevent them from being recognized by phagocytes.
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...