Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen
19:44

Enhancement of Apoptotic and Autophagic Induction by a Novel Synthetic C-1 Analogue of 7-deoxypancratistatin in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma and Neuroblastoma Cells with Tamoxifen

Published on: May 30, 2012

From biochemical principles of apoptosis induction by TRAIL to application in tumour therapy

Stefanie M Cordier1, Kerstin Papenfuss, Henning Walczak

  • 1Tumour Immunology Unit, Division of Medicine, Imperial College, London, W12 0NN, UK.

Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation
|January 15, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) shows promise in cancer therapy by selectively targeting tumor cells. Understanding TRAIL resistance mechanisms is crucial for developing effective combinatorial treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively induces apoptosis in tumor cells, making it a potential cancer therapeutic.
  • Most primary tumor cells exhibit TRAIL resistance, limiting its direct application.
  • Sensitization of cancer cells to TRAIL via chemotherapy or irradiation, while sparing normal tissues, has been observed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the signaling pathways involved in TRAIL-induced apoptosis.
  • To understand the mechanisms underlying TRAIL resistance and sensitivity in cancer.
  • To review TRAIL's physiological role and summarize clinical/pre-clinical data on TRAIL agonists.

Main Methods:

  • Review of signaling events in TRAIL-induced apoptosis.
  • Summary of pre-clinical and clinical findings for TRAIL-receptor agonists.
  • Analysis of TRAIL resistance and sensitivity mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • TRAIL triggers apoptosis through specific signaling cascades.
  • Combinatorial approaches can sensitize resistant tumors to TRAIL.
  • Biomarkers for predicting patient response to TRAIL-based therapies are needed.

Conclusions:

  • TRAIL is a promising cancer drug candidate due to its selective tumor-killing ability.
  • Further research into TRAIL resistance mechanisms is essential for optimizing cancer therapy.
  • Development of predictive biomarkers is critical for successful clinical application of TRAIL-based treatments.

More Related Videos

Establishing Cell Lines Overexpressing DR3 to Assess the Apoptotic Response to Anti-mitotic Therapeutics12:28

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

Published on: January 11, 2019

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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.
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...