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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Detection of Mitochondria Membrane Potential to Study CLIC4 Knockdown-induced HN4 Cell Apoptosis In Vitro
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Published on: July 17, 2018

Doxycycline in mitochondrial mediated pathway of apoptosis: a systematic review

Jayesh Sagar1, Kevin Sales, A Seifalian

  • 1Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, Gower Street, London. WC1E 6BT, UK. j.sagar_2001@yahoo.com

Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
|October 1, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, triggers programmed cell death (apoptosis) via the mitochondrial pathway in various cell types. This mechanism appears to be cell-specific and warrants further investigation for its anti-cancer potential.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Tetracyclines, including doxycycline, are widely used antibiotics with emerging roles beyond antimicrobial activity.
  • Doxycycline exhibits matrix metalloproteinase inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing properties, attracting significant research interest.
  • Recent studies highlight doxycycline's anti-cancer effects, particularly its cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the role of doxycycline in inducing mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis across different tissue types.
  • To consolidate current evidence on doxycycline's mechanisms of action in cancer cell death.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.
  • Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select relevant studies.
  • Data extraction was performed from 7 studies that met the criteria.

Main Results:

  • Doxycycline was found to induce apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway in various tissue cells.
  • The apoptotic effect of doxycycline appears to be cell-specific.
  • Caspase-independent apoptosis was identified as a potential mechanism requiring further research.

Conclusions:

  • Doxycycline effectively induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in diverse cell types.
  • The cell-specific nature of doxycycline's apoptotic effects necessitates tailored therapeutic strategies.
  • Further research is crucial to elucidate the role of caspase-independent apoptosis in doxycycline's anti-cancer actions.

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