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Apoptotic Caspases in Promoting Cancer: Implications from Their Roles in Development and Tissue Homeostasis
Catherine Dabrowska1, Mingli Li1, Yun Fan2
1School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Abstract:
Apoptosis, a major form of programmed cell death, is an important mechanism to remove extra or unwanted cells during development. In tissue homeostasis apoptosis also acts as a monitoring machinery to eliminate damaged cells in response to environmental stresses. During these processes, caspases, a group of proteases, have been well defined as key drivers of cell death. However, a wealth of evidence is emerging which supports the existence of many other non-apoptotic functions of these caspases, which are essential not only in proper organism development but also in tissue homeostasis and post-injury recovery. In particular, apoptotic caspases in stress-induced dying cells can activate mitogenic signals leading to proliferation of neighbouring cells, a phenomenon termed apoptosis-induced proliferation. Apparently, such non-apoptotic functions of caspases need to be controlled and restrained in a context-dependent manner during development to prevent their detrimental effects. Intriguingly, accumulating studies suggest that cancer cells are able to utilise these functions of caspases to their advantage to enable their survival, proliferation and metastasis in order to grow and progress. This book chapter will review non-apoptotic functions of the caspases in development and tissue homeostasis with focus on how these cellular processes can be hijacked by cancer cells and contribute to tumourigenesis.
Insights
Caspases, key regulators of cell death, also perform vital non-apoptotic functions in development and tissue repair. Cancer cells exploit these caspase roles for survival, proliferation, and metastasis, driving tumor growth.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is crucial for development and tissue homeostasis.
- Caspases are proteases traditionally known as key drivers of apoptosis.
- Emerging evidence highlights significant non-apoptotic roles for caspases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the non-apoptotic functions of caspases.
- To explore their roles in development and tissue homeostasis.
- To examine how cancer cells hijack these functions for tumor progression.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of existing studies on caspase functions.
- Analysis of research on apoptosis-induced proliferation.
- Investigation of cancer cell adaptation of caspase pathways.
Main Results:
- Caspases have critical non-apoptotic roles in development, tissue repair, and homeostasis.
- Apoptotic caspases can trigger proliferation in neighboring cells (apoptosis-induced proliferation).
- Cancer cells utilize these non-apoptotic caspase functions to promote survival, proliferation, and metastasis.
Conclusions:
- Non-apoptotic caspase functions are essential but require strict regulation.
- Dysregulation of these functions can be exploited by cancer cells.
- Understanding these mechanisms is key to developing new cancer therapies.
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