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TRAIL of Hope Meeting Resistance in Cancer

David Deng1, Khalid Shah2

  • 1Center for Stem Cell Therapeutics and Imaging, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.

Trends in Cancer
|July 29, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) shows promise for cancer therapy by selectively inducing cancer cell death. However, TRAIL resistance in some cancers hinders clinical use, necessitating strategies to overcome this challenge.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) targets cancer cells via death receptors TRAILR1/DR4 and TRAILR2/DR5.
  • TRAIL demonstrates selective apoptosis induction in various cancers, sparing normal cells, highlighting its therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review molecular mechanisms of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and TRAIL resistance.
  • To analyze successes and failures of TRAIL-based preclinical and clinical studies.
  • To explore strategies for overcoming TRAIL resistance and improving clinical implementation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of molecular mechanisms.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical study outcomes.
  • Discussion of current therapeutic strategies and future perspectives.

Main Results:

  • TRAIL-mediated apoptosis involves specific death receptor interactions.
  • TRAIL resistance presents a significant barrier to clinical translation.
  • Various molecular mechanisms contribute to TRAIL resistance in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding TRAIL resistance mechanisms is crucial for effective cancer treatment.
  • Overcoming TRAIL resistance is key to realizing its full therapeutic potential.
  • Further research and strategic approaches are needed to improve TRAIL's clinical efficacy.
Keywords:
TRAILapoptosiscancertherapeutic resistance

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