Targeting a novel apoptotic pathway in human disease

Apoptotic pathways have always been regarded as a key-player in preserving tissue and organ homeostasis. Excessive activation or resistance to activation of cell death signaling may indeed be responsible for several mechanisms of disease, including malignancy and chronic degenerative diseases. Therefore, targeting apoptotic factors gained more and more attention in the scientific community and novel strategies emerged aimed at selectively blocking or stimulating cell death signaling. This is also the case for the TMEM219 death receptor, which is activated by a circulating ligand, the Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) and induces a caspase-8-dependent apoptosis of the target cells. Interestingly, stimulation of the IGFBP3/TMEM219 axis exerts an anti-proliferative effect, while blockade of the TMEM219 deleterious signal protects TMEM219-expressing cells of the endocrine pancreas, lung, and intestine from damage and death. Here, we summarize the most updated reports on the role of the IGFBP3/TMEM219 apoptotic axis in disease conditions, including intestinal disorders and diabetes, and we describe the advancements in designing and testing novel TMEM219-based targeting approaches in emerging potential clinical applications.