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A novel therapeutic avenue: pharmacological induction of tumor cell pyroptosis

Katherine J Young1, Zijun Y Xu-Monette2

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

American Journal of Cancer Research
|June 10, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Inducing tumor pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, can enhance anti-cancer immune responses. This strategy shows promise for treating relapsed/refractory cancers by activating tumor suppressor genes like GSDME.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death pathway with implications for cancer therapy.
  • Pharmacological induction of pyroptosis is an emerging strategy to enhance anti-cancer immune responses.
  • Relapsed/refractory cancers present a significant clinical challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.
Keywords:
Caspase cleavageDLBCLGSDMEHDACiapoptosischidamidecisplatinepigeneticgasderminpyroptosis

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