Return to Immunotherapy Alert Section
Research results from Free University update understanding of apoptosis
December 10th, 2007
2007 DEC 10 -- "The rapid increase in the incidence of malignant melanomas has not been associated with improved therapeutic options over the years. Indeed melanomas have proven resistant to apoptosis ( type I programmed cell death ( PCD)) and consequently to most chemotherapy and immunotherapy," scientists in Brussels, Belgium report. "It is believed that this resistance can be partly overcome by proautophagic drugs inducing type II ( autophagy) PCD. Change at the genomic, transcriptional, and post- translational level of G- proteins and protein kinases, including Ras, plays an important role in the ability of melanomas to resist apoptosis. Ras transformation itself requires membrane anchorage and the overexpression of galectin- 1 increases membrane- associated Ras. In this study, it has been found that decreasing galectin- 1 expression in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells in vitro by means of an antigalectin-1 small interfering RNA approach does not modify their sensitivity to type I and type II PCD. However, it does induce heat shock protein 70- mediated lysosomal membrane permeabilization, a process associated with cathepsin B release into the cytosol, which in turn is believed to sensitize the cells to the proautophagic effects of temozolomide when grafted in vivo," wrote V. Mathieu and colleagues, Free University. The researchers concluded: "Furthermore, temozolomide when compared to the proapoptotic drug cisplatin, significantly increased the survival times of mice in the B16F10 melanoma model." Mathieu and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (Research results from Free University update understanding of apoptosis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2007;127(10):2399-2410). For additional information, contact R. Kiss, Free University of Brussels, Institute Pharmacy, Toxicology Laboratory, Campus Plaine, CP205-1, Blvd. Triomphe, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. The publisher's contact information for the Journal of Investigative Dermatology is: Nature Publishing Group, 75 Varick Street, 9TH Floor, New York, NY 10013-1917, USA. Keywords: Belgium, Brussels, Apoptosis, Biological Therapy, Chemotherapy, Dermatology, Drug Resistance, Drug Therapy, Drugs, Immunotherapy, Melanoma, Pharmaceuticals, Temozolomide, Treatment, Free University. This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.
Return to Immunotherapy Alert Section
|
