Therapeutic potential of a peptide targeting BCL-2 cell guardians in cancer.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 22622043.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1172/JCI64120 and PMC identifier 3366422.
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Abstract
A promising approach to cancer therapy is to elicit apoptosis with "BH3 mimetic" drugs, which target proteins of the BCL-2 family. As of yet, however, such drugs can target only certain BCL-2 family proteins. Hence, in this issue of the JCI, LaBelle et al. assess instead the therapeutic potential of a "stapled" BH3 peptide from the BIM protein, which inactivates all its prosurvival relatives. The peptide killed cultured hematologic tumor cells and abated growth of a leukemia xenograft, without perturbing the hematopoietic compartment. Hence, such peptides might eventually provide a new way to treat refractory leukemias.
Medical subject headings
- Apoptosis
- Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute
- Membrane Proteins
- Peptides
- Proto-Oncogene Proteins