SPARC enchances apoptosis via caspase 8
A novel interaction between procaspase 8 and SPARC enhances apoptosis and potentiates chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancers.
One out of three people
will develop some sort of cancer during their lifetime. The Tai lab, at the
Genome Sciences Centre, specifically looks at colorectal cancer, which is the
second leading cause of cancer death in Canada.
The mortality rates of colorectal cancer have not significantly improved in the
last 30 years due to chemotherapy resistance. New agents have been introduced,
but have only led to modest reponse rates. Previously, they found that Secreted Protein
Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) in
combination with chemotherapy re-sensitizes these chemotherapy-resistant tumors
by inducing apoptosis, a controlled form of cell death. In this manuscript, the mechanism of how SPARC
mediates apoptosis was investigated. Results show that SPARC augments apoptosis
through a caspase-8-dependent signaling cascade,
with an interaction between SPARC and pro-caspase 8. This specific pathway
can be further exploited for potential
clinical therapies for patients, for the
treatment of advanced and therapy-refractory cancers.
Full citation:
Tang MJ & Tai IT. A novel interaction between procaspase 8 and SPARC enhances apoptosis and potentiates chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancers.
Full citation:
Tang MJ & Tai IT. A novel interaction between procaspase 8 and SPARC enhances apoptosis and potentiates chemotherapy sensitivity in colorectal cancers.
Page last modified
Jul 23, 2008