Proteotoxic crisis, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and cancer therapy.

Abstract

Genomic alterations may make cancer cells more dependent than normal cells on mechanisms of proteostasis, including protein folding and degradation. This proposition is the basis for the clinical use of proteasome inhibitors to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. However, proteasome inhibitors have not proved effective in treating other cancers, and this has called into question the general applicability of this approach. Here, I consider possible explanations for this apparently limited applicability, and discuss whether inhibiting other broadly acting components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system - including ubiquitin-activating enzyme and the AAA-ATPase p97/VCP - might be more generally effective in cancer therapy.

• Authors: Raymond J Deshaies
• Journal: BMC biology (BMC Biol) Vol. 12 Pg. 94 (Nov 11 2014) ISSN: 1741-7007 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25385277 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Nuclear Proteins
• Proteasome Inhibitors
• Ubiquitin
• Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
• Adenosine Triphosphatases
• p97 ATPase
• Ubiquitin-Activating Enzymes

Topics

• Adenosine Triphosphatases (metabolism, therapeutic use)
• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Nuclear Proteins (metabolism, therapeutic use)
• Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex (metabolism)
• Proteasome Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Ubiquitin (metabolism)
• Ubiquitin-Activating Enzymes (metabolism, therapeutic use)