Host: The Japan Radiation Research Society, Chairman of the 52nd Annual Meeting, Toshiteru Okubo (Radiation Effects Research Foundation)
It is well known to enhance the cell proliferation by the activation of survival signal and to suppress the apoptosis and non-apoptosis such as autophagy, mitotic catastrophe and necrosis by the inactivation of death signal in cancer cells. In recent years, cancer therapy research has focused on molecular targets on survival and death signal transduction pathways. For efficient cancer therapy, potential targets of interest are selectively activated signal transduction factors which can inhibit survival signal or induce death signal. The signal transduction pathways affected by radiations (X-rays and heavy particles), anti-cancer agents or hyperthermia include p53 mediated pathways, JNK (Jun N-terminal kinase) mediated pathways, Akt (protein kinase B)/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) mediated pathways, NBS1 (Nijimegen breakage syndrome 1) mediated pathways, classic MAP (mitogen activated protein) kinase mediated pathways, and p38 MAP kinase mediated pathways. Events such as cell death, cell survival, cell proliferation, and/or cell cycle arrest can be affected by these pathways. We have reported that targeting of signal transduction of life and death can enhance cellular sensitivity via radiation, anti-cancer agents and heat. This presentation reviews our strategy for cancer therapy.
