Author/Editor		Lenassi, Metka; Plemenitaš, Ana
Title		The role of p38 MAP kinase in cancer cell apoptosis
Translated title		Vloga p38 MAP kinaze pri apoptozi rakavih celic
Type		članek
Source		Radiol Oncol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 40, št. 1
Publication year		2006
Volume		str. 51-6
Language		eng
Abstract		Background. Cellular behaviour in response to many extracellular stimuli is mediated through MAP kinase signalling pathways. p38 MAP kinase that is represented in mammals by four isoforms (p38alfa, p38beta, p38gama and p38delta) is one of the four main subgroups of MAP kinases. Recent studies show that p38 activation is necessary for cancer cell death initiated by variety of anti-cancer agents. This finding connected cancer therapies previously considered to be mechanistically unrelated and raised the possibility of developing anti-cancer agents that lack the side effects caused by events upstream of p38 MAPK Many of the details of p38 induced apoptosis still need to be elucidated. Since most of the past studies rely only on the cell culture models, all the results have to be verified using in vivo models. Also very little is known about the role of p38 mediated apoptosis on non-neoplastic cells in response to anti-cancer agents. Conclusion. Although p38 activation of cancer cell apoptosis is a very complex process, recent studies indicate a good starting point for new strategies that would increase the efficiency and decrease the toxicity of proven therapies.
Summary		Izhodišča. Odzivanje celic na številne zunajcelične signale poteka preko aktivacije MAP kinaznih signalnih poti. Ena od štirih glavnih podskupin MAP kinaz je p38 MAP kinaza, ki je pri sesalcih prisotna v štirih izooblikah: p38alfa, p38beta, p38gama in p38delta. Nedavne raziskave so pokazale, da je za aktivacijo apoptoze rakavih celic z različnimi kemoterapevtiki nujna aktivacija p38 kinaze. To spoznanje je v eni točki povezalo poti delovanja raznolikih kemoterapevtikov ter s tem nakazalo nove možnosti njihovega razvoja brez stranskih učinkov, ki jih sedaj povzročajo dogodki pred aktivacijo p38. Veliko podrobnosti o p38 posredovani apoptozi je potrebno še razjasniti. Dosedanja dognanja je potrebno preveriti v in vivo modelih, saj se ta sedaj nanašajo predvsem na celične kulture. Malo je znanega tudi o vlogi p38 pri apoptozi nerakavih celic po aktivaciji s kemoterapevtiki. Zaključki. Čeprav je p38 posredovana aktivacija apoptoze rakavih celic zelo kompleksen proces, novejše študije ponujajo dober začetek za razvoj novih kemoterapevtikov s povečano učinkovitostjo in zmanjšano toksičnostjo.
Descriptors		TUMOR CELLS, CULTURED APOPTOSIS CALMODULIN-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASES