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Cancer-selective apoptotic effects of extracellular and intracellular Par-4

Abstract

Selectivity toward cancer cells is the most desirable element in cancer therapeutics. Par-4 is a cancer cell-selective proapoptotic protein that functions intracellularly in the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments as a tumor suppressor. Moreover, recent findings indicate that the Par-4 protein is secreted by cells, and extracellular Par-4 induces cancer cell-specific apoptosis by interaction with the cell-surface receptor GRP78. This review describes the mechanisms underlying the apoptotic effects of both extracellular and intracellular Par-4 acting through its effector domain SAC.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the NIH/NCI grants CA60872, CA105453 and CA84511 (to VMR).

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Correspondence to V M Rangnekar.

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Shrestha-Bhattarai, T., Rangnekar, V. Cancer-selective apoptotic effects of extracellular and intracellular Par-4. Oncogene 29, 3873–3880 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2010.141

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