PROTEOLYTIC CLEAVAGE DURING CHEMOTHERAPY-INDUCED APOPTOSIS

Treatment with anticancer drugs sets into motion a morphologically and biochemically distinct type of cell death called apoptosis. Recent ge netic and biochemical studies have suggested that proteases play a pro minent role in the active phase of apoptotic cell death. Ongoing studi es are aimed at identifying the proteases involved, the substrates tha t are cleaved, and the means by which the proteolytic process is regul ated in nonapoptotic and apoptotic cells. The possibility that these f indings will suggest new approaches to treating cancer and other disea ses is discussed.