• Special Issue Topic

    The Role of Bcl-2 Family Proteins in Cancer Progression and Their Relevance to Cancer Therapy

    Submission Deadline: November 30, 2021

    Guest Editors

    Dr. Donatella Del Bufalo E-Mail

    Senior investigator, Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, Translational Research Functional Departmental Area, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy

    Research Keywords: melanoma; angiogenesis; bcl-2 family; tumor progression; target therapy


    Dr. Germain Gillet E-Mail

    Hospices Civils de Lyon, Laboratoire d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Centre Hospitalier Lyon Sud, Pierre Bénite, France; Université de Lyon, Centre de recherche en cancérologie de Lyon, U1052 INSERM, UMR CNRS 5286, Université Lyon I, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France


    About the Special Issue

    The Bcl-2 family is composed of several structurally related proteins with different, and in some cases opposing, functions. Even if this family plays a pivotal role in the intrinsic apoptotic response and consequently, cell and tissue homeostasis, it also shows a plethora of non-canonical functions, irrespective of apoptosis, both in normal and cancer cells. Studies performed in cellular and animal models as well as using patient samples demonstrated that these functions, not confined to cell death control, encompass the regulation of cell cycle, cell differentiation, cell metabolism, calcium trafficking, and neuronal development. In cancer, the Bcl-2 family has been found to regulate tumorigenesis, cell migration, invasion, and metastasis, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition. While alterations in the expression levels of the Bcl-2 family proteins have been correlated with tumor progression, resistance to chemo- and/or radio-therapy, and poor clinical outcomes, over the last few decades considerable effort has been made to discover the molecular mechanism of the Bcl-2 family members, and target specific antiapoptotic members of this family for cancer therapy. These efforts lead to the development and the approval for the treatment of several hematological malignancies of ABT-199 (Venetoclax), a specific inhibitor of Bcl-2, the founding member of this growing family.

    The aim of this special issue is to highlight the role of the multifaceted Bcl-2 family members in tumor progression, and to describe recent advances regarding their involvement in cancer therapy.

    Keywords: Bcl-2 family; cancer; cancer therapy; tumor progression

    Call for Papers

    Published Articles

    Open Access
    Review
    B-cell lymphoma 2 family members and sarcomas: a promising target in a heterogeneous disease
    Targeting the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) family proteins has been the backbone for hematological malignancies with overall survival improvements. The Bcl-2 family is a major player in apoptosis regul [...] Read more.
    Rui Caetano Oliveira ... José Casanova
    Published: August 24, 2023 Explor Target Antitumor Ther. 2023;4:583–599
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/etat.2023.00154
    Open Access
    Original Article
    Allosteric cross-talk between the hydrophobic cleft and the BH4 domain of Bcl-2 in control of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor activity
    Aim: Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) is a ubiquitous calcium (Ca2+) channel involved in the regulation of cellular fate and motility. Its modulation by anti-apoptotic prote [...] Read more.
    George Shapovalov ... Natalia Prevarskaya
    Published: June 28, 2022 Explor Target Antitumor Ther. 2022;3:375–391
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/etat.2022.00088
    View:1795
    Download:57
    Open Access
    Review
    Myeloid cell leukemia-1: a formidable barrier to anticancer therapeutics and the quest of targeting it
    The antiapoptotic B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family members are apical regulators of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis that orchestrate mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) through i [...] Read more.
    Prasad Sulkshane, Tanuja Teni
    Published: May 24, 2022 Explor Target Antitumor Ther. 2022;3:278–296
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/etat.2022.00083
    Open Access
    Review
    Yeast as a tool to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of Bcl-2 family
    The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a favorite model in biology, does not contain any protein of the Bcl-2 family. From initial experiments with two-hybrid systems to the heterologous expression of human B [...] Read more.
    Stéphen Manon
    Published: April 02, 2022 Explor Target Antitumor Ther. 2022;3:128–148
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/etat.2022.00076
    View:2104
    Download:44
    Open Access
    Original Article
    Bcl-2-like protein-10 increases aggressive features of melanoma cells
    Aim: B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-like protein-10 (Bcl2L10) is the less studied member of Bcl-2 family proteins, with the controversial role in different cancer histotypes. Very recently, Bcl2L10 ex [...] Read more.
    Donatella Del Bufalo ... Simona D’Aguanno
    Published: January 30, 2022 Explor Target Antitumor Ther. 2022;3:11–26
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/etat.2022.00068
    View:2309
    Download:71
    Times Cited: 0