How Are Anti-Apoptotic Proteins Targeted in Cancer Therapy?
Targeting anti-apoptotic proteins is a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Several approaches have been developed to inhibit these proteins, including small molecule inhibitors, antisense oligonucleotides, and BH3 mimetics. BH3 mimetics, for example, are a class of drugs that mimic the activity of pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins, thereby antagonizing the function of anti-apoptotic proteins and promoting apoptosis in cancer cells. Venetoclax is a BH3 mimetic that specifically targets Bcl-2 and has shown significant efficacy in treating certain types of leukemia. Other inhibitors targeting Bcl-xL and Mcl-1 are also under development and are being tested in clinical trials.
