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Therapeutics

SMAC mimetics deal a blow to tumours

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 14, page 157 (2014)Cite this article

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SMAC mimetic compounds (SMCs) activate apoptosis by binding to the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins and have had disappointing effects as single agents. SMCs might only be effective in tumours in which death-inducing proteins are generated in substantial amounts. A new study combined SMCs with agents such as oncolytic viruses that generate cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor. The combination induced 'bystander death' of cancer cells and led to significant tumour regression and extended survival in mice. Thus, this combination might be a viable treatment for human cancers.

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References

  1. Beug, S. T. et al. Smac mimetics and innate immune stimuli synergize to promote tumor death. Nature Biotech. 32, 182–190 (2014)

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  1. Isabel Lokody
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Lokody, I. SMAC mimetics deal a blow to tumours. Nat Rev Cancer 14, 157 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc3695

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