Fig. 4 | Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy

Fig. 4

From: Recent advances in the development of protein–protein interactions modulators: mechanisms and clinical trials

Fig. 4

The XIAP/caspase-9 interactions and inhibitors. a The apoptotic pathway. There are two apoptotic pathways: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic pathway (also known as death receptor) involves the binding of a death receptor ligand to a member of the death receptor family. Active caspase-8 cleaves and activates the executioner caspase-3 and caspase-7, leading to the cell death. The intrinsic pathway (also known as mitochondrial) is mediated by caspase-9. After the mitochondrial membrane is stimulated by apoptosis, it releases cytochrome c and Smac proteins into the cytoplasm. Smac is a pro-apoptotic protein. Cytochrome c combines with Apaf-1 to form a polymer, and promotes pro-caspase-9 to form apoptotic bodies, and then activate caspase-9. The activated caspase-9 can activate other caspases, such as caspase-3, so as to induce apoptosis. b The chemical structures of inhibitors of XIAP/caspas-9

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