Fig. 8: A working model shows the molecular mechanism underlying the ability of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) antagonist penfluridol to retard growth of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells. | Cell Death & Disease

Fig. 8: A working model shows the molecular mechanism underlying the ability of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) antagonist penfluridol to retard growth of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) cells.

From: Targeting DRD2 by the antipsychotic drug, penfluridol, retards growth of renal cell carcinoma via inducing stemness inhibition and autophagy-mediated apoptosis

Fig. 8

The anticancer activity of penfluridol on ccRCC cells was attributed to induction of ER stress leading to UPR-mediated autophagy and subsequently induction of apoptosis. Meanwhile, penfluridol not only triggers apoptosis but also attenuates stemness of ccRCC cells via inhibiting Akt/GLI1/OCT4/Nanog axis. Bold dashed lines indicate hypothetical pathways which might be inhibited by penfluridol.

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