Ubiquitin at the crossroad of cell death and survival.

Author: Yu-Shan CHEN ¹ ; Xiao-Bo QIU
Author Information

1. Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology, Ministry of Education, and College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, P. R. China. xqiu@bnu.edu.cn.
Publication Type:Journal Article
MeSH: Apoptosis; Autophagy; Cell Death; Cell Survival; Humans; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Neoplasms; drug therapy; metabolism; pathology; Proteolysis; Ubiquitin; metabolism; Ubiquitination
From:Chinese Journal of Cancer 2013;32(12):640-647
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: Ubiquitination is crucial for cellular processes, such as protein degradation, apoptosis, autophagy, and cell cycle progression. Dysregulation of the ubiquitination network accounts for the development of numerous diseases, including cancer. Thus, targeting ubiquitination is a promising strategy in cancer therapy. Both apoptosis and autophagy are involved in tumorigenesis and response to cancer therapy. Although both are categorized as types of cell death, autophagy is generally considered to have protective functions, including protecting cells from apoptosis under certain cellular stress conditions. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the regulation of apoptosis and autophagy by ubiquitination.