ILP-2: A New Bane and Therapeutic Target for Human Cancers

Zhiliang Zhang; Siqi Xiang; Ruxia Cui; Hang Peng; Roy Mridul; Mingjun Xiang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.922596

ILP-2: A New Bane and Therapeutic Target for Human Cancers

Front Oncol. 2022 Jun 23:12:922596. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.922596. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Zhiliang Zhang^{1

2}, Siqi Xiang^{1

2}, Ruxia Cui^{1

2}, Hang Peng^{1

2}, Roy Mridul^{1

2}, Mingjun Xiang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Medical Research Center, Institute of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, China.
² The State Ethnic Committee's Key Laboratory of Clinical Engineering Laboratory of Xiangxi Miao Pediatric Tuina, Jishou University, Jishou, China.

Abstract

Inhibitor of apoptosis protein-related-like protein-2 (ILP-2), also known as BIRC-8, is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAPs) family, which mainly encodes the negative regulator of apoptosis. It is selectively overexpressed in a variety of human tumors and can help tumor cells evade apoptosis, promote tumor cell growth, increase tumor cell aggressiveness, and appears to be involved in tumor cell resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Several studies have shown that downregulation of ILP-2 expression increases apoptosis, inhibits metastasis, reduces cell growth potential, and sensitizes tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, ILP-2 inhibits apoptosis in a unique manner; it does not directly inhibit the activity of caspases but induces apoptosis by cooperating with other apoptosis-related proteins. Here, we review the current understanding of the various roles of ILP-2 in the apoptotic cascade and explore the use of interfering ILP-2, and the combination of related anti-tumor agents, as a novel strategy for cancer therapy.

Keywords: IAPS; ILP-2; apoptosis; caspases; migration; tumor therapy.

Publication types

Review