Mechanisms of action of the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax in multiple myeloma: a literature review

Qiang Cao; Xinyan Wu; Qi Zhang; Junling Gong; Yuquan Chen; Yanwei You; Jun Shen; Yi Qiang; Guangzhu Cao

doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1291920

Mechanisms of action of the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax in multiple myeloma: a literature review

Front Pharmacol. 2023 Nov 6:14:1291920. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1291920. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Qiang Cao^#^{1

2}, Xinyan Wu^#³, Qi Zhang^#⁴, Junling Gong^#⁵, Yuquan Chen⁶, Yanwei You⁷, Jun Shen², Yi Qiang¹, Guangzhu Cao¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth Sciences, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.
² Department of Pharmacy, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
³ College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.
⁴ Undergraduate Department, Taishan University, Taian, China.
⁵ School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.
⁶ Institute of Medical Information/Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁷ Division of Sports Science & Physical Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Abnormal cellular apoptosis plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Multiple Myeloma (MM). Over the years, BCL-2, a crucial anti-apoptotic protein, has garnered significant attention in MM therapeutic research. Venetoclax (VTC), a small-molecule targeted agent, effectively inhibits BCL-2, promoting the programmed death of cancerous cells. While VTC has been employed to treat various hematological malignancies, its particular efficacy in MM has showcased its potential for broader clinical applications. In this review, we delve into the intricacies of how VTC modulates apoptosis in MM cells by targeting BCL-2 and the overarching influence of the BCL-2 protein family in MM apoptosis regulation. Our findings highlight the nuanced interplay between VTC, BCL-2, and MM, offering insights that may pave the way for optimizing therapeutic strategies. Through this comprehensive analysis, we aim to lay a solid groundwork for future explorations into VTC's clinical applications and the profound effects of BCL-2 on cellular apoptosis.

Keywords: anti-cancer drug; cell apoptosis; cell cycle; multiple myeloma; targeted therapies.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.42267063).