The regulation of combined treatment-induced cell death with recombinant TRAIL and bortezomib through TRAIL signaling in TRAIL-resistant cells.

Background: Multiple trials have attempted to demonstrate the effective induction of cell death in TRAIL-resistant cancer cells, including using a combined treatment of recombinant TRAIL and various proteasome inhibitors. These studies have yielded limited success, as the mechanism of cell death is currently unidentified. Understanding this mechanism's driving forces may facilitate the induction of cell death in TRAIL-resistant cancer cells.