Prostate-apoptosis-response-gene-4 increases sensitivity to TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

The capacity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) to preferentially induce apoptosis in malignant cells while sparing normal tissues renders it an attractive therapeutic agent. Nevertheless, the molecular determinants governing sensitivity towards TRAIL remain to be defined. Acknowledging the previously demonstrated deregulation of prostate-apoptosis-response-gene-4 (par-4) in ex vivo cells of patients suffering from acute and chronic lymphatic leukemia, we here tested the hypothesis that expression of par-4 influences sensitivity to TRAIL.