The Role of the Pro-Apoptotic Protein Bax in Colon Cancer
Abstract
Bax is a pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family that plays a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis. Bax can be activated by various stimuli and translocate to the mitochondria, where it induces cytochrome c release and caspase activation. Bax expression or activity can be altered in colon cancer cells, resulting in resistance to apoptosis and tumor progression. This article summarized the molecular mech-anisms of Bax activation and function in apoptosis, the alterations of Bax expression or activity in colon cancer cells, and the potential thera-peutic implications of targeting Bax or its regulators in colon cancer.
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