Molecular mechanism of cell death induced by chemotherapeutic agents

Cells maintain their homeostasis by checkpoint mechanisms that exist at each phase of the cell cycle. Impairment of the checkpoint mechanisms induces DNA mutation and asymmetric segregation of chromosomes, which result in genomic instability, leading to malignant cell transformation. DNA-damaging agents, which are still the first-line chemotherapeutic drugs for various cancers, have recently been demonstrated to induce death in cancer cells alone just because these cells have abnormalities in their checkpoint mechanisms. The mitotic checkpoint, in particular, has been found to play a key role in the drug-induced cell death. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms of chemotherapy will enable us to use conventional drugs more appropriately for cancer treatment.