Chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer with mutant p53 involves p73 and is mediated via the extrinsic and the intrinsic pathway

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is associated with low responsiveness to conventional chemotherapies. The development of up to 70% of pancreatic carcinomas has been shown to be associated with a loss of p53 function. Like p53, TAp63 and TAp73 activate genes exerting roles in different steps of the apoptosis signalling program. The dominant-negative isoforms of p63 and p73 (deltaNp63, deltaNp73) can oppose the transactivation- and pro-apoptotic capabilities of the full length (TA) isoforms. Aim: Our aim was to analyze the downstream mechanisms by which chemotherapeutic drugs elicit apoptosis in pancreatic carcino…