ARC (apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain) is a novel marker of human colon cancer

Abstract

The ability of cells to escape apoptosis is critical for carcinogenesis as well as resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. ARC (Apoptosis Repressor with CARD (caspase recruitment domain)) is an unusual inhibitor of apoptosis in that it antagonizes both the extrinsic (death receptor) and intrinsic (mitochondrial/ER) apoptosis pathways. ARC is expressed predominantly in terminally differentiated cells such as cardiac and skeletal myocytes and neurons. Recently, however, the abundance of ARC was noted to be markedly increased in the epithelium of primary human breast cancers compared with benign breast tissue and to confer chemo- and radiation-resistance. Whether the induction of ARC is speci..