In response to chemotherapy, some cancer cells enter into a near-death state called premature senescence and then flag down the body’s immune system to help them recover. Researchers have now found that inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are key compounds at play in that process (Sci. Adv. 2026, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aed4541). The research also found that blocking the IAPs could increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy drugs such as cisplatin, etoposide, and doxorubicin cause DNA damage in cancer cells. Usually, in response that damage, the cells produce molecules called death receptors, which cause the cells to die. But if IAPs are present, they neutralize the death receptors in those cells. These surviving cancer cells enter into senescence instead and attract the attention of the immune system.