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Caspase 8: The killer you can't live without

The proto-oncogene MYCN, a regulator of cell proliferation and cell death, is amplified in aggressive neuroblastomas, whereas expression of the apoptotic effector caspase 8 is suppressed. Understanding why this nervous system tumor should choose to up or down regulate these particular apoptotic factors may provide important information about oncogenesis and indicate new strategies for the treatment of neuroblastoma ( pages 529–535).

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Figure 1: Activation of the apical caspases 8 and 9.

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Juin, P., Evan, G. Caspase 8: The killer you can't live without. Nat Med 6, 498–500 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/74966

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