A Novel Human Hormone-Peptide Nerofe Selectively Induces Apoptosis In Cancer Cells Through The T1/St2 Receptor.

We report the action mechanism of a novel Tumor-Cells Apoptosis Factor (Nerofe (R)). We find that Tumor-Cells Apoptosis Factor (TCApF) binds to the T1/ST2 receptor and activates caspases 8, 9 and 3 mediated apoptosis, together with activation of JNKinase and p38 MAPKinase. Application of TCApF to cells induced apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia proliferating cells (U937 premeyloid cells), in human breast carcinoma (MCF7), human glioblastoma, human and murine neuroblastoma, human prostate cancer, murine mammary adenocarcinoma and human lung cancer proliferating cells. In contrast, TCApF was unable to induce apoptosis in non-proliferating cells. The selectivity of TCApF-induced apoptosis is related to the level of T1/ST2 receptor expression. This is the first report linking the T1/ST2 receptor to apoptosis.