TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) as the potential therapeutic target in hematological malignancies

Despite numerous attempts to find the treatment strategies that can selectively target the cancer cells, cancer still remains a major public health problem. Conventional cancer treatments such as chemo- and radio-therapies are associated with systemic toxicity and the risk of recurrence. Additionally, acquired or pre-existing resistance is the main problem of most therapies. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a member of TNF super-family, has significantly attracted the researchers to use it as an effective treatment strategy for cancer since it can preferentially induce apoptosis in a variety of primary tumor cells without affecting the adjacent normal cells. Recently, recombinant forms of TRAIL and the multiple agonists of its receptor have been evaluated in many cell lines and phase II clinical trials. Hence, we have tried to summarize the TRAIL-related therapies as a potential therapeutic option in hematological malignancies.