Molecular 'self-destruct' switch discovered: How stressed cells decide between survival and death

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Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have discovered a molecular 'self-destruct' switch that determines whether stressed human cells survive or undergo programmed death. This breakthrough may offer new avenues to overcome chemotherapy resistance in aggressive cancers, based on findings published in Redox Biology.

A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) has identified a molecular switch that controls whether stressed human cells activate a survival mechanism or trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis). The findings, published in Redox Biology, provide insights that could help overcome chemotherapy resistance in aggressive tumors.