Figure 2.

UPR can be exploited into two approaches for the purposes of cancer drug development. Targeting the unfolded protein response as an anticancer strategy attempts to divert cells from the survival pathway to the death pathway. [1] One approach is to inhibit components of the unfolded protein response so tumor cells can no longer deal with the stressful environment thereby leading to cell death. [2] Second approach is to increase the stress on the tumor cells, so the already activated unfolded protein response is overloaded and is unable to resolve the stress, thereby driving the cells towards the death pathway. Both strategies theoretically increase signaling to the death pathway and reduce survival signaling.