Cell death can be classified into two primary categories: accidental cell death and regulated cell death (RCD). Within RCD, there are distinct apoptotic and non-apoptotic cell death pathways. Among the various forms of non-apoptotic RCD, paraptosis stands out as a unique mechanism characterized by distinct morphological changes within cells. These alterations encompass cytoplasmic vacuolization, organelle swelling, notably in the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and the absence of typical apoptotic features, such as cell shrinkage and DNA fragmentation. Biochemically, paraptosis distinguishes itself by its independence from caspases, which are conventionally associated with apoptotic death. This intriguing cell death pathway can be initiated by various cellular stressors, including oxidative stress, protein misfolding, and specific chemical compounds. Dysregulated paraptosis plays a pivotal role in several critical cancer-related processes, such as autophagic degradation, drug resistance, and angiogenesis. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in our understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of paraptosis. Additionally, it delves into the potential of paraptosis-related compounds for targeted cancer treatment, with the aim of enhancing treatment efficacy while minimizing harm to healthy cells.

细胞死亡可分为两大类：意外细胞死亡和调节性细胞死亡（RCD）。在 RCD 中，存在不同的凋亡和非凋亡细胞死亡途径。在各种形式的非凋亡 RCD 中，细胞凋亡作为一种独特的机制脱颖而出，其特点是细胞内明显的形态变化。这些改变包括细胞质空泡化、细胞器肿胀（尤其是内质网和线粒体），以及典型细胞凋亡特征的缺失，例如细胞收缩和 DNA 片段化。从生化角度来看，细胞凋亡的特点是它独立于半胱天冬酶，而半胱天冬酶通常与细胞凋亡有关。这种有趣的细胞死亡途径可以由各种细胞应激源启动，包括氧化应激、蛋白质错误折叠和特定化合物。失调的Paraptosis 在一些关键的癌症相关过程中发挥着关键作用，例如自噬降解、耐药性和血管生成。这篇综述全面概述了我们对Paraptosis机制和调节的理解的最新进展。此外，它还深入研究了与凋亡相关的化合物用于靶向癌症治疗的潜力，目的是提高治疗效果，同时最大限度地减少对健康细胞的伤害。