Crk - a novel target for cancer therapy

A method of identifying a therapeutically active compound that inhibits apoptotic compensatory signaling complex (ACSC)-induced cell proliferation, the method comprising:

• providing an in vitro cell population comprising a scaffold for the ACSC;
• adding an apoptosis-inducing agent to the cell population;
• culturing the cell population in the presence of the apoptosis-inducing agent;
• measuring a proliferation capacity index of a portion of the cultured cell population exposed to a test compound;
• measuring a proliferation capacity index of a portion the cultured cell population exposed to a control;
• and
• wherein a decrease in the proliferation capacity index of the cell population exposed to the test compound, as compared to the proliferation capacity index of the cell population exposed to the control, is indicative of a therapeutically active compound.