Abstract
Virus infection and oncogenesis are two tightly linked processes. Some viruses are endowed with a direct transforming capability and infection activates inflammation that, in turn, favours tumor progression. Also, both inflammation and tumor trigger (and are strongly dependent from) angiogenesis. Finally, some oncogenic viruses release “virokines” that contribute to the development of virus-associated tumors. At a molecular level, viral proteins, cytokines, receptors and adhesion molecules “cross-contribute” to the different processes and, amazingly, many of them bind to heparin and to heparan sulfate proteoglycans to exert their functions. Heparin-like polysulfated (PS) or polysulfonated (PSN) compounds are an heterogeneous group of natural or synthetic molecules whose prototypes are PS heparin and PSN suramin. They vary in their backbone structure, length, number/disposition of sulfated/sulfonated groups. Different combinations of these features confer to PS/PSN the capacity to bind with variable specificity to those heparin-binding proteins that “cross-contribute” to virus infection and tumor progression. Taken together, these considerations suggest that heparin-like PS/PSN antagonists may act as multitarget drugs that may control at once virus infection and tumor progression by targeting different proteins simultaneously. Here we discuss the possibility to exploit PS/PSN compounds for the development of drugs at the cross-road of viral infection and oncogenesis, taking in consideration the past efforts, possible drawbacks and future perspectives.
Keywords: Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, oncogenic viruses, polysulfated, polysulfonated, infection, angiogenesis, inflammation, tumor, cancer, multitarget drugs, viruses
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Polysulfated/Sulfonated Compounds for the Development of Drugs at the Crossroad of Viral Infection and Oncogenesis
Volume: 15 Issue: 25
Author(s): Marco Rusnati and Chiara Urbinati
Affiliation:
Keywords: Heparan sulfate proteoglycans, oncogenic viruses, polysulfated, polysulfonated, infection, angiogenesis, inflammation, tumor, cancer, multitarget drugs, viruses
Abstract: Virus infection and oncogenesis are two tightly linked processes. Some viruses are endowed with a direct transforming capability and infection activates inflammation that, in turn, favours tumor progression. Also, both inflammation and tumor trigger (and are strongly dependent from) angiogenesis. Finally, some oncogenic viruses release “virokines” that contribute to the development of virus-associated tumors. At a molecular level, viral proteins, cytokines, receptors and adhesion molecules “cross-contribute” to the different processes and, amazingly, many of them bind to heparin and to heparan sulfate proteoglycans to exert their functions. Heparin-like polysulfated (PS) or polysulfonated (PSN) compounds are an heterogeneous group of natural or synthetic molecules whose prototypes are PS heparin and PSN suramin. They vary in their backbone structure, length, number/disposition of sulfated/sulfonated groups. Different combinations of these features confer to PS/PSN the capacity to bind with variable specificity to those heparin-binding proteins that “cross-contribute” to virus infection and tumor progression. Taken together, these considerations suggest that heparin-like PS/PSN antagonists may act as multitarget drugs that may control at once virus infection and tumor progression by targeting different proteins simultaneously. Here we discuss the possibility to exploit PS/PSN compounds for the development of drugs at the cross-road of viral infection and oncogenesis, taking in consideration the past efforts, possible drawbacks and future perspectives.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Rusnati Marco and Urbinati Chiara, Polysulfated/Sulfonated Compounds for the Development of Drugs at the Crossroad of Viral Infection and Oncogenesis, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2009; 15 (25) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161209789058156
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138161209789058156 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Src Kinase Inhibitors: An Update on Patented Compounds
Current Medicinal Chemistry Is Effective and Safe a Radiochemotherapy Approach in Elderly Cancer Patients? A Review
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Genistein Induces Alterations of Epigenetic Modulatory Signatures in Human Cervical Cancer Cells
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Modulatory Potential of <i>Citrus sinensis</i> and <i>Moringa oleifera</i> Extracts and Epiphytes on Rat Liver Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore
Current Drug Discovery Technologies Platelet Biomarkers in Tumor Growth
Current Proteomics Triterpenoids for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Current Status and Future Prospects
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Radioprotective Gene Therapy
Current Gene Therapy Viral Carcinogenesis of Oral Region and Recent Trends in Treatment
Recent Patents on Biomarkers Lipids as Activators of Innate Immunity in Peptide Vaccine Delivery
Current Medicinal Chemistry Synthesis and Bioevaluation of Quaternary Centered 3-hydroxy-3 (alkynyl)indolin-2-one Derivatives as Potential Cytotoxic Agents and Akt Kinase Inhibitors
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Stat3 Orchestrates Tumor Development and Progression: The Achilles Heel of Head and Neck Cancers?
Current Cancer Drug Targets Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) as a Target of Bevacizumab in Cancer: From the Biology to the Clinic
Current Medicinal Chemistry Recent Patents Therapeutic Agents for Cancer
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery New Drug Design for Gene Therapy - Taking Advantage of Introns
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery A Systematic in-silico Analysis of Helicobacter pylori Pathogenic Islands for Identification of Novel Drug Target Candidates
Current Genomics Chemistry of Bis-Spiroacetal Systems: Natural Products, Synthesis and Stereochemistry
Current Organic Chemistry Tryptamine Induces Axonopathy and Mitochondriopathy Mimicking Neurodegenerative Diseases via Tryptophanyl-tRNA Deficiency
Current Alzheimer Research Namitecan: a Hydrophilic Camptothecin with a Promising Preclinical Profile
Current Medicinal Chemistry Radioprotective Effects of Plants from the Lamiaceae Family
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Role of Inflammatory Mediators in Angiogenesis
Current Drug Targets - Inflammation & Allergy