Abstract
Despite the progress achieved in chemo- and radiotherapy, cancer is still a leading life-threatening pathology. In that sense, there is a need for novel therapeutic strategies based on our current knowledge of cancer biology. Among the phenotypical features of cancer cells, two of them are of particular interest: their nearly universal glycolytic phenotype and their sensitivity towards an oxidative stress, both resulting from the combination of high anabolic needs and hypoxic growth conditions. By using menadione (vitamin K3) and ascorbate (vitamin C), we took advantage of these features to develop an original approach that consists in the exposure of cancer cells to an oxidant insult. When used in combination, these compounds exhibit a synergistic action and are devoid of major toxicity in vivo. Thus, this review is dedicated to the analysis of the molecular pathways by which this promising combination exerts its antitumoural effect.
Keywords: Ascorbate, menadione, cancer, oxidative stress, glycolysis, cell death
Current Molecular Pharmacology
Title: Targeting Cancer Cells by an Oxidant-Based Therapy
Volume: 1
Author(s): P. Buc Calderon, J. Verrax and H. Taper
Affiliation:
Keywords: Ascorbate, menadione, cancer, oxidative stress, glycolysis, cell death
Abstract: Despite the progress achieved in chemo- and radiotherapy, cancer is still a leading life-threatening pathology. In that sense, there is a need for novel therapeutic strategies based on our current knowledge of cancer biology. Among the phenotypical features of cancer cells, two of them are of particular interest: their nearly universal glycolytic phenotype and their sensitivity towards an oxidative stress, both resulting from the combination of high anabolic needs and hypoxic growth conditions. By using menadione (vitamin K3) and ascorbate (vitamin C), we took advantage of these features to develop an original approach that consists in the exposure of cancer cells to an oxidant insult. When used in combination, these compounds exhibit a synergistic action and are devoid of major toxicity in vivo. Thus, this review is dedicated to the analysis of the molecular pathways by which this promising combination exerts its antitumoural effect.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Calderon Buc P., Verrax J. and Taper H., Targeting Cancer Cells by an Oxidant-Based Therapy, Current Molecular Pharmacology 2008; 1 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874467210801010080
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874467210801010080 |
Print ISSN 1874-4672 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1874-4702 |
- 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
-
Signal Transduction and Photodynamic Therapy
Current Signal Transduction Therapy DNA and RNA Code-reading Molecules as Potential Gene Silencers in Neurobiology- What are They and what are They Good for?
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Central Nervous System Agents Retinoids as Differentiating Agents in Oncology: A Network of Interactions with Intracellular Pathways as the Basis for Rational Therapeutic Combinations
Current Pharmaceutical Design Recent Innovations in Antibody-Mediated, Targeted Particulate Nanotechnology and Implications for Advanced Visualisation and Drug Delivery
Current Nanoscience Synthetic Src-Kinase Domain Inhibitors and Their Structural Requirements
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Gene Therapeutic Approaches for Immune Modulation in AIDS
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Selective Binding BAFF/APRIL by the In and Outside Conservative Region of BCMA
Protein & Peptide Letters Current Progresses in Metal-based Anticancer Complexes as Mammalian TrxR Inhibitors
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Red Blood Cell-Encapsulated L-Asparaginase: Potential Therapy of Patients with Asparagine Synthetase Deficient Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Protein & Peptide Letters Studies on Structures and Functions of Kinases leading to Prostate Cancer and Their Inhibitors
Current Enzyme Inhibition Role of Cytokines in Regulating Feeding Behaviour
Current Drug Targets Innovative Therapeutic Potential of Cannabinoid Receptors as Targets in Alzheimer’s Disease and Less Well-Known Diseases
Current Medicinal Chemistry Apoptosis in Anthracycline Cardiomyopathy
Current Pediatric Reviews Sphingolipid Metabolism and Drug Resistance in Hematological Malignancies
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Doxsaliform: A Novel N-Mannich Base Prodrug of a Doxorubicin Formaldehyde Conjugate
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Spongiane Diterpenoids
Current Bioactive Compounds Peripheral Benzodiazepine Receptor Ligands and their Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents Editorial [Hot Topic: ErbB Family and Downstream Signal Transduction Pathways as Targets for Anticancer Therapy (Guest Editor: F. Caponigro)]
Current Drug Targets Specificity of Binding in Protein Kinases
Current Enzyme Inhibition Xenograft models of primary acute myeloid leukemia for the development of imaging strategies and evaluation of novel targeted therapies.
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology