Abstract
A key problem in the effective treatment of patients with cancer (both leukemia and solid tumors) is to distinguish between tumor and normal cells. This problem is the main reason why current treatments for cancer are often ineffective. There have been remarkable advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of cancer that provides new selective tumor destruction mechanisms. The molecular characterization of the tumorspecific chromosomal abnormalities has revealed that fusion proteins are the consequence in the majority of cancers. These fusion proteins result from chimeric genes created by the translocations, which form chimeric mRNA species that contain exons from the genes involved in the translocation. Obviously, these chimeric molecules are attractive therapeutic targets since they are unique to the disease (they only exist in the tumor cells but not in the normal cells of the patient), allowing the design of specific anti-tumor drugs. Inhibition of chimeric gene expression by anti-tumor agents specifically kills leukemic cells without affecting normal cells. As therapeutic agents targeting chimeric genes, zinc-finger proteins, antisense RNAs or hammerhead-based ribozymes have been used. All of these agents have some limitations, indicating that new therapeutic tools are required as gene inactivating agents that should be able to inhibit any chimeric fusion gene product. Recently, we have used the catalytic RNA subunit of RNase P from Escherichia coli, which can be specifically directed to cut any mRNA sequence, to specifically destroy tumor-specific fusion genes created as a result of chromosomal translocations. In this chapter, we will review the advances made to selectively destroy tumor cells through specific inhibition of products resulting from chromosomal translocations.
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Title: Selective Destruction of Tumor Cells through Specific Inhibition of Products Resulting from Chromosomal Translocations
Volume: 1 Issue: 2
Author(s): A. Rodriguez-Garcia, M. Sanchez-Martin, J. Perez-Losada, P. A. Perez-Mancera, A. Sagrera-Aparisi, N. Gutierrez-Cianca, C. Cobaleda and I. Sanchez-Garcia
Affiliation:
Abstract: A key problem in the effective treatment of patients with cancer (both leukemia and solid tumors) is to distinguish between tumor and normal cells. This problem is the main reason why current treatments for cancer are often ineffective. There have been remarkable advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of cancer that provides new selective tumor destruction mechanisms. The molecular characterization of the tumorspecific chromosomal abnormalities has revealed that fusion proteins are the consequence in the majority of cancers. These fusion proteins result from chimeric genes created by the translocations, which form chimeric mRNA species that contain exons from the genes involved in the translocation. Obviously, these chimeric molecules are attractive therapeutic targets since they are unique to the disease (they only exist in the tumor cells but not in the normal cells of the patient), allowing the design of specific anti-tumor drugs. Inhibition of chimeric gene expression by anti-tumor agents specifically kills leukemic cells without affecting normal cells. As therapeutic agents targeting chimeric genes, zinc-finger proteins, antisense RNAs or hammerhead-based ribozymes have been used. All of these agents have some limitations, indicating that new therapeutic tools are required as gene inactivating agents that should be able to inhibit any chimeric fusion gene product. Recently, we have used the catalytic RNA subunit of RNase P from Escherichia coli, which can be specifically directed to cut any mRNA sequence, to specifically destroy tumor-specific fusion genes created as a result of chromosomal translocations. In this chapter, we will review the advances made to selectively destroy tumor cells through specific inhibition of products resulting from chromosomal translocations.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Rodriguez-Garcia A., Sanchez-Martin M., Perez-Losada J., Perez-Mancera A. P., Sagrera-Aparisi A., Gutierrez-Cianca N., Cobaleda C. and Sanchez-Garcia I., Selective Destruction of Tumor Cells through Specific Inhibition of Products Resulting from Chromosomal Translocations, Current Cancer Drug Targets 2001; 1 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568009013334214
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568009013334214 |
Print ISSN 1568-0096 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5576 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Cancer Biomarkers and Potential Drug Targets: From Diagnosis to Therapy
Cancer biomarkers play a crucial role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer. They provide valuable information for cancer detection, risk assessment, treatment selection, and monitoring response to therapy. With advancements in molecular biology and high-throughput technologies, there has been an increasing interest in identifying and characterizing cancer biomarkers ...read more
Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Target Drug Resistant Tumors
With the development of disciplines such as chemical biology and molecular biology, the genes or proteins closely related to tumor occurrence and development have gradually become clear. Targeted therapies targeting these genes or proteins provide more effective methods for tumor treatment. Tumor targeted drugs generally only act on specific targets ...read more
ROLE OF IMMUNE AND GENOTOXIC RESPONSE BIOMARKERS IN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT IN CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Biological biomarkers have been used in medical research as an indicator of a normal or abnormal process inside the body, or of a disease. Nowadays, various researchers are in process to explore and investigate the biological markers for the early assessment of cancer. DNA Damage response (DDR) pathways and immune ...read more
Targeting the battlefield between host and tumor: basic research and clinical practice on reshaping tumor immune microenvironment
Immune system protects host against malignant tumors through effector cells and molecules. Cancer development and its response to therapy are regulated by inflammation, which either promotes or suppresses cancer progression. Chronic inflammation facilitates cancer progression and treatment resistance, whereas induction of acute inflammatory reactions often lead to anti-cancer immune responses. ...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
Related Articles
-
Factors Affecting the Sensitivity and Detection Limits of MRI, CT, and SPECT for Multimodal Diagnostic and Therapeutic Agents
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Recent Advances in Antiplatelet Agents
Current Medicinal Chemistry Hypoxia Activated Prodrugs: Factors Influencing Design and Development
Current Medicinal Chemistry Ketamine for Chronic Pain and Treatment Resistant Depression: A Mechanistic Hypothesis
Current Drug Therapy Isolation and Biological Evaluation of Novel Tetracosahexaene Hexamethyl, an Acyclic Triterpenoids Derivatives and Antioxidant from Justicia adhatoda
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening The Role of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in Critical Illness
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Polymorphisms of Human N-Acetyltransferases and Cancer Risk
Current Drug Metabolism Current Highlights About the Safety of Inorganic Nanomaterials in Healthcare
Current Medicinal Chemistry Inhibiting Cyclin-Dependent Kinase / Cyclin Activity for the Treatment of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Conditionally Replicating Adenoviruses for Cancer Treatment
Current Cancer Drug Targets New Ultrasound-Based Technologies for Predicting Ovarian Cancer in Adnexal Masses
Current Women`s Health Reviews Editorial (Thematic Issue: Molecular Aspects of Cancer Resistance to Biological and Non- Biological Drugs and Strategies to Overcome Resistance)
Current Medicinal Chemistry Applications of Solid-State Fermentation Process in Biological Detoxification of Industrial Wastes
Current Biochemical Engineering (Discontinued) Ent-11α-Hydroxy-15-Oxo-Kaur-16-en-19-Oic-Acid Induces Apoptosis of Human Malignant Cancer Cells
Current Drug Targets Androgen Receptor Antagonists in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer
Clinical Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Drugs (Discontinued) Condensed and Hydrolysable Tannins as Antioxidants Influencing the Health
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry DSPE-PEG: A Distinctive Component in Drug Delivery System
Current Pharmaceutical Design Stable Indomethacin Dispersions in Water from Drug, Ethanol, Cationic Lipid and Carboxymethyl-Cellulose
Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology The Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K)/AKT Signaling Pathway as a Therapeutic Target for the Treatment of Human Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Editorial (Thematic Issue: Green Anti-Cancer Agents and Ayur-Biotechnology: A smart approach towards improving R&D productivity.)
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry