Current Drug Targets - Volume 11, Issue 6, 2010

The term of apoptosis was introduced in 1972 by Kerr et al. to describe a genetically programmed cellular process of cell dearth [1], which forms an integral part of the life cycle of higher organism. Nearly 40 years later, apoptosis has been regarded as a primary cause or a secondary effect in various diseases including cancers, and has appeared to be a very productive “factory” for the development of new therapeutics. Chem Read More

Indole compounds, obtained from cruciferous vegetables, have been investigated for their putative anti-cancer properties. Studies with indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and its dimeric product, 3, 3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), have indicated efficacy of these compounds against a number of human cancers. Available as well as emerging data suggests that these compounds act on a number of cellular signaling pathways leading to th Read More

The p53-family of transcription factors consists of three genes - p53, p63, and p73 - that share significant structural and functional similarities. Although these genes encode multiple variants that have opposing functions in cancer biology, the full-length, transactivating (TA) p53-family members are potent inducers of apoptosis and tumor suppression. Many anti-cancer agents, from traditional chemo- and radiation ther Read More

In the past 10 to 15 years, a considerable progress has been made in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) related malignancies, as a number of agents expanded from only one in 1995 to seven in 2006. Current review describes the recent role of targeted therapies, specifically EGFR inhibitors in the treatment of GI cancers. Importance of dietary agents in the treatment and prevention of GI cancers is also reviewed.

A major challenge in oncology is the development of chemoresistance. This often occurs as cancer progresses and malignant cells acquire mechanisms to resist insults that would normally induce apoptosis. The onset of androgen independence in advanced prostate cancer is a prime example of this phenomenon. Overexpression of the prosurvival/ anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 are hallmarks of this tra Read More

Apoptosis as a form of programmed cell death is a critical defense mechanism against the formation and progression of cancer and exhibits distinct morphological and biochemical traits. In an in vivo situation, apoptosis functions to eliminate potentially deleterious cells without causing such adverse effects as inflammatory response and ensuing scar formation. Therefore, targeting apoptotic pathways becomes an intrig Read More

Current therapeutic options for patients with progressive thyroid cancer are relatively ineffective. There is a clear need to develop new alternatives for the management of this malignancy. As the knowledge of thyroid cancer biology advances, a large number of genetic events, molecular abnormalities, alterations of signaling pathways have been identified in the development and progression of thyroid neoplasms, and the Read More

Terpenoids represent a large and diverse class of naturally occurring compounds found in a variety of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. Structurally some of the terpenoids are similar to human hormones. A diet rich in terpenoids is inversely related with the risk of chronic diseases including cancers. Breast and prostate cancers are hormone-related diseases and the second leading cause of female and male cancer Read More

The Notch signaling pathway maintains a balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, and thus it is believed that Notch signaling pathway may play an important role in the development and progression of several malignancies. However, the functions of Notch signaling in EMT are largely unknown. This mini review describes the role of Notch signaling pathway in EMT, and cataloging how its deregulation is involved in EMT Read More

Pain in patients with impaired renal function may be a significant problem requiring treatment with opioids. However, pharmacokinetic and metabolic changes associated with an impaired renal function may raise some concerns about side effects and overdosing associated with opioid agents in this patient's population. In order to give recommendations on this issue, we review the available evidences on the pharmacok Read More

Human arylamine N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is a phase II xenobiotic-metabolizing enzyme (XME) involved in the biotransformation of many aromatic and heterocyclic amines. This XME plays key roles in both the detoxification and/or bioactivation of numerous drugs and carcinogens. NAT1 is polymorphic and displays a large tissue distribution. NAT1 activity has been extensively studied because of its potential role in th Read More