Abstract |
Various human diseases, including different types of cancer, are associated with a disturbed intracellular redox balance and oxidative stress (OS). The past decade has witnessed the emergence of redox-modulating compounds able to utilize such pre-existing disturbances in the redox state of sick cells for therapeutic advantage. Selenium- and tellurium-based agents turn the oxidizing redox environment present in certain cancer cells into a lethal cocktail of reactive species that push these cells over a critical redox threshold and ultimately kill them through apoptosis. This kind of toxicity is highly selective: normal, healthy cells remain largely unaffected, since changes to their naturally low levels of oxidizing species produce little effect. To further improve selectivity, multifunctional sensor/effector agents are now required that recognize the biochemical signature of OS in target cells. The synthesis of such compounds provides interesting challenges for chemistry in the future.
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Authors | Vincent Jamier, Lalla A Ba, Claus Jacob |
Journal | Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
(Chemistry)
Vol. 16
Issue 36
Pg. 10920-8
(Sep 24 2010)
ISSN: 1521-3765 [Electronic] Germany |
PMID | 20677196
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Antineoplastic Agents
- Antioxidants
- Cytotoxins
- Metalloporphyrins
- Selenium
- Tellurium
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Topics |
- Antineoplastic Agents
(chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Antioxidants
(chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Apoptosis
(drug effects)
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytotoxins
(chemistry, pharmacology)
- Humans
- Metalloporphyrins
(chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Oxidation-Reduction
(drug effects)
- Oxidative Stress
(drug effects)
- Selenium
(chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
- Tellurium
(chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
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