Inhibition of CYP 17, a new strategy for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Androgens are growth factors for approximately 80 percent of all prostate cancers. Suppressing androgen biosynthesis is therefore an important therapeutic strategy in order to inhibit tumor growth. Unfortunately, the drugs currently applied to lower androgen levels only affect testicular androgen production. Since androgens are also synthesized in the adrenal glands, tumor stimulation cannot be blocked completely. A new therapeutic target, CYP 17 (P450 17, 17alpha-hydroxylase-C17, C20 lyase), is likely to improve this situation. CYP 17 is a P450 enzyme and catalyzes the last step of androgen biosynthesis in both testes and adrenals. Inhibition of this enzyme will therefore result in a complete block of androgen production. This paper gives an overview of the current situation in this novel field of drug research and focuses on the development of steroidal and non-steroidal inhibitors of CYP 17.
Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany. rwh@mx.uni-saarland.de
Rolf W
RW
Hartmann
Peter B
PB
Ehmer
Samer
S
Haidar
Markus
M
Hector
Joachim
J
Jose
Christian D P
CD
Klein
Stefanie B
SB
Seidel
Tom F
TF
Sergejew
Bertil G
BG
Wachall
Gerald A
GA
Wächter
Yan
Y
Zhuang
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase