title: Therapeutic potential of iron chelators in cancer therapy.
abstract: The success of DFO at markedly inhibiting the growth of aggressive tumors such as neuroblastoma and leukemia justifies interest in the development of chelators as anti-neoplastic agents. This is emphasized by the fact that DFO has suboptimal properties, namely poor membrane permeability and a very short serum half-life. More recently, the thiosemicarbazone chelator, Triapine, has entered a phase I clinical trial again confirming the potential of these compounds. Further studies examining the effects of chelators on neoplastic cells will not only be valuable in terms of identifing novel anti-cancer agents, but will also provide new information on the role of Fe in cell cycle control.
authors.affiliation: The Iron Metabolism and Chelation Group, The Heart Research Institute, 145 Missenden Rd, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050 Australia.
authors.forename: Des R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011730:Pyridoxal / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013882:Thiosemicarbazones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D013882:Thiosemicarbazones; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D011730:Pyridoxal; C021079:pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine; D007538:Isoniazid