Mitochondria as cancer drug targets.
Cancer cells are defined by their unlimited replicative potential and resistance to cell death stimuli. It is generally considered that a point of no return in apoptotic cell death is the permeabilisation of the mitochondrial membranes. For this reason, agents that permeabilise cancer cell mitochondria have the potential to circumvent their resistance to apoptotic cell death. Fortunately, the proliferative and bioenergetic differences between normal and cancerous cells provide an opportunity to selectively target cancer cell mitochondria.
Don
Anthony S
AS
Centre for Vascular Research, University of New South Wales, Department of Haematology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.
Hogg
Philip J
PJ
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001692:Biological Transport; D006801:Humans; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents