New uses for old copper-binding drugs: converting the pro-angiogenic copper to a specific cancer cell death inducer.
BACKGROUND
The conventional approach toward anticancer drug development is a time-consuming and expensive procedure.


OBJECTIVE
One approach to expedite this process and achieve more affordable means is to discover new applications of existing drugs, since their pharmacokinetics and pharmacological profiles are well known.


RESULTS
Our encouraging findings in recent studies reveal anticancer activities of several copper-binding ligands including disulfiram (an antialcoholism drug), clioquinol (used to treat Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases) and diethyldithiocarbamate (an agent for HIV-1 infection treatment).


CONCLUSIONS
These in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that these archaic drugs can target and react with tumor cellular copper, forming complexes that act as potent proteasome inhibitors and apoptosis inducers.
Chen
Di
D
Wayne State University, The Prevention Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Dou
Q Ping
QP
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016923:Cell Death; D003300:Copper / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D025801:Ubiquitin / Q000378:metabolism
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D025801:Ubiquitin; D003300:Copper; D046988:Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex