title: Improvement of purine and pyrimidine antimetabolite-based anticancer treatment by selective suppression of mycoplasma-encoded catabolic enzymes.
abstract: Most mycoplasmas are present as commensals, colonising the mucosa of our respiratory and gastrointestinal tract. Experimental data suggest that the long-term association of certain mycoplasma species with mammalian cells might favour host-cell transformation and malignancy. Moreover, increased mycoplasma infection has been noted in several cancers. Despite efforts to develop target-specific anticancer drugs, current cancer treatment still relies on the use of nucleobase or nucleoside-based analogues. Here, we provide experimental evidence that nucleoside-metabolising catabolic enzymes expressed by mycoplasmas substantially compromise the efficacy of nucleoside antimetabolites used in the treatment of cancer. We also suggest potential methods for improving future chemotherapy by suppressing mycoplasma-mediated catabolism of the anticancer nucleoside analogues.
authors.affiliation: Rega Institute for Medical Research, K U Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liekens
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bronckaers
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balzarini
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000201:enzymology*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011687:Purines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D011687:Purines; D011743:Pyrimidines; C030986:pyrimidine; C030985:purine