title: RNA polymerase - an important molecular target of triptolide in cancer cells.
abstract: Triptolide, a diterpenoid triepoxide, is the key biological component of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. which was used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat inflammation and autoimmune diseases. Triptolide has shown potent activity in not only anti-inflammation and immune modulation, but also antiproliferative and proapoptotic activity in many different types of cancer cells. However, for a long time, the precise molecular target(s) of triptolide have remained elusive. Recently, several groups discovered that triptolide inhibited the activity of RNA polymerase. This review will focus on these breakthrough findings about the molecular target of triptolide and its implications for targeted-cancer therapeutics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road II, Guangzhou 510089, People's Republic of China. panjx2@mail.sysu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Jingxuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D009857:Oncogenes; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C001899:triptolide; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases