title: Therapeutic targeting of pancreatic cancer utilizing sigma-2 ligands.
abstract: One major barrier in the development of pancreas cancer therapeutics is the selective delivery of the drugs to their cellular targets. We have previously developed several sigma-2 ligands and reported the discovery of a component of the receptor for these ligands. Several sigma-2 ligands have been shown to trigger apoptosis in pancreas cancer cells. More importantly, sigma-2 ligands are internalized rapidly by the cancer cells and are capable of delivering other small-molecule therapeutics. Here we review sigma-2 ligands and conjugates as a potential novel therapy suitable for investigation in patients with pancreatic cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: John R
authors: JR
authors: Hornick
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Spitzer
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Goedegebuure
authors: Robert H
authors: RH
authors: Mach
authors: William G
authors: WG
authors: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001665:Binding Sites; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D017480:Receptors, sigma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C115296:PGRMC1 protein, human; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D017480:Receptors, sigma; C106107:sigma-2 receptor