Abstract
A great number of alkaloids exhibit high potential in cancer research. Some of them are anticancer drugs with well-defined clinical uses, exerting their action on microtubules dynamics or DNA replication and topology. On the other hand, mitochondria have been recognized as an essential organelle in the establishment of tumor characteristics, especially the resistance to cell death, high proliferative capacity and adaptation to unfavorable cellular environment. Interestingly, many alkaloids exert their anticancer activities affecting selectively some functions of the tumor mitochondria by 1) modulating OXPHOS and ADP/ATP transport, 2) increasing ROS levels and mitochondrial potential dissipation by crosstalk between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, 3) inducing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and autophagy, 4) inhibiting mitochondrial metabolic pathways and 5) by alteration of the morphology and biogenesis of this organelle. These antecedents show the relevance of developing research about the effects of alkaloids on functions controlled by tumor mitochondria, offering an attractive target for the design of new alkaloid derivatives, considering organelle- specific delivery strategies. This review describes mitochondria as a central component in the anticancer action of a set of alkaloids, in a way to illustrate the importance of this organelle in medicinal chemistry.
Keywords: Alkaloids, apoptosis, cancer cells, delivery, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, targeting.
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Mitochondria: A Promising Target for Anticancer Alkaloids
Volume: 13 Issue: 17
Author(s): Félix A. Urra, Miguel Cordova-Delgado, Hernan Pessoa-Mahana, Oney Ramírez-Rodríguez, Boris Weiss-Lopez, Jorge Ferreira and Ramiro Araya-Maturana
Affiliation:
Keywords: Alkaloids, apoptosis, cancer cells, delivery, endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, targeting.
Abstract: A great number of alkaloids exhibit high potential in cancer research. Some of them are anticancer drugs with well-defined clinical uses, exerting their action on microtubules dynamics or DNA replication and topology. On the other hand, mitochondria have been recognized as an essential organelle in the establishment of tumor characteristics, especially the resistance to cell death, high proliferative capacity and adaptation to unfavorable cellular environment. Interestingly, many alkaloids exert their anticancer activities affecting selectively some functions of the tumor mitochondria by 1) modulating OXPHOS and ADP/ATP transport, 2) increasing ROS levels and mitochondrial potential dissipation by crosstalk between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, 3) inducing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis and autophagy, 4) inhibiting mitochondrial metabolic pathways and 5) by alteration of the morphology and biogenesis of this organelle. These antecedents show the relevance of developing research about the effects of alkaloids on functions controlled by tumor mitochondria, offering an attractive target for the design of new alkaloid derivatives, considering organelle- specific delivery strategies. This review describes mitochondria as a central component in the anticancer action of a set of alkaloids, in a way to illustrate the importance of this organelle in medicinal chemistry.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Urra A. Félix, Cordova-Delgado Miguel, Pessoa-Mahana Hernan, Ramírez-Rodríguez Oney, Weiss-Lopez Boris, Ferreira Jorge and Araya-Maturana Ramiro, Mitochondria: A Promising Target for Anticancer Alkaloids, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2013; 13 (17) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/15680266113139990150
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/15680266113139990150 |
Print ISSN 1568-0266 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4294 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Chemistry Based on Natural Products for Therapeutic Purposes
The development of new pharmaceuticals for a wide range of medical conditions has long relied on the identification of promising natural products (NPs). There are over sixty percent of cancer, infectious illness, and CNS disease medications that include an NP pharmacophore, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Since NP ...read more
Current Trends in Drug Discovery Based on Artificial Intelligence and Computer-Aided Drug Design
Drug development discovery has faced several challenges over the years. In fact, the evolution of classical approaches to modern methods using computational methods, or Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD), has shown promising and essential results in any drug discovery campaign. Among these methods, molecular docking is one of the most notable ...read more
Drug Discovery in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), we have witnessed a significant boom in AI techniques for drug discovery. AI techniques are increasingly integrated and accelerating the drug discovery process. These developments have not only attracted the attention of academia and industry but also raised important questions regarding the selection ...read more
From Biodiversity to Chemical Diversity: Focus of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are the largest group of polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites arising from the essential aromatic amino acid phenylalanine (or more rarely from tyrosine) via the phenylpropanoid pathway. The flavan nucleus is the basic 15-carbon skeleton of flavonoids (C6-C3-C6), which consists of two phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Heart Failure in Sub-Saharan Africa
Current Cardiology Reviews Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: 10 Key Lessons
Current Cardiology Reviews Redox State in Atrial Fibrillation Pathogenesis and Relevant Therapeutic Approaches
Current Medicinal Chemistry Tombstoning ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Current Cardiology Reviews Clinical Features and Disease Damage Risk Factors in an Egyptian SLE Cohort: A Multicenter Study
Current Rheumatology Reviews Tuberculous Pericarditis
Current Cardiology Reviews Clinical Applications of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Role of Colchicine in Pericardial Syndromes
Current Pharmaceutical Design Understanding The Role of Inflammasome in Angina Pectoris
Current Protein & Peptide Science Plausible Improvements for Selective Targeting of Dopamine Receptors in Therapy of Parkinson’s Disease
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Update on the Adverse Effects of Clozapine: Focus on Myocarditis
Current Drug Safety Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging: State of the Art
Current Cardiology Reviews Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Diseases and the Role of Vitamins, and Herbal Extracts in the Reduction of Cardiovascular Risks
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Clozapine Safety, 40 Years Later
Current Drug Safety Bisphenol A as a Factor in the Mosaic of Autoimmunity
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets The Electrocardiographic Manifestations of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia
Current Cardiology Reviews Pathogenetic Pathways of Cardiorenal Syndrome and their Possible Therapeutic Implications
Current Pharmaceutical Design Epigenetic Multiple Modulators
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Myocardial Perfusion SPECT Imaging in Patients after Coronary Revascularization
Vascular Disease Prevention (Discontinued) Epidemiological Review of Gonococcal Infection
Current Women`s Health Reviews