Molecular Aspects of Anticancer Drug DNA Interaction


Book Description

This cutting-edge book surveys the current knowledge on the mode of action of the major classes of DNA-interactive antitumor agents, providing information that could be crucial for the discovery of new therapeutic substances. It is an important reference for molecular biologists, cancer researchers, biochemists, biophysicists, and pharmacologists.




Molecular Aspects of Anticancer Drug DNA Interactions


Book Description

This cutting-edge book surveys the current knowledge on the mode of action of the major classes of DNA-interactive antitumor agents, providing information that could be crucial for the discovery of new therapeutic substances. It is an important reference for molecular biologists, cancer researchers, biochemists, biophysicists, and pharmacologists.




Advances in DNA Sequence-Specific Agents


Book Description

DNA sequence specificity is a sub-specialty in the general area of molecular recognition. This area includes macromolecular-molecular interactions (e.g., protein-DNA), oligomer-DNA interacitons (e.g., triple strands), and ligand-DNA interactions (e.g., drug-DNA). It is this latter group of DNA sequence specificity interactions that is the subject of Volumes 1 and 2 of Advances in DNA Sequence Specific Agents. As was the case for Volume 1, Part A also covers methodology, but in Volume 2 we include calorimetric titrations, molecular modeling, X-ray crystallographic and NMR structural studies, and transcriptional assays. Part B also follows the same format as Volume 1 and describes the sequence specificities and covalent and noncovalent interactions of small ligands with DNA.This volume is aimed in general at scientists who have an interest in deciphering the molecular mechanisms for sequence recognition of DNA. The methods have general applicability to small molecules as well as oligomers and proteins, while the examples provide general principles involved in sequence recognition.







Drug-Nucleic Acid Interactions


Book Description

This volume consolidates the key methods for studying ligand-nucleic acid interactions into a convenient source. Techniques that are examined range from biophysical and chemical approaches to methods rooted in molecular and cell biology.




Molecular Therapies of Cancer


Book Description

Molecular Therapies of Cancer comprehensively covers the molecular mechanisms of anti-cancer drug actions in a comparably systematic fashion. While there is currently available a great deal of literature on anti-cancer drugs, books on the subject are often concoctions of invited review articles superficially connected to one another. There is a lack of comprehensive and systematic text on the topic of molecular therapies in cancer. A further deficit in the relevant literature is a progressive sub-specialization that typically limits textbooks on cancer drugs to cover either pharmacology or medicinal chemistry or signal transduction, rather than explaining molecular drug actions across all those areas; Molecular Therapies of Cancer fills this void. The book is divided into five sections: 1. Molecular Targeting of Cancer Cells; 2. Emerging and Alternative Treatment Modalities; 3. Molecular Targeting of Tumor-Host Interactions; 4. Anti-Cancer Drug Pharmacokinetics; and 5. Supportive Therapies.




Biophysical Chemistry


Book Description

Biophysical chemistry is one of the most interesting interdisciplinary research fields. Some of its different subjects have been intensively studied for decades. Now the field attracts not only scientists from chemistry, physics, and biology backgrounds but also those from medicine, pharmacy, and other sciences. We aimed to start this version of the book Biophysical Chemistry from advanced principles, as we include some of the most advanced subject matter, such as advanced topics in catalysis applications (first section) and therapeutic applications (second section). This led us to limit our selection to only chapters with high standards, therefore there are only six chapters, divided into two sections. We have assumed that the interested readers are familiar with the fundamentals of some advanced topics in mathematics such as integration, differentiation, and calculus and have some knowledge of organic and physical chemistry, biology, and pharmacy. We hope that the book will be valuable to graduate and postdoctoral students with the requisite background, and by some advanced researchers active in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, medicine, pharmacy, and other sciences.




Molecular Basis of Specificity in Nucleic Acid-Drug Interactions


Book Description

One of the central problems in the study of the mechanism of DNA-ligand interactions is the existence and nature of sequence specificity with respect to the base pairs of DNA. The presence of such a specificity could be of particular significance because it might possibly mean the involvement of specific genes in the effectiveness of the different drugs. The elucidation of the factors responsible for the specificity could then be important for the development of compounds susceptible to contribute to the control of gene expression and also to the development of rationally conceived, improved new generations of effective and specific chemotherapeutic agents. Important recent achievements, experimental and theoretical, in the analysis of such sequence specificities open prospects for possible rapid progress in this field. The 23rd Jerusalem symposium was devoted to the exploration of these recent achievements in relation to many types of ligand, with special emphasis on antitumor drugs. All major types of interaction, intercalation, groove binding, covalent linking, coordination, have been considered. So was also the effect of the interaction on the structure and properties of the nucleic acids and the relationship between the interaction and biological or pharmacological activities. We feel that this Volume presents a relatively complete up-to-date account of the state of the art in this important field of research.




Anticancer Drugs


Book Description

The past decades have seen major developments in the understanding of the cellular and molecular biology of cancer. Significant progress has been achieved regarding long-term survival for the patients of many cancers with the use of tamoxifen for treatment of breast cancer, treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia with imatinib, and the success of biological drugs. The transition from cytotoxic chemotherapy to targeted cancer drug discovery and development has resulted in an increasing selection of tools available to oncologists. In this Special Issue of Pharmaceuticals, we highlight the opportunities and challenges in the discovery and design of innovative cancer therapies, novel small-molecule cancer drugs and antibody–drug conjugates, with articles covering a variety of anticancer therapies and potential relevant disease states and applications. Significant efforts are being made to develop and improve cancer treatments and to translate basic research findings into clinical use, resulting in improvements in survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients. We demonstrate the possibilities and scope for future research in these areas and also highlight the challenges faced by scientists in the area of anticancer drug development leading to improved targeted treatments and better survival rates for cancer patients.




Metallo-Drugs: Development and Action of Anticancer Agents


Book Description

Volume 18, entitled Metallo-Drugs: Development and Action of Anticancer Agents of the series Metal Ions in Life Sciences centers on biological, medicinal inorganic chemistry. The serendipitous discovery of the antitumor activity of cis-diamminodichloroplatinum(II) (cisplatin) by Barnett Rosenberg in the 1960s is a landmark in metallodrug-based chemotherapy. The success of cisplatin in the clinic, followed by oxaliplatin and carboplatin, along with their drawbacks relating mainly to resistance development and severe toxicity, initiated research on polynuclear platinum complexes and on Pt(IV) complexes as prodrugs. Furthermore, the indicated shortcomings led to the exploration of other transition and main group metal ions, among them Ru(II/III), Au(I/III), Ti(IV), V(IV/V), and Ga(III) including also the essential metal ions Fe(II/III), Cu(I/II), and Zn(II). Ionic as well as covalent and non-covalent interactions between structurally very different complexes and biomolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates are studied and discussed with regard to their possible anticancer actions. Hence, MILS-18 summarizes the research at the forefront of medicinal inorganic chemistry, including studies on the next-generation, tailor-made anticancer drugs. All this and more is treated in an authoritative and timely manner in the 17 stimulating chapters of this book, written by 39 internationally recognized experts from 10 nations (from the US via Europe to China and Australia). The impact of this vibrant research area is manifested by more than 2700 references, nearly 150 illustrations (more than half in color) and several comprehensive tables. Metallo-Drugs: Development and Action of Anticancer Agents is an essential resource for scientists working in the wide range from enzymology, material sciences, analytical, organic, and inorganic biochemistry all the way through to medicine including the clinic ... not forgetting that it also provides excellent information for teaching.