This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yu, Y. Articles by Richardson, D. R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yu, Y. Articles by Richardson, D. R. Related Collections Therapeutics and Targets Therapeutics and Targets: Experimental Therapeutics– Small Molecules

Chelators at the Cancer Coalface: Desferrioxamine to Triapine and Beyond

Authors' Affiliation: Iron Metabolism and Chelation Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Requests for reprints: Des R. Richardson, Iron Metabolism and Chelation Program, Department of Pathology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Phone: 61-2-9036-6548; Fax: 61-2-9036-6549; E-mail: d.richardson{at}med.usyd.edu.au.

The importance of iron and copper in cancer biology has been well established. Iron plays a fundamental role in cellular proliferation and copper has been shown to be a significant cofactor for angiogenesis. Early observations with the chelator used for the treatment of iron overload, desferrioxamine, showed that it had promise as an anticancer agent. These results sparked great interest in the possibility of developing more effective iron chelators for cancer therapy. The recent entry into clinical trials of the iron-binding drug, Triapine, provides evidence of the potential of this antitumor strategy. Likewise, chelators originally designed to treat disorders of copper overload, such as penicillamine, trientine, and tetrathiomolybdate, have also emerged as potential anticancer drugs, as they are able to target the key angiogenic cofactor, copper. In this review, we will discuss the development of these and other chelators that show potential as anticancer agents.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. J. Assinder, Q. Dong, H. Mangs, and D. R. Richardson Pharmacological Targeting of the Integrated Protein Kinase B, Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog Deleted on Chromosome 10, and Transforming Growth Factor-{beta} Pathways in Prostate Cancer Mol. Pharmacol., March 1, 2009; 75(3): 429 - 436. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. A. Rao, S. R. Klein, K. K. Agama, E. Toyoda, N. Adachi, Y. Pommier, and E. B. Shacter The Iron Chelator Dp44mT Causes DNA Damage and Selective Inhibition of Topoisomerase II{alpha} in Breast Cancer Cells Cancer Res., February 1, 2009; 69(3): 948 - 957. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Wallander, K. B. Zumbrennen, E. S. Rodansky, S. J. Romney, and E. A. Leibold Iron-independent Phosphorylation of Iron Regulatory Protein 2 Regulates Ferritin during the Cell Cycle J. Biol. Chem., August 29, 2008; 283(35): 23589 - 23598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. Popelova, M. Sterba, T. Simunek, Y. Mazurova, I. Guncova, M. Hroch, M. Adamcova, and V. Gersl Deferiprone Does Not Protect against Chronic Anthracycline Cardiotoxicity in Vivo J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., July 1, 2008; 326(1): 259 - 269. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]