Nucleoside transport and its significance for anticancer drug resistance

J R Mackey1, S A Baldwin, J D Young

  • 1Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, and Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Insights

Nucleoside transport is crucial for anticancer drug effectiveness. Understanding these processes can help overcome drug resistance and improve cancer therapies by modulating drug toxicity.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Therapeutics

Background:

  • Nucleoside analogs are vital anticancer drugs.
  • Nucleoside transport significantly influences their efficacy and toxicity.
  • Drug resistance can arise from impaired nucleoside transport.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in nucleoside transporter biology.
  • To assess the transportability of anticancer nucleosides.
  • To explore strategies for improving anticancer therapies via nucleoside transport modulation.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of molecular biology of nucleoside transport proteins.
  • Analysis of transportability of clinically used anticancer nucleosides.
  • Overview of nucleoside transport deficiency as a resistance mechanism.

Main Results:

  • Nucleoside transport is a key determinant of anticancer nucleoside cytotoxicity.
  • Deficiency in nucleoside transport can lead to resistance to these drugs.
  • Nucleoside transport inhibitors can modulate toxicity of antimetabolites.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting nucleoside transport offers a strategy to enhance anticancer therapy.
  • Modulating nucleoside transport can improve the therapeutic index of nucleoside-based drugs.
  • Further research into nucleoside transporters is essential for optimizing cancer treatment.

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