Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles
13:16

Characterization of Membrane Transporters by Heterologous Expression in E. coli and Production of Membrane Vesicles

Published on: December 31, 2019

Enzymes/transporters

Regine Garcia Boy1, Eva-Maria Knapp, Michael Eisenhut

  • 1Abteilung für Nuklearmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. r.garcia@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
|July 16, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Developing targeted tracers is crucial for cancer diagnosis and monitoring treatment response. Researchers are focusing on enzymes and transporters, which are often altered in tumors, for effective molecular imaging strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Tumor-specific targets for diagnostic tracers are rare due to similarities between cancer and normal cells.
  • Malignant transformation involves altered expression of enzymes and transporters critical for tumor growth.
  • Molecular imaging relies on tracers targeting these over-expressed enzymes and transporters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the importance of developing specific tracers for cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy monitoring.
  • To discuss the potential of targeting enzymes and transporters for molecular imaging in oncology.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current strategies in molecular imaging for cancer.
  • Identification of key enzymes and transporters as potential targets for tracer development.

Main Results:

  • Enzymes and transporters are frequently dysregulated during cancer development.
  • Targeting these dysregulated molecules offers a promising avenue for tumor-specific imaging.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted tracers exploiting altered enzyme and transporter expression are essential for advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment assessment.
  • Glucose transporters, multi-drug resistance transporters (MDRPs), kinases, and cathepsins represent key targets for developing novel molecular imaging agents.

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