Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

A Data Integration Workflow to Identify Drug Combinations Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions
Published on: May 27, 2021
Zinc-binding compounds induce cancer cell death via distinct modes of action
Wei-Qun Ding1, Hai-Jun Yu, Stuart E Lind
1Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10th Street, BRC 411A, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. weiqun-ding@ouhsc.edu
Abstract:
Metal-binding compounds have been shown to have anticancer activity and are being evaluated clinically as anticancer agents. We have recently found that a zinc-binding compound, 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline (clioquinol), kills cancer cells by transporting zinc into the cells. We therefore compared the action of clioquinol with two other cytotoxic zinc-binding compounds, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) and pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). We demonstrate that metal-binding compounds can be subclassified based upon the reversibility of their cytotoxicity by metal supplementation and their modes of action. Understanding the mechanisms whereby metal-binding compounds affect cell behavior may aid in their optimization for clinical use.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
The Intrinsic Apoptotic Pathway
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Drugs that Destabilize Microtubules
Overview of Cell Death
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
