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Current status on marine products with reversal effect on cancer multidrug resistance

Ioana Abraham1, Khalid El Sayed2, Zhe-Sheng Chen1

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY 11439, USA.

Marine Drugs
|November 22, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Marine natural products show promise in overcoming cancer multidrug resistance (MDR). These compounds can reverse the effects of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, enhancing chemotherapy efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pharmacology
  • Marine Biology

Background:

  • Tumor cell resistance to anticancer agents, known as multidrug resistance (MDR), hinders chemotherapy success.
  • MDR is often mediated by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily transporters, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), MRP1, and BCRP.
  • MDR modulators, such as verapamil and cyclosporin A, can inhibit these drug-efflux pumps.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review marine natural products with the potential to reverse cancer multidrug resistance.
  • To highlight specific marine compounds and their efficacy as MDR modulators.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific publications on marine natural products and multidrug resistance.
  • Analysis of studies investigating the reversal effects of marine compounds on cancer cell lines expressing ABC transporters.

Main Results:

  • Several marine natural products exhibit MDR reversal activity.
  • Examples include agosterol A, ecteinascidin 743, sipholane triterpenoids, bryostatin 1, and welwitindolinones.
  • These compounds modulate the activity of key drug-efflux pumps.

Conclusions:

  • Marine natural products represent a promising source of novel MDR modulators.
  • Further research into these compounds could lead to improved cancer chemotherapy strategies.
  • Targeting ABC transporters with marine-derived agents offers a potential avenue to overcome drug resistance.
Keywords:
ABC transportersmarine natural productsmultidrug resistance

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