Sugar-borate esters--potential chemical agents in prostate cancer chemoprevention

The potential value of sugar-borate esters (SBEs) in the chemo-preventive therapy of prostate cancer has been reviewed. We propose that SBEs act as boron (B) vehicles, increasing the concentration of borate inside cancer cells relative to normal cells. Increased intracellular concentration of borate activates borate transporters, but also leads to growth inhibition and apoptosis. The effects of SBEs on normal cells are less dramatic because SBEs are naturally-occurring biochemicals, common and abundant in some fruits and vegetables, and also because borate dissociated from SBEs in natural diet doses is easily exported from normal cells. Cancer cell lines that over-express sugar transporters or under-express borate export are potential targets for SBE-based therapy. With regard to efficiency against cancer cells and drug preparation requirements, trigonal cis-diol boric monoesters will be one of the most effective class of SBEs. Because negative correlation exists between borate intake and the incidence of prostate cancer, and because most cancer cells overexpress sugar transporters, SBEs are proposed as a potential chemopreventive avenue in the fight against primary and recurrent prostate cancer.