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Topoisomerases in human disease

R J Epstein1

  • 1University Department of Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapeutics, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Lancet (London, England)
|March 5, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Topoisomerases, enzymes that modify DNA, are crucial in medicine. They are targets for drugs and implicated in genetic disorders, with strategies for their clinical manipulation discussed.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Enzymology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Topoisomerases are essential DNA-modifying enzymes.
  • Their clinical significance is rapidly growing.
  • They play roles in antibiotic, antitumour drug development, and genetic disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the clinical importance of topoisomerases.
  • To review strategies for manipulating topoisomerases in clinical settings.
  • To highlight the role of topoisomerases in disease pathogenesis and treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of topoisomerase functions and clinical applications.
  • Analysis of topoisomerases as therapeutic targets.
  • Discussion of genetic disorder associations.

Main Results:

  • Topoisomerases are validated targets for antibiotics and antitumour agents.
  • Clinical manipulation strategies for topoisomerases are actively being developed.
  • Topoisomerases are implicated in the pathogenesis of various genetic disorders.

Conclusions:

  • Topoisomerases represent a critical class of enzymes with expanding clinical relevance.
  • Targeting topoisomerases offers promising therapeutic avenues for infections, cancer, and genetic diseases.
  • Further research into topoisomerase manipulation is warranted for clinical advancement.

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