Insights into DNA-drug interactions in the era of omics

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• Classic DNA-binding drugs remain crucial in cancer chemotherapy despite novel strategies.
• These drugs exert therapeutic effects by modulating gene expression within cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the capacity of DNA-binding drugs to alter gene expression.
• To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying gene expression inhibition and cancer cell death.
• To highlight the role of omic techniques and genomic databases in understanding drug responses.

Main Methods:

• Review of studies, primarily from the author's laboratory, focusing on DNA-binding drugs.
• Analysis of gene expression alterations induced by these drugs.
• Application of various omic techniques for genome-wide analysis.
• Utilization of publicly available genomic databases.

Main Results:

• DNA-binding drugs can significantly alter cellular gene expression.
• Understanding these alterations provides insights into mechanisms of cancer cell death.
• Genome-wide approaches offer unbiased data on cellular responses to these drugs.

Conclusions:

• DNA-binding drugs remain effective chemotherapeutic agents by altering gene expression.
• Omic technologies and genomic data are essential for deciphering drug effects and advancing precision cancer medicine.