Telomerase Inhibitors from Natural Products and Their Anticancer Potential

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 19; no. 1; p. 13
• Main Authors: Ganesan, Kumar, Xu, Baojun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 21.12.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: anticancer; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological Products - pharmacology; Biological Products - therapeutic use; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell proliferation; Destabilization; Drug development; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Enzymes; Humans; Inhibitors; Malignancy; Natural products; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Post-transcription; Proteins; Review; RNA-directed DNA polymerase; Telomerase; Telomerase - antagonists & inhibitors; Telomerase - metabolism; Telomerase inhibitors; telomere; Telomere - drug effects; Telomere - metabolism; Telomere-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Telomeres; natural products; telomerase inhibitors; anticancer; telomere
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms19010013

Telomeres and telomerase are nowadays exploring traits on targets for anticancer therapy. Telomerase is a unique reverse transcriptase enzyme, considered as a primary factor in almost all cancer cells, which is mainly responsible to regulate the telomere length. Hence, telomerase ensures the indefinite cell proliferation during malignancy-a hallmark of cancer-and this distinctive feature has provided telomerase as the preferred target for drug development in cancer therapy. Deactivation of telomerase and telomere destabilization by natural products provides an opening to succeed new targets for cancer therapy. This review aims to provide a fundamental knowledge for research on telomere, working regulation of telomerase and its various binding proteins to inhibit the telomere/telomerase complex. In addition, the review summarizes the inhibitors of the enzyme catalytic subunit and RNA component, natural products that target telomeres, and suppression of transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. This extensive understanding of telomerase biology will provide indispensable information for enhancing the efficiency of rational anti-cancer drug design.