Vascular Actions of Anthracycline Antibiotics

Authors: Wakabayashi I.; Groschner K.

Source: Current Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 10, Number 5, March 2003 , pp. 427-436(10)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Anthracycline antibiotics are of particular value in the therapy of malignant diseases and exert profound effects not only on tumor cells but also on cells in the cardiovascular system. These quinone drugs affect vascular tone by a multitude of mechanisms, including acute modulation of Ca2+ homeostasis, altered expression of membrane proteins and enzymes that are involved in the control of smooth muscle contraction, and generation of autoregulatory mediators, such as nitric oxide and endothelin. Anthracyclines interfere with blood coagulation-fibrinolysis balance due to its effects on the production of prostacyclin, plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor in the endothelium. Moreover, anthracyclines are thought to be the modulators of angiogenesis. The intensity and quality of anthracycline actions on blood vessel function are highly variable and may depend not only on the chemical structure of anthracycline but also on the type of blood vessel as well as the metabolic and redox status of the vascular tissue. Vascular actions of anthracyclines are possibly involved in both beneficial as well as toxic and undesirable side-effects such as tumor progress. Further investigations are required to clarify the relation between specific modifications of vascular cell function and clinical events observed during antineoplastic therapy with anthracyclines.

Keywords: angiogenesis; anthracyclines; antineoplastic agents; endothelin; nitric oxide; oxidative stress; vasoconstriction; vasodilation

Language: English

Document Type: Review article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867033368259

Publication date: 2003-03-01

• Current Medicinal Chemistry covers all the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design. Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews written by leaders in the field covering a range of the current topics in medicinal chemistry. Current Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments.

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Pharmacology
• By this author: Wakabayashi I. ;  Groschner K.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers