G-Quadruplex-specific action of chloroquine-based immunomodulator drugs to inhibit the cancer progression.

ABSTRACT: Immunomodulatory drugs, particularly hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine are in the preclinical investigation for cancer therapy, along with their extensive application in autoimmune and parasitic diseases. A hallmark of cancer cells is the elevated expression of oncogenes that drive tumor progression, often regulated by G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures located within their upstream promoter regions. This study elucidates that HCQ stabilizes the cellular G4 landscape most efficiently compared to other quinoline-based immunomodulatory drugs within oncogenic DNA, particularly the c-myc oncogene, a pivotal regulator of cancer progression. The drug-induced stabilization of c-myc G4 correlates with significant suppression of its transcriptional activity, culminating in a reduction of invas

SUBMITTER: Sarkar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12554177 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature