Targeting Akt3 signaling in malignant melanoma using isoselenocyanates.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Melanoma is the most invasive and deadly form of skin cancer. Few agents are available for treating advanced disease to enable long-term patient survival, which is driving the search for new compounds inhibiting deregulated pathways causing melanoma. Akt3 is an important target in melanomas because its activity is increased in approximately 70% of tumors, decreasing apoptosis in order to promote tumorigenesis.

Experimental design

Because naturally occurring products can be effective anticancer agents, a library was screened to identify Akt3 pathway inhibitors. Isothiocyanates were identified as candidates, but low potency requiring high concentrations for therapeutic efficacy made them unsuitable. Therefore, more potent analogs called isoselenocyanates were created u

SUBMITTER: Sharma A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2766355 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature