About this Research Topic
The development of effective antitumor drugs with high selectivity and low toxicity is currently a major challenge for the scientific community. The success of the Pt(II) ion complex (Cisplatin) in the treatment of various types of cancers places coordination chemistry among viable alternatives for the design of antitumor agents. Although highly effective, cisplatin treatment is still limited by adverse effects, inherited resistance phenomena, or acquired, only partially eliminated by the introduction of new drugs derived from Pt(II). Current research is focused on the design and synthesis of new antitumor agents, metal complexes, with better biological activity and selectivity, reduced toxicity and different mechanisms of action than those of platinum compounds, able to overcome the unsolved clinical problems of cisplatin analogues (severe side effects, general toxicity and resistance.
The identification of new drug designs and therapeutic strategies that could target cancer cells while leaving normal cells unaffected still continues to be a challenge. Despite advances that have led to the development of new therapies, treatment options are still limited for many types of cancers. The study of metal-based drugs represents an important part of modern bioinorganic chemistry. The therapeutic potential of metal complexes in cancer therapy has attracted a lot of interest, mainly because metals exhibit unique characteristics, such as redox activity, variable coordination modes and reactivity towards the organic substrate. These properties have become an attractive probe in the design of metal complexes that selectively bind to the biomolecular target with a resultant alteration in the cellular mechanism of proliferation. Several metal-based compounds have been synthesized with promising anticancer properties, some of which are already in use in clinical practice for diagnosis and treatment, while some are undergoing clinical trials.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Computational drug discovery, design, synthesis of specific or non-specific carriers (nanoparticles, liposomes, cyclodextrins, etc.)
• Characterization, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic studies, etc. of new metal drugs as anticancer agents
• Preclinical studies of metallodrugs, including but not limited to synthesis, characterization, simulation, computational modelling, and theoretical approach to new antiproliferative and antitumor agents
• Qualitative/quantitative structure-activity studies, bio-speciation/bioaccumulation, interaction with specific enzymes and nucleic acids, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, teratogenicity, and general toxicity
• Partial mechanism used for the novel compounds or strategies to induce cell death
The identification of new drug designs and therapeutic strategies that could target cancer cells while leaving normal cells unaffected still continues to be a challenge. Despite advances that have led to the development of new therapies, treatment options are still limited for many types of cancers. The study of metal-based drugs represents an important part of modern bioinorganic chemistry. The therapeutic potential of metal complexes in cancer therapy has attracted a lot of interest, mainly because metals exhibit unique characteristics, such as redox activity, variable coordination modes and reactivity towards the organic substrate. These properties have become an attractive probe in the design of metal complexes that selectively bind to the biomolecular target with a resultant alteration in the cellular mechanism of proliferation. Several metal-based compounds have been synthesized with promising anticancer properties, some of which are already in use in clinical practice for diagnosis and treatment, while some are undergoing clinical trials.
We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Computational drug discovery, design, synthesis of specific or non-specific carriers (nanoparticles, liposomes, cyclodextrins, etc.)
• Characterization, mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic studies, etc. of new metal drugs as anticancer agents
• Preclinical studies of metallodrugs, including but not limited to synthesis, characterization, simulation, computational modelling, and theoretical approach to new antiproliferative and antitumor agents
• Qualitative/quantitative structure-activity studies, bio-speciation/bioaccumulation, interaction with specific enzymes and nucleic acids, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, teratogenicity, and general toxicity
• Partial mechanism used for the novel compounds or strategies to induce cell death
Keywords: Metal-based drugs, Coordination compounds, Cytotoxic activity, Drug discovery, Anticancer activity, DNA damage
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
