SIGNIFICANCE: Mitochondria are emerging as highly intriguing organelles showing promise but that are yet to be fully exploited as targets for anticancer drugs. RECENT ADVANCES: A group of compounds that induce mitochondrial destabilization, thereby affecting the physiology of cancer cells, has been defined and termed 'mitocans.' Based on their mode of action of targeting in and around mitochondria, we have placed these agents into several groups including hexokinase inhibitors, compounds targeting Bcl-2 family proteins, thiol redox inhibitors, VDAC/ANT targeting drugs, electron transport chain-targeting drugs, lipophilic cations targeting the inner membrane, agents affecting the tricarboxylic acid cycle, drugs targeting mtDNA, and agents targeting other presently unknown sites. CRITICAL ISSUES: Mitocans have a potential to prove highly efficient in suppressing various malignant diseases in a selective manner. They include compounds that are currently in clinical trial and offer substantial promise to become clinically applied drugs. Here we update and redefine the individual classes of mitocans, providing examples of the various members of these groups with a particular focus on agents targeting the electron transport chain, and indicate their potential application in clinical practice. FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Even though reactive oxygen species induction is important for the anticancer activity of many mitocans, the precise sequence of events preceding and following this pivotal event are not yet fully clarified, and warrant further investigation. This is imperative for effective deployment of these compounds in the clinic.

• MeSH
• cílená molekulární terapie MeSH
• elektronový transportní řetězec metabolismus   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitochondrie účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• nádory farmakoterapie   metabolismus   MeSH
• protinádorové látky klasifikace   farmakologie   MeSH
• transport elektronů účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

AIMS: A plausible strategy to reduce tumor progress is the inhibition of angiogenesis. Therefore, agents that efficiently suppress angiogenesis can be used for tumor suppression. We tested the antiangiogenic potential of a mitochondrially targeted analog of α-tocopheryl succinate (MitoVES), a compound with high propensity to induce apoptosis. RESULTS: MitoVES was found to efficiently kill proliferating endothelial cells (ECs) but not contact-arrested ECs or ECs deficient in mitochondrial DNA, and suppressed angiogenesis in vitro by inducing accumulation of reactive oxygen species and induction of apoptosis in proliferating/angiogenic ECs. Resistance of arrested ECs was ascribed, at least in part, to the lower mitochondrial inner transmembrane potential compared with the proliferating ECs, thus resulting in the lower level of mitochondrial uptake of MitoVES. Shorter-chain homologs of MitoVES were less efficient in angiogenesis inhibition, thus suggesting a molecular mechanism of its activity. Finally, MitoVES was found to suppress HER2-positive breast carcinomas in a transgenic mouse as well as inhibit tumor angiogenesis. The antiangiogenic efficacy of MitoVES was corroborated by its inhibitory activity on wound healing in vivo. INNOVATION AND CONCLUSION: We conclude that MitoVES, a mitochondrially targeted analog of α-tocopheryl succinate, is an efficient antiangiogenic agent of potential clinical relevance, exerting considerably higher activity than its untargeted counterpart. MitoVES may be helpful against cancer but may compromise wound healing.

• MeSH
• alfa-tokoferol analogy a deriváty   farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• apoptóza účinky léků   MeSH
• buněčné linie MeSH
• endoteliální buňky účinky léků   MeSH
• hojení ran účinky léků   MeSH
• inhibitory angiogeneze chemie   farmakologie   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mitochondriální DNA metabolismus   MeSH
• mitochondrie účinky léků   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• myši transgenní MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádory krevní zásobení   farmakoterapie   MeSH
• patologická angiogeneze farmakoterapie   MeSH
• proliferace buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH