Prodrug strategy for cancer cell-specific targeting: A recent overview

• Published in: European journal of medicinal chemistry 2017-10, Vol.139, p.542-563
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xian, Li, Xiang, You, Qidong, Zhang, Xiaojin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - chemical synthesis; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Biomarkers, Tumor - antagonists & inhibitors; Cancer; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; Humans; Molecular Structure; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - pathology; Prodrug; Prodrugs - chemistry; Prodrugs - pharmacology; Structure-Activity Relationship; Target therapy
• ISSN: 0223-5234; 1768-3254
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.08.010

The increasing development of targeted cancer therapy provides extensive possibilities in clinical trials, and numerous strategies have been explored. The prodrug is one of the most promising strategies in targeted cancer therapy to improve the selectivity and efficacy of cytotoxic compounds. Compared with normal tissues, cancer cells are characterized by unique aberrant markers, thus inactive prodrugs targeting these markers are excellent therapeutics to release active drugs, killing cancer cells without damaging normal tissues. In this review, we explore an integrated view of potential prodrugs applied in targeted cancer therapy based on aberrant cancer specific markers and some examples are provided for inspiring new ideas of prodrug strategy for cancer cell-specific targeting. [Display omitted] •Various prodrug strategies for cancer cell-specific targeting are reviewed.•Targeted prodrugs are based on specific cancer markers.•Structures schematic and metabolism routes of various prodrugs are provided.