Psoralen: a narrative review of current and future therapeutic uses

Psoralen is a family of naturally occurring photoactive compounds found in plants that acquire potential cytotoxicity when activated by specific frequencies of electromagnetic waves. Psoralens penetrate the phospholipid cellular membranes and insert themselves between the pyrimidines of deoxyribonuc...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2024-03, Vol.150 (3), p.130-130, Article 130
Main Authors: Galiatsatos, Panagis, Maydan, Daniella D., Macalpine, Elle, Schleupner, Beatrice, Aitchison, Alexandra Hunter, Lerner, Andrew D., Levy, Benjamin, Halthore, Aditya, Eward, William
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apoptosis
Cancer Research
Cancer therapies
Cell division
Cell membranes
Cytotoxicity
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
DNA adducts
Electromagnetic radiation
Hematology
Immunogenicity
Internal Medicine
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Oncology
Phospholipids
Psoralen
Pyrimidines
Review
Tumor cells
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Psoralen is a family of naturally occurring photoactive compounds found in plants that acquire potential cytotoxicity when activated by specific frequencies of electromagnetic waves. Psoralens penetrate the phospholipid cellular membranes and insert themselves between the pyrimidines of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Psoralens are initially biologically inert and acquire photoreactivity when exposed to certain classes of electromagnetic radiation, such as ultraviolet light. Once activated, psoralens form mono- and di-adducts with DNA, leading to marked cell apoptosis. This apoptotic effect is more pronounced in tumor cells due to their high rate of cell division. Moreover, photoactivated psoralen can inhibit tyrosine kinase signaling and influence the immunogenic properties of cells. Thus, the cytotoxicity of photoactivated psoralen holds promising clinical applications from its immunogenic properties to potential anti-cancer treatments. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding and research on psoralen and to explore its potential future pharmacotherapeutic benefits in specific diseases.
ISSN:1432-1335
0171-5216
1432-1335
DOI:10.1007/s00432-024-05648-y