Journal of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology of Shandong University ›› 2024, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (5): 145-152.doi: 10.6040/j.issn.1673-3770.0.2023.117

• Review • Previous Articles    

Research progress of Copper complexes for antitumor therapy

YANG Yuyun1,2, HUANG Yanli1,3, LI Junzhen1,4   

  1. 1. Clinical Medical College of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510220, Guangdong, China3. Department of Otolaryngology, The First People's Hospital of Xiantao City, Xiantao 433000, Hubei, China4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510220, Guangdong, China
  • Published:2024-09-25

Abstract: Copper is one of the essential elements required by the human body, being widely involved in various activities. Copper homeostasis is strictly regulated in prolcaryotic and eukaryotic cells to ensure sufficient copper availability for protein biosynthesis and the inhibition of oxidative stress and resulting toxicity. Copper is a limiting factor in the development and progression of cancer, including growth, angiogenesis and metastasis; Therefore, regulating tumor occurrence and development by varying the copper content in the human body has become a popular research topic in tumor treatment. The method adopted for this can be divided into those that increase the copper concentration in tumor cells by administering copper compounds or copper ionophores and those that reduce the copper concentration to physiological levele using copper complexing agents, thereby achieving antitumor therapy. In this paper, the current status and progress of copper complexes in tumor therapy are briefly reviewed, including the known mechanism of action and molecular targets, Furthermore, the related clinical trials are discussed, and the prospects for copper complexes in this field are outlined.

Key words: Copper complex, Antineoplaston, Copper death, Copper ion carrier

CLC Number: 

  • R73
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[1] HUANG Yanli, LI Junzheng. The mechanism of copper-induced tumor cell death and its research progress in cancer therapy [J]. Journal of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology of Shandong University, 2023, 37(5): 198-205.
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