Metal- and Semimetal-Containing Inhibitors of Thioredoxin Reductase as Anticancer Agents

Abstract

The mammalian thioredoxin reductases (TrxRs) are a family of selenium-containing pyridine nucleotide disulfide oxidoreductases playing a central role in cellular redox homeostasis and signaling pathways. Recently, these selenoproteins have emerged as promising therapeutic targets for anticancer drug development, often being overexpressed in tumor cells and contributing to drug resistance. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge on metal- and semimetal-containing molecules capable of hampering mammalian TrxRs, with an emphasis on compounds reported in the last decade.

Keywords: anticancer agents; enzyme inhibitors; metal- and semimetal-based compounds; thioredoxin reductase.