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Perspectives
Teratogens as Anticancer Drugs
Mikhail V. Blagosklonny
volume 4 | issue 11
November 2005Pages: 1518 - 1521
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Most anticancer drugs are teratogens, merely because they target vital cellular functions. Conversely, some plants produce agents that intentionally target embryonic signaling pathways, precisely to cause birth defects if pregnant animals eat such plants. Cyclopamine, a teratogen produced by a flowering plant, inhibits the Hh/Gli pathway, causing developmental defects such as cyclopia (one eye in the middle of the face). In theory, selective teratogens may suppress cancer cells that re-activate embryonic pathways, while sparing most normal cells. I discuss the potential (and limits) of teratogens in cancer therapy, linking diverse topics from morning sickness of pregnancy, embryonic pathways and poisonous plants to the mechanism of action of anticancer teratogens and their combinations with less selective cytotoxic agents.
We now provide open access to journal articles published online for one year or more. This article may be downloaded at the following link:
Download PDF If the document does not open, please right-click on the link (control-click on a Macintosh) and select the option to save the file to disk.