Chemoprotective and Chemosensitizing Agents

Chemoprotective agents

Chemoprotective agents are also referred to as chemoprotetors.  These are agents that protect normal cells by reducing the injuries induced by anticancer drugs.  The most prescribed broad spectrum chemoprotective drug is amifostine (trade name, Ethyol®).  There are also other chemoprotective agents that are useful for more specific symptoms.  Examples include Romiplostim (AMG 531) and Eltrombopag.

Our research team has been involved in the research of chemoprotection and we have published a number of scientific papers.  Remember the radioprotective agent, UTL-5g?  UTL-5g is both radioprotective and chemoprotective in our animal studies.  In our mouse studies, cisplatin (a famous anticancer drug) induced several significant side effects, including injuries in liver, kidney, and blood forming cells (such as platelets and white blood cells).  Blood levels of liver enzymes (AST and ALT), BUN, and creatinine were also elevated by cisplatin; platelet count was significantly elevated.  All these indicate that liver, kidney, and blood-forming cells were damages by cisplatin.  However, when the animals were pretreated with UTL-5g before cisplatin was injected, AST and ALT levels were lowered indicating the protection of liver; BUN and creatinine levels were lowered indicating the protection of kidney.  UTL-5g also lowered the elevated platelet count indicating the protecting of platelet producing mechanism.

Chemosensitizing agents

Chemosensitizing agents are also referred to as chemosensitizers.  These are agents that make tumor more sensitive to anticancer drugs.  If cancer cells become more sensitive to anticancer drug, maybe lower doses can be used to achieve the same treatment effect while reducing the side effects.  In our research, we have shown that UTL-5g and its analogs (UTLOH-4a, -4b, and -4c) increase the in vitro potency of cisplatin against human colon cancer cells, HCT-15.  In addition, UTL-5g and UTLOH-4a enhanced the survival of colony forming unit for both granulocyte and macrophage (CFU-GM) in cultures containing cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin respectively, indicating that both UTL-5g and UTLOH-4a could protect CFU-GM against cisplatin induced cytotoxicity (in press).  

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2015 


Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.