The Cross-Talk between Epigenetic Gene Regulation and Signaling Pathways Regulates Cancer Pathogenesis.

Cancer begins due to uncontrolled cell division. Cancer cells are insensitive to the signals that control normal cell proliferation. This uncontrolled cell division is due to the accumulation of abnormalities in different factors associated with the cell division, including different cyclins, cell cycle checkpoint inhibitors, and cellular signaling. Cellular signaling pathways are aberrantly activated in cancer mainly due to epigenetic regulation and post-translational regulation. In this chapter, the role of epigenetic regulation in aberrant activation of PI3K/AKT, Ras, Wnt, Hedgehog, Notch, JAK/STAT, and mTOR signaling pathways in cancer progression is discussed. The role of epigenetic regulators in controlling the upstream regulatory proteins and downstream effector proteins responsible for abnormal cellular signaling-mediated cancer progression is covered in this chapter. Similarly, the role of signaling pathways in controlling epigenetic gene regulation-mediated cancer progression is also discussed. We have tried to ascertain the current status of potential epigenetic drugs targeting several epigenetic regulators to prevent different cancers.

ß-Carboline-based light and pH dual stimuli-responsive ion transporters induce cancer cell death.

Light and pH dual-responsive ion transporters offer better applicability for cancer due to higher tunability and low cytotoxicity. Herein, we demonstrate the development of pH-responsive ß-carboline-based ionophores and photocleavable-linker appended ß-carboline-based proionophores to facilitate the controlled transport of Cl- across membranes, leading to apoptotic and autophagic cancer cell death.