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Dissecting pharmacological effects of chloroquine in cancer treatment: interference with inflammatory signaling pathways
Author(s) -
Varisli Lokman,
Cen Osman,
Vlahopoulos Spiros
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.297
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1365-2567
pISSN - 0019-2805
DOI - 10.1111/imm.13160
Subject(s) - autophagy , inflammation , signal transduction , cancer , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immune system , homeostasis , cancer cell , chloroquine , cancer research , immunology , malaria , biochemistry , apoptosis , genetics
Summary Chloroquines are 4‐aminoquinoline‐based drugs mainly used to treat malaria. At pharmacological concentrations, they have significant effects on tissue homeostasis, targeting diverse signaling pathways in mammalian cells. A key target pathway is autophagy, which regulates macromolecule turnover in the cell. In addition to affecting cellular metabolism and bioenergetic flow equilibrium, autophagy plays a pivotal role at the interface between inflammation and cancer progression. Chloroquines consequently have critical effects in tissue metabolic activity and importantly, in key functions of the immune system. In this article, we will review the work addressing the role of chloroquines in the homeostasis of mammalian tissue, and the potential strengths and weaknesses concerning their use in cancer therapy.