What is the Role of Enzyme Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy?
Enzyme inhibitors are compounds that block the activity of specific enzymes involved in cancer. These inhibitors can be used as targeted therapies to disrupt cancer cell growth and survival. Examples include:
- Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs): Drugs like imatinib and erlotinib inhibit specific kinases involved in cancer signaling pathways. - Proteasome Inhibitors: Bortezomib is used to treat multiple myeloma by inhibiting proteasomes, which are enzyme complexes that degrade proteins. - Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors (HDACi): Drugs like vorinostat inhibit HDACs, leading to changes in gene expression that can induce cancer cell death.
