doi: 10.5732/cjc.011.10290

Niclosamide, an old antihelminthic agent, demonstrates antitumor activity by blocking multiple signaling pathways of cancer stem cells

Jing-Xuan Pan, Ke Ding, Cheng-Yan Wang

Department of Pathophysiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510089, P. R. China

[Abstract] Niclosamide, an oral antihelminthic drug, has been used to treat tapeworm infection for about 50 years. Niclosamide is also used as a molluscicide for water treatment in schistosomiasis control programs. Recently, several groups have independently discovered that niclosamide is also active against cancer cells, but its precise mechanism of antitumor action is not fully understood. Evidence supports that niclosamide targets multiple signaling pathways (NF-&kgr;B, Wnt/&bgr;-catenin, Notch, ROS, mTORC1, and Stat3), most of which are closely involved with cancer stem cells. The exciting advances in elucidating the antitumor activity and the molecular targets of this drug will be discussed. A method for synthesizing a phosphate pro-drug of niclosamide is provided. Given its potential antitumor activity, clinical trials for niclosamide and its derivatives are warranted for cancer treatment.

Chinese Journal of Cancer 2012, Volume: 31, Issue 4, Page: 178-184

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Jing-Xuan Pan, Ke Ding, Cheng-Yan Wang. Niclosamide, an old antihelminthic agent, demonstrates antitumor activity by blocking multiple signaling pathways of cancer stem cells. Chin J Cancer. 2012, 31(4):178-184. doi:10.5732/cjc.011.10290


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