Organic selenium compounds as potential chemotherapeutic agents for improved cancer treatment

Abstract

Selenium(Se)-containing compounds have attracted a growing interest as anticancer agents over recent decades, with mounting reports demonstrating their high efficacy and selectivity against cancer cells. Typically, Se compounds exert their cytotoxic effects by acting as pro-oxidants that alter cellular redox homeostasis. However, the precise intracellular targets, signalling pathways affected and mechanisms of cell death engaged following treatment vary with the chemical properties of the selenocompound and its metabolites, as well as the cancer model that is used. Naturally occurring organic Se compounds, besides encompassing a significant antitumor activity with an apparent ability to prevent metastasis, also seem to have fewer side effects and less systemic effects as reported for many inorganic Se compounds. On this basis, many novel organoselenium compounds have also been synthesized and examined as potential chemotherapeutic agents. This review aims to summarize the most well studied natural and synthetic organoselenium compounds and provide the most recent developments in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie their potential anticancer effects.

Selenium Anticancer Properties and Impact on Cellular Redox Status

“…Redox active Se compounds can be used for cancer treatment due to specific features of cancer cells: elevated basal ROS level, upregulated antioxidant system of protection and low tolerance to increased ROS level [3]. Se compounds assert pro-oxidative effect on neoplastic cells by some main pathways: ROS generation, oxidation of thiols in proteins and DNA binding [73,74]. As mentioned above, it is known that Se compounds can shift redox balance by oxidation of intracellular thiols, which are implicated in metabolism, transcription and signaling [29].…”

“…As mentioned above, it is known that Se compounds can shift redox balance by oxidation of intracellular thiols, which are implicated in metabolism, transcription and signaling [29]. Abundance of proteins such as transcription factors, regulatory proteins, caspases, phosphatases, protein kinases can by modified in this way; as a consequence, their biological activity is affected and many biochemical processes e.g., calcium and iron homeostasis is impaired [29,74].…”

Pronounced activity of aromatic selenocyanates against multidrug resistant ESKAPE bacteria

“…[33][34][35][36][37] Once again, such organoselenium compounds are not "exotic" and -either directly or as metabolites -play significant roles in Biology. 38 Although aromatic selenocyanates so far have mostly been studied when attached to some other "bioactive" scaffolds which may have influenced or even dominated their biological activity, they have also been reported to exhibit leishmanicidal activity. 35,39,40 Moreover, the dietary intake of benzyl selenocyanate has been reported to inhibit the incidence of small intestinal and colon adenocarcinoma.…”

Synergistic effects of quercetin and selenium on oxidative stress in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells

“…In this respect, selenium has a protective effect against harmful free radicals in cells (8). In humans, the characteristics of biological activity of selenium depend on its form and amount, while it protects the DNA structure against free radicals (9). Selenium-containing selenoproteins are involved in many important biological functions with different activities (10).…”