Digitoxin has Specific Properties for Potential use to Treat Cancer and Inflammatory Diseases

Volume 2 - Issue 3

Johan Haux*

Received: July 11, 2018;   Published: July 16, 2018

DOI: 10.32474/RRHOAJ.2018.02.000137

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Abstract

New knowledge about diseases on the molecular level demonstrates that inflammation is a common determinant for seemingly very different disorders. Long standing high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines is an important factor also for cancer. In fact, the pro-inflammatory cytokines may stimulate normal cells, such as immune cells and fibroblasts, to produce more growth factors and cytokines that the cancer cells take advantage of and a vicious circle occurs. More focus is now on this interaction in cancer research and how to break it. Pancreas cancer is a typical example with a lot of stroma in relation to the cancer cells. Cardiac glycosides, especially in the form of digitoxin, have very interesting properties when it comes to target these mechanisms on the molecular level.

Keywords: Cardiac Glycosides; Digitoxin, Apoptosis; Cancer, Pancreas; Glioblastoma; Cholangiocarcinoma

Abbreviations: NK: Natural Killer; PD-L1: Programmed Death-1-Ligand; CNS: Central Nervous System; EGFR: Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor; NF-κB: Nuclear Factor Kappa-Light-Chain-Enhancer of Activated B Cells; CAFs: Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts; TGF-β: Transforming Growth Factor Beta; IL-6: Interleukin-6; TNF-α: Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha

Abstract| Introduction| Background| Properties of Cardiac Glycosides Pivotal for Cancer and Inflammation| Conclusion| References|