Conventional targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer have limitations, including the development of acquired resistance. However, novel alternatives have emerged in the form of targeted therapies based on AB toxins. These biotoxins are a diverse group of highly poisonous molecules that show a nanomolar affinity for their target cell receptors, making them an invaluable source of ligands for biomedical applications. Bacterial AB toxins, in particular, are modular proteins that can be genetically engineered to develop high-affinity therapeutic compounds. These toxins consist of two distinct domains: a catalytically active domain and an innocuous domain that acts as a ligand, directing the catalytic domain to the target cells. Interestingly, many tumor cells show receptors on the surface that are recognized by AB toxins, making these high-affinity proteins promising tools for developing new methods for targeting anticancer therapies. Here we describe the structure and mechanisms of action of Diphtheria (Dtx), Anthrax (Atx), Shiga (Stx), and Cholera (Ctx) toxins, and review the potential uses of AB toxins in cancer therapy. We also discuss the main advances in this field, some successful results, and, finally, the possible development of innovative and precise applications in oncology based on engineered recombinant AB toxins.

More from our Archive

• DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310846 2023

  Urinary MicroRNAs as Biomarkers of Urological Cancers: A Systematic Review

  Achille Aveta, Simone Cilio, Roberto Contieri, Gianluca Spena, Luigi Napolitano, Celeste Manfredi, Antonio Franco, Fabio Crocerossa, Clara Cerrato, Matteo Ferro, Francesco Del Giudice, Paolo Verze, Francesco Lasorsa, Andrea Salonia, Rajesh Nair, Jochen Walz, Giuseppe Lucarelli, Savio Domenico Pandolfo

• DOI: 10.3390/cryst13071088 2023

  Synthesis, X-ray Crystal Structure, and Computational Characterization of Tetraphenylborate, 3-(5H-Dibenzo[a,d] cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-N, N-Dimethyl-1-propanamine

  Ahmed H. Bakheit, Rashad Al-Salahi, Hazem A. Ghabbour, Essam A. Ali, Obaid S. AlRuqi, Gamal A. E. Mostafa

• DOI: 10.3390/cryst13071087 2023

  Facile Synthesis of Ni-Doped ZnO Nanostructures via Laser-Assisted Chemical Bath Synthesis with High and Durable Photocatalytic Activity

  Samer H. Zyoud, Vanga Ganesh, Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah, Ibrahim S. Yahia, Ahed H. Zyoud, Atef F. I. Abdelkader, Malek G. Daher, Mohamed Nasor, Moyad Shahwan, Heba Y. Zahran, Mahmoud S. Abd El-sadek, Elbadawy A. Kamoun, Saleh M. Altarifi, Mohamed Sh. Abdel-wahab

• DOI: 10.1039/d3dt01845h 2023

  Controlled synthesis of ACo₂O₄ (A = Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni) as an environmentally friendly electrocatalyst for urea electrolysis

  Ping Li, Yanhong Wang, Xiaoqiang Du, Xiaoshuang Zhang

• DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311156 2023

  Cytokines as Biomarkers for Evaluating Physical Exercise in Trained and Non-Trained Individuals: A Narrative Review

  Paulina Małkowska, Marek Sawczuk

• DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310989 2023

  Molecular Biological Effects of Weak Low-Frequency Magnetic Fields: Frequency–Amplitude Efficiency Windows and Possible Mechanisms

  Viacheslav V. Krylov, Elena A. Osipova

• DOI: 10.1039/d3qi00968h 2023

  Tumor-targeted dual-action NSAID-platinum(<scp>iv</scp>) anticancer prodrugs

  Alexander Kastner, Theresa Mendrina, Florian Bachmann, Walter Berger, Bernhard K. Keppler, Petra Heffeter, Christian R. Kowol

• DOI: 10.1039/d3qi01037f 2023

  Remarkable enhancement of optical and electric properties by temperature-controlled solid-phase molecular motion

  Meng-Meng Lun, Chang-Yuan Su, Qiang-Qiang Jia, Zhi-Xu Zhang, Jie Li, Hai-Feng Lu, Yi Zhang, Da-Wei Fu

• DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411471 2023

  Immune System and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): New Insights into HCC Progression

  Maria Kotsari, Vassiliki Dimopoulou, John Koskinas, Athanasios Armakolas

• DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411403 2023

  HER2-Positive Gastric Cancer: The Role of Immunotherapy and Novel Therapeutic Strategies

  Anna Pous, Lucía Notario, Cinta Hierro, Laura Layos, Cristina Bugés