Application of G-quadruplex targets in gastrointestinal cancers: Advancements, challenges and prospects

Table 3 Overviews of investigations on the effects of small molecule ligands or biomolecules based on G-quadruplex targets in hepatocellular carcinoma

Ligands/biomolecules	Cell lines	Targeting gene/G-quadruplex	Effects on G-quadruplex	Effects on genes	Anticancer phenotypes	Ref.
Platinum(II) complexes with tridentate ligands	HepG2	c-MYC	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Inhibited c-MYC expression	Cytotoxicity	[160]
Prolinamide derivatives containing triazole	HepG2	c-MYC	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Inhibited c-MYC expression	Cytotoxicity	[161]
A series of novel 9-O-substituted-13-octylberberine derivatives	HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, Huh-7	c-MYC	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Not detected	Cytotoxicity, blocked cell cycle, induced apoptosis, inhibited tumor growth of H22 xenografts	[162]
Series of novel 9-N-substituted-13-alkylberberine derivatives	HepG2, Sk-Hep-1, Huh-7, Hep3	c-MYC	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Not detected	Cytotoxicity, blocked cell cycle, induced apoptosis, inhibited tumor growth of H22 xenografts	[163]
Thiazole orange derivatives	HepG2	Telomere	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Not detected	Cytotoxicity	[164]
Peptidomimetic ligands	HepG2	c-kit1	Had high affinity with G-quadruplex	Not detected	Inhibited cell proliferation, induced apoptosis	[165]
A 7, 11-disubstituted quinazoline derivative HZ-6d	HepG2, SMMC-7721	HERC5	Bound and stabilized G-quadruplex	Inhibited HERC5 expression	Inhibited cell growth, migration, induced apoptosis, suppressed tumor growth of SMMC-7721 xenografts	[166]
DDX5	HepG2, Huh7, Snu387, Snu423, HepaRG, HepAD38	STAT1 mRNA	Unwound G-quadruplex	Promoted translation of STAT1	Upregulated expression of STAT1 and enhanced IFN-α mediated antiviral effects	[167]
Nucleolin	Huh7.5.1, Huh7.5	Viral core RNA, G-quadruplex	Directly interacted with G-quadruplex	Inhibited viral RNA replication	Suppressed wild-type viral replication and expression	[168]

IFN: Interferon.