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

Table 4 Overviews of investigations on the effects of small molecule ligands or biomolecules based on G-quadruplex targets in gastric cancer

Ligands/biomolecules	Cell lines	Targeting gene/G-quadruplex	Effects on G-quadruplex	Effects on genes	Anticancer phenotypes	Ref.
Benzo[a]phenoxazines	HGC-27	c-kit	Bound with G-quadruplex	Inhibited c-MYC transcription	Cytotoxicity	[169]
Quinazolone derivatives	HGC-27	c-kit	Stabilized G-quadruplex	Inhibited c-kit transcription	Cytotoxicity	[170]
3-(4-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthrolin-2-yl)-3-(ptolyl)-1Hpyrazol-1-yl)-N,N-dimethylpropan-1-amine (13d)	AGS	Telomere, c-kit, BCL-2	Stabilized G-quadruplex	Induced telomere dysfunction, DNA damage response	Inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, promoted cell apoptosis and autophagy by blocking the Akt/mTOR pathway	[171]
G-quadruplex antibody	AGS	G-quadruplex	Not detected	Inhibited transcription of hTERT and BCL-2	Inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion and expression of hTERT and BCL-2, induced apoptosis, blocked cell cycle	[172]

BCL-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; hTERT: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase; mTOR: Mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin.