Small molecules interaction with G-quadruplex DNA.

The recent research results involving a non-canonical DNA structures, like G-quadruplex DNA, revealed that they play a crucial role in controlling cancer cell proliferation. Now, it has become a challenging task for researchers to identify suitable derivatives that specifically interact with G-quadruplex DNA and stabilize them. It was shown earlier that molecules that stabilize G-quadruplex DNA has been considered as an attractive target for cancer therapy interventions, namely halting transcription and DNA damage response signal. A recent literature search reveals that small molecules that stabilize quadruplex DNA formed by the promoter regions of oncogenes will down regulate oncogene expression and reduce cancer growth.