NUCLEOSIDE TRANSPORT AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR ANTICANCER DRUG-RESISTANCE

This article discusses the role of nucleoside transport processes in t he cytotoxicity of clinically important anticancer nucleosides. This a rticle summarizes recent advances in the molecular biology of nucleosi de transport proteins, review the current state of knowledge of the tr ansportability of therapeutically useful anticancer nucleosides, and p rovide an overview of the role of nucleoside transport deficiency as a mechanism of resistance to nucleoside cytotoxicity are summarized. Se veral strategies for utilization of nucleoside transport processes to improve the therapeutic index of anticancer therapies, including the u se of nucleoside-transport inhibitors to modulate toxicity of both nuc leoside and nonnucleoside antimetabolite drugs are also presented.