Transcription factors as targets of anticancer drugs

Several general and gene- and cell-selective transcription factors are requ ired for specific transcription to occur. Many of them exert their function s through specific contacts either in the promoter region or at distant seq uences regulating the initiation. These contacts may be altered by anticanc er drugs which form non-covalent complexes with DNA. Covalent modifications of DNA by alkylating agents may prevent transcription factors from recogni zing their specific sequences or may constitute multiple "unnatural" bindin g sites in DNA which attract the factors thus decreasing their availability in the cell. The anticancer drug-transcription factor interplay which is b ased on specific interactions with DNA may contribute to pharmacological pr operties of the former and provide a basis for the search for new drugs.