Iron is a fundamental trace element that is involved in critical processes such as DNA synthesis and iron-deprivation results in cell cycle arrest. However, despite mounting evidence that the depletion of cellular iron levels is able to inhibit tumour progression, the molecular mechanisms that are involved in its anti-tumour activity remain elusive and are important to establish. The data presented in this book demonstrate that the high potency of iron chelators at inhibiting tumour growth is due to their effects on multiple molecular targets. Further, we analysed the regulatory elements...

Iron is the most abundant transition metal in biological systems and is required to facilitate key metabolic reactions, including DNA synthesis, oxygen transport and cellular respiration. The distribution of iron within the body is carefully regulated to prevent the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. The investigations described in this book were aimed to understand the mechanisms and diseases associated with mammalian iron metabolism. Specifically, Chapter 3 investigates the systemic iron homeostatic activity of hepcidin, the hormone of iron metabolism, while bound to the blood...

Under normal circumstances, cellular metal homeostasis is tightly regulated. However, in malignancies, there is evidence that tumours possess alterations in the processing of biologically important transition metal ions, e.g., iron and copper. The de-regulation of metal homeostasis in cancer cells reveals a particular vulnerability to metal-depletion, which can be manipulated therapeutically by the use of novel chelators. The chelators, Dp44mT and Bp4eT, have recently been shown to be highly effective in terms of inhibiting tumour growth. Although studies have evaluated their mechanisms of...