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5-Fluorouracil: mechanisms of action and clinical strategies

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 3, pages 330–338 (2003)Cite this article

Key Points

  • The fluoropyrimidine 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an antimetabolite drug that is widely used for the treatment of cancer, particularly for colorectal cancer.

  • 5-FU exerts its anticancer effects through inhibition of thymidylate synthase (TS) and incorporation of its metabolites into RNA and DNA.

  • Modulation strategies, such as co-treatment with leucovorin and methotrexate, have been developed to increase the anticancer activity of 5-FU.

  • Molecular biomarkers that predict tumour sensitivity to 5-FU have been identified, including mRNA and protein expression levels of TS.

  • DNA microarray analysis of 5-FU-responsive genes will greatly facilitate the identification of new biomarkers, novel therapeutic targets and the development of rational drug combinations.

Abstract

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in the treatment of cancer. Over the past 20 years, increased understanding of the mechanism of action of 5-FU has led to the development of strategies that increase its anticancer activity. Despite these advances, drug resistance remains a significant limitation to the clinical use of 5-FU. Emerging technologies, such as DNA microarray profiling, have the potential to identify novel genes that are involved in mediating resistance to 5-FU. Such target genes might prove to be therapeutically valuable as new targets for chemotherapy, or as predictive biomarkers of response to 5-FU-based chemotherapy.

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Figure 1: 5-Fluorouracil metabolism.
Figure 2: Mechanism of thymidylate synthase inhibition by 5-fluorouracil.
Figure 3: Modulation of 5-fluorouracil activity.
Figure 4: Activation of p53 by 5-fluorouracil.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Cancer Research UK; the Research and Development Office, Department of Health and Social Services, Northern Ireland; and the Ulster Cancer Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology, Cancer Research Centre, Queen's University Belfast, University Floor, Belfast City Hospital, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, Northern Ireland

    Daniel B. Longley, D. Paul Harkin & Patrick G. Johnston

Authors
  1. Daniel B. Longley
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  2. D. Paul Harkin
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  3. Patrick G. Johnston
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick G. Johnston.

Related links

Related links

DATABASES

Cancer.gov

breast cancer

colorectal cancer

head and neck cancer

LocusLink

annexin II

BAX

BCL2

caspase-8

CDKN1A

chaperonin-10

DHFR

DPD

FADD

FAS

FASL

folylpolyglutamate synthetase

GADD45α

IFN-α

MAT8

MDR3

MLH1

MSH2

MSH6

p53

SSAT

thymosin-β-10

TP

TS

UDG

UP

OMIM

hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer

Glossary

FLUOROPYRIMIDINES

Antimetabolite drugs such as 5-fluorouracil that are fluorinated derivatives of pyrimidines.

IRINOTECAN

An anticancer drug that inhibits DNA topoisomerase I. It is used in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.

OXALIPLATIN

A platinum-based DNA-damaging anticancer drug that is used in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.

DNA MICROARRAY

A technique that allows global changes in gene expression to be assessed.

PREDICTIVE BIOMARKERS

Molecular markers that predict tumour sensitivity to chemotherapy.

FOLATES

Family of essential vitamins that act as cofactors in one-carbon transfer reactions.

TERNARY COMPLEX

A stable complex that is formed between 5-fluorouracil, thymidylate synthase and 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate, and that blocks synthesis of thymidylate by the enzyme.

rRNA

(Ribosomal RNA). The RNA component of ribosomes, which translate mRNA into protein.

tRNA

(Transfer RNA). tRNAs bond with amino acids and transfer them to the ribosomes, where proteins are assembled according to the genetic code that is carried by mRNA.

snRNA

(Small nuclear RNA). Small nuclear RNAs have key roles in the splicing of pre-mRNA into mature mRNA.

mRNA

(Messenger RNA). RNA that serves as a template for protein synthesis.

POLYADENYLATION OF mRNA

Mature mRNAs have a homopolymer of adenosine residues (poly(A) tails) at their 3′-termini, which are important in regulating their stability and translation.

POLYGLUTAMATION

Addition of glutamate residues to folates by folylpolyglutamate synthase (FPGS), increasing their intracellular retention. Most folate-dependent enzymes have a higher affinity for the polyglutamate forms of their folate cofactors.

POLYMORPHIC

Occurrence of variant DNA sequences in a population at frequencies that are too high to be due to random mutations.

MICROSATELLITE INSTABILITY

Microsatellite instability refers to variations in the numbers of repetitive di-, tri- and tetranucleotide repeats (called microsatellites) found in DNA.

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Longley, D., Harkin, D. & Johnston, P. 5-Fluorouracil: mechanisms of action and clinical strategies. Nat Rev Cancer 3, 330–338 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc1074

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