Targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate for cancer therapy

Abstract

This review summarises some important new findings that implicate sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) as a potent tumorigenic and angiogenic agent released from cancerous tumours into the tumour microenvironment. Also explored is the novel concept that bioactive lipid signalling molecules, like S1P, can themselves be targets for rational drug design, thereby opening up an entire class of lipidomic-based therapeutics for oncology and other human diseases. © 2006 Cancer Research UK.