Cancer-Leading Proteases: Structures, Functions, and Inhibition presents a detailed discussion on the role of proteases as drug targets and how they have been utilized to develop anticancer drugs. Proteases possess outstanding diversity in their functions. Because of their unique properties, proteases are a major focus of attention for the pharmaceutical industry as potential drug targets or as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. This book covers the structure and functions of proteases and the chemical and biological rationale of drug design relating to how these proteases can be exploited to find useful chemotherapeutics to fight cancers.

In addition, the book encompasses the experimental and theoretical aspects of anticancer drug design based on proteases. It is a useful resource for pharmaceutical scientists, medicinal chemists, biochemists, microbiologists, and cancer researchers working on proteases.

• Explains the role of proteases in the biology of cancer
• Discusses how proteases can be used as potential drug targets or as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers
• Covers a wide range of cancers and provides detailed discussions on protease examples

1. Proteases and Their Biological Roles and Mechanism of Action
2. Specificity and Diversity in Proteases
3. Potential Roles of Protease Inhibitors in Cancer Progression
4. Serine Proteases in Ovarian Cancer
5. Aspartic Proteases as Potential Drug Targets for Anticancer Drug Development
6. Design and Development of Serine Proteases Acting against Prostate Cancer
7. Urokinase and Colorectal Carcinoma: Studies on Mechanism and Inhibition
8. Overexpression of Cystein Proteases and Colorectal Carcinoma
9. Studies on Cystein Proteases and Their Inhibitors for Anti-cancer Drug Design
10. Gelatinases and Anticancer Drug Development
11. HCV NS3 Serine Protease as a Drug Target for Development of Drugs Against Liver Cancer
12. Molecular Imaging of Proteases in Cancer