Targeting mitochondrial complexes for cancer therapy

Mitochondrial Complexes I-IV in the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) are strategic targets for cancer treatment since they provide the energy and biosynthetic demands of cancer cells. This review covers in silico, in vitro, and in vivo findings related to the inhibition of ETC complexes in order to block cancer cell survival. It also includes computational docking studies that we performed to confirm the binding of literature-reported inhibitors to ETC complexes. This review also covers details about bioenergetic disruption as well as innovative therapeutic strategies based on the Oxidative Phosphorylation (OXPHOS) activity and the ETC dependencies in cancer cells. This review serves as a guide for the development of small molecules that target the ETC for cancer treatment.