Targeting thioredoxin reductase: anticancer agents and chemopreventive compounds.

Thioredoxin reductase plays a critical role in the regulation of cancer cell apoptosis, making it an attractive target for the design of new anticancer drugs. Several classes of compounds have been considered as potential antitumor or chemopreventive agents; most of them apparently interact with thioredoxin reductase's C-terminal redox center.