# The Possibility of Plasma Membrane Transporters as Drug Targets in Oral Cancers

## TL;DR

This paper explores how plasma membrane transporters could be used as drug targets in oral cancer, focusing on their roles in drug resistance and metabolism.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive summary of ABC and SLC transporters' roles in oral cancer, highlighting their potential for precision oncology.

## Key findings

- ABC transporters contribute to drug resistance in oral cancer cells.
- SLC transporters are linked to cancer metabolism and chemosensitivity.
- Expression profiles of transporters suggest their use in precision oncology.

## Abstract

Plasma membrane transporters are increasingly recognized as potential drug targets for oral cancer, particularly oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). These transporters play crucial roles in cancer cell metabolism, drug resistance, and the tumor microenvironment, making them attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Among the two main families of plasma membrane transporters, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters have long been known to be involved in drug efflux and contribute to chemoresistance in cancer cells. On the other hand, solute carriers (SLCs) are also a family of transporters that facilitate the transport of various substrates, including nutrients and drugs, and have recently been shown to contribute to cancer chemosensitivity, metabolism, and proliferation. SLC transporters have been identified as potential cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets, and their expression profiles suggest that they could be utilized in precision oncology approaches. We summarize previous reports on the expression and role of ABC and SLC transporters in oral cancer and discuss their potential as therapeutic targets.