Evidence mapPaperPMID 42550763Full record

ReviewJournal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry2026

Recent progress in small molecules targeting the acidic tumor microenvironment.

Yinuo Fu, Jiahui Song, Chenyang Yu, Yuxi Guo, Bowei Tang, Guangzhong Yang, Yongsheng Zheng, Qiang Wang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of enzyme inhibition and medicinal chemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yinuo FuCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Jiahui SongCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Chenyang YuCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Yuxi GuoCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Bowei TangCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Guangzhong YangCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Yongsheng ZhengCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Qiang WangCollege of Pharmacy, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The acidic tumour microenvironment (pHe 6.5-6.9) is sustained by the Warburg effect and pH regulators, such as monocarboxylate transporters 1 and 4, Na+/H + exchanger 1, vacuolar ATPase, and carbonic anhydrases IX and XII. This environment facilitates tumour invasion, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy in solid tumours. Recent advancements in small molecule inhibitors targeting these pathways have demonstrated potential in molecular design, mechanisms of action, and preclinical studies. However, practical applications face challenges, including metabolic compensation, insufficient target selectivity, and clinical translation difficulties. This article reviews the structural design, structure-activity relationships, biological activity, and clinical trial progress of small molecule inhibitors. It also summarises acid-targeted delivery strategies, such as pH-responsive prodrugs and pHLIP peptides. The aim is to highlight the opportunities and challenges in acid-base regulation within the tumour microenvironment and offer insights for developing a new generation of antitumor drugs with high selectivity and low toxicity.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsCarbonic Anhydrase InhibitorsNeoplasmsSmall Molecule LibrariesTumor MicroenvironmentAnimalsHumansHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMolecular StructureStructure-Activity RelationshipAntineoplastic AgentsCarbonic Anhydrase InhibitorsSmall Molecule LibrariespH adjustment factorspH-responsive prodrugsmall molecule inhibitorsstructure–activity relationshiptumour acidic microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID42550763
PMCPMC13439777

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.