Oral disinfectants inhibit protein-protein interactions mediated by the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-x_L and induce apoptosis in human oral tumor cells

Chlorhexidine and alexidine have long been used as oral disinfectants by humans. Both compounds inhibit protein-protein interactions mediated by the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-x_L at physiologically relevant concentrations and induce apoptosis in a series of tumor cell lines derived from the tongue and pharynx (see picture). Inhibition of protein-protein interactions is a potential mode of action of drugs in current human use.