Current Drug Targets - Volume 15, Issue 7, 2014

Background: Many experimental and clinical studies have focused on the antisense strategy. In this context phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are compounds addressed to hybridize to a targeted mRNA inducing a variety of effects including inhibition of the expression of proteins involved in different pathological processes and preventing translation. Methods: In this review, we provide an update on clinical efficacy and toxicol Read More

IGF-1R, an important member of the IGF signaling system, is a plasma-membrane-bound receptor composed of two α-subunits and two β-subunits. IGF-1R has been revealed to play a pivotal role in cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and phenotype transformation, resulting uncontrolled tumor-cell growth. During the last decades, IGF-1R monoclonal antibody combined with chemotherapeutic agents as a nov Read More

Fused aryl phenazine derivatives (benzo[a]phenazine, pyrido[a]phenazine, benzo[a]phenazine diones, tetrahydropyrido[ a]phenazine (dermacozines), etc) are important heterocyclic compounds, which exhibit various pharmacological activities, prominently in cancer cell lines. These compounds significantly intercalate between DNA base pairs and inhibit the activities of topoisomerase I and II enzymes (Topo I a Read More

The overuse of antibiotics which exerts the selective pressure for bacterial pathogens has facilitated the spread of antibiotics’ resistance. Metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs) are zinc enzymes produced by an increasing number of bacterial pathogens. They can readily cleave carbapenems and most other β-lactams that are mainstays of therapy for bacterial infections. MβL-conferred resistance to antibiotics is most worrisome due to Read More

In chronic kidney disease patients, active vitamin D level progressively declines in the course of the disease. This phenomenon is accompanied by elevation of parathyroid hormone, resulting in secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), increased phosphorus levels, and hypocalcemia. All these disorders are associated with high rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in these patients. Many vitamin D analogs have been Read More

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease leading to aberrance of cartilage structures with unclear or multifactorial mechanisms. Recently, a great portion of research endeavor to explore the molecular mechanisms of OA in focusing on the mitochondrial pathology. Mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which in turn impair mtDNA integrity and link to cartilage Read More

Platelets play an important role not only during thrombosis, but also in modulating immune responses through their interaction with immune cells and by releasing inflammatory mediators upon activation. The P2Y12 receptor is a Gicoupled receptor that not only regulates ADP-induced aggregation but can also dramatically potentiate secretion, when platelets are activated by other stimuli. Considering the importance of Read More

β-Blockers are used globally for the treatment of cardiovascular problems. Unfortunately, these are consumed as racemic mixture causing serious side effects due to the presence of unwanted enantiomers. A simulation study of some commonly used β-blockers was carried out at supramolecular level to understand stereo-selective binding of β-blockers with receptors (β-ARs). The values of docking energy ranged f Read More