Current Drug Targets - Volume 16, Issue 3, 2015

Over the past years, a growing number of studies have indicated that patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Both are chronic inflammatory diseases and share certain pathophysiological mechanisms that may influence each other. High levels of cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and homocysteine in IBD patients may lead to endothelial dysfun Read More

Gastrointestinal disorders are frequently accompanied by symptoms exceeding gastrointestinal tract. This is at least partially connected with the involvement of autonomic nervous system in pathophysiology of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or spectrum of motility disorders. In light of the above, involvement of cardiovascular system in natural history of gastrointestinal disord Read More

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis belong to a group of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). IBD are characterized by a chronic character of inflammatory process and overlapping immunological abnormalities, which, along with therapeutic strategies are currently available, underlie an increased risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTE). The most common sites of VTE in IBD patients are deep venous thrombosis (DV Read More

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic, relapsing and remitting gastrointestinal (GI) disorders of unknown etiology. IBD patients commonly exhibit extra-intestinal manifestations and complications of an inflammatory nature, presenting with disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis and vasculitis. Although the metabolic syndrome is less prevalent in patients with IBD, they are at an increased risk for atherosclerosis a Read More

Ischemic colitis (CI) is a common form of ischemic injury, which evolves as a consequence of decreased arterial blood flow to the colon. In general, CI is attributed to an elderly with multiple comorbidities; however, it may also occur in young or middle-aged individuals. The etiology of CI is multifactorial and the clinical presentation varies upon the severity of deprivation of the intestinal blood flow, and the development of th Read More

Platelets play a crucial role in immune responses. Impaired platelet activation may cause persistent mucosal inflammation through P-selectin, CD40-CD40L and other systems influencing granulocytes, macrophages or endothelial cells. Pharmacological regulation of platelet activation may reduce thromboembolism and limit the interaction of platelets with endothelial and inflammatory cells, in turn weakening the inflammat Read More

Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease induced by an autoimmune reaction to indigested gluten, which occurs in genetically predisposed population. The etiology of CD is linked to innate and adaptive immunity, mostly mediated by lymphocytes, especially T cells, infiltrating into the small intestinal wall. The subpopulations of T cells that infiltrate inflamed intestinal tissues comprise various CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cel Read More

In recent years, intracellular signal transduction via RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK has been successfully targeted in new treatment approaches for melanoma using small molecule inhibitors against activated BRAF (V600E mutation) and activated MEK1/2. Also mutated c-KIT has been identified as a promising target. Meanwhile, evidence has been provided that combinations between BRAF inhibitors and MEK1/2 inhibitors are more pr Read More

Cancer represents a major health problem worldwide, therefore on the basis of current research results constantly more effective therapeutic strategies are expected. Chronic, unchecked inflammation has widely been suggested to trigger carcinogenesis. The innate immune system ensures a first line host defense in which the inflammasome is essential maintaining a delicate balance betweeen pro- and anti-inflamm Read More

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is aberrantly activated in several hematological and solid cancers. Therapeutic options are sometimes lacking for urological cancers because their mechanisms of progression are imperfectly understood. Studies establishing the anti-tumor effects and safety of inhibitors of Hh pathways are needed for tumors in which the Hh pathways are activated. At present vismodegib is clinically available for Read More

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a common causative microorganism of male urethritis. The most important problem with this infectious disease is antibiotic resistance. For instance, in the 1980’s-1990’s, most studies showed almost 100 % susceptibility of N. gonorrhoeae to the representative cephalosporins, cefixime and cefpodoxime. By the late 1990s, the reported susceptibility decreased to 93.3-100 % and further decrease Read More