Current Drug Targets - Volume 4, Issue 6, 2003

The present Hot Topic issue of Current Drug Targets focuses on inflammatory markers and mediators and discusses these in the context of pathophysiology, mechanisms, and management of the cardiovascular dysmetabolic syndrome. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes. The risk of first myocardial infarction (MI) in diabetes patients is similar to that of recurrent MI in nondiab Read More

Nucleoside analogues are widely used for the treament of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Their activity is based on the interference with cellular targets involved in the metabolism of physiological nucleosides and DNA synthesis. Unfortunately, various resistance mechanisms decrease the activity of these drugs, reducing their clinical efficacy. Here, we review different resistance mechanisms responsible for de Read More

Epidemiological studies indicate that anti-inflammatory drugs, especially the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their beneficial effects may be due to interference in the chronic inflammatory reaction, that takes place in AD. The best-characterized action of NSAIDs is the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX). There is special interest for anti-inflammatory tre Read More

P-glycoprotein, the human MDR1 gene product and cancer multidrug resistance-associated ATP-binding cassette transporter, is physiologically expressed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but its role in cellular immunity is only beginning to be elucidated. A role of P-glycoprotein in the secretion of several T cell- and antigen presenting cellderived cytokines has been described, and additional functions of the molecule ha Read More

Morbidity and mortality from diabetes mellitus remain high despite managing the traditional risk factors. Recent data imply that the pathophysiology of macrovascular and microvascular complications involve other factors. The metabolic syndrome precedes the onset of type 2 diabetes by many years. Early treatment of individuals with this syndrome might delay the onset of diabetes and its complications. Endo Read More

Insulin resistance has been recognized as an inflammatory disease based on the scientific evidence collected over the last decade. Inflammatory markers like CRP, PAI-1, IL-6 are present in higher concentrations in insulin resistant people than in normal people. Mechanisms, linking inflammation to insulin resistance are being explored and progress has been made in this direction. TNFα has been shown to be respons Read More

The number of subjects with Type 2 diabetes (DM2) has risen significantly in the last ten years. Obtaining sufficient human tissue to study this disease process as well as many other diseases is generally difficult. T lymphocytes offer a unique opportunity for these studies. Although resting human peripheral T-lymphocytes are devoid of insulin receptors, these receptors emerge upon activation of cells by specific antigens or Read More

Heart failure is a major health problem of epidemic proportions. Irrespective of its etiologic origins, a dysfunction of this normally efficient muscular pump is associated with systemic consequences, a progressive downhill clinical course and poor prognosis. Ventricular dysfunction is ultimately accompanied by neurohormonal system activation that accounts for: the congestive heart failure syndrome; an induction of oxi / nitrosa Read More