Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders - Volume 5, Issue 3, 2005

All major advances in the development of hormonal methods of contraception over the past 40 years have been exclusively female orientated with male hormonal contraception forever "just around the corner". Despite this, the last few years have seen a significant increase in the pace of research and increased involvement from the pharmaceutical industry. This is essential if the progress derived from the public sector is Read More

Pituitary adenomas are neuroendocrine tumors that produce different endocrine and metabolic alterations, including hyperprolactinemia, acromegaly and Cushing's disease. These different clinical features of pituitary tumors are the result of the overproduction of hormones produced by the different pituitary cell types. Recent advances in the understanding of the signaling pathways that control hormone production in Read More

Caspases are intracellular cysteine proteases that mediate cell death and inflammation. Caspase-3 is a major mediator of both apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Caspase-1 mediates inflammation though the activation of the cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). Increases in both caspase-1 and -3 have been described in ischemic injury to various organs including brain, heart and kidney. Both phar Read More

Recent studies reveal that bile acids are signalling molecules that activate several nuclear receptors and regulate many physiological pathways and processes to maintain bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Analysis of orphan receptor expression patterns in enterohepatic tissues identified bile acids as ligands for farnesoid X receptor (FXR). The primary bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) was shown to be the most potent F Read More

Estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) mediate the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) and account for E2 role on growth, development, and homeostasis maintenance in different tissues and organs. ERα and ERβ function as ligand-dependent transcription factors which directly bind to specific estrogen responsive element (ERE) present into DNA and, in turn, regulate the transcription of E2-sensitive genes. In addition, ERα and E Read More

NKT cells emerge as important regulatory cells in autoimmune responses. Abnormalities in the numbers and functions of natural killer T (NKT) cells have been observed in patients with autoimmune diseases as well as in a variety of mouse strains that are genetically predisposed for development of autoimmune diseases. Unlike conventional T cells that recognize peptides in association with major histocompatibility complex (MHC), Read More

Oxidative tissue damage in vivo is a complex phenomenon involving many factors and pathways. Proteins are particularly attractive targets for oxidative products analysis in order to understand better the physiopathology of human diseases. Protein modifications serve as footprints of biochemical processes. They also help ascertain the mechanism of anti-oxidative action of medical drugs and further search for novel a Read More

The term "functional food" refers to foods or ingredients of foods providing an additional physiological benefit beyond their basic nutritional needs. Health benefits are best obtained through a varied diet containing fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and seeds. However, fortified foods and dietary supplements have been marketed and food industry have made functional food one of their current leading trends. Recently, th Read More

The increasing outpatient use of colonoscopy in the diagnostic study and prophylaxis of colon diseases has allowed early identification of polypoid neoformations, thus indicating their increased incidence during the asymptomatic phase. In this respect, the application of biological sealants immediately before the polypectomy has represented a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of these preneoplastic lesions. The i Read More

Osteoclasts are the sole bone resorbing cells. These cells are essential for skeletal development and remodeling throughout the life of animal and man. Deficiency of osteoclasts leads to osteopetrosis, a diseases manifested by increased non-remodeled bone mass, which ultimately leads to bone deformities and functional failure of other body systems. On the other hand, increased number and activity of osteoclasts under c Read More