Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 11, Issue 22, 2004

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-containing enzymes involved in the degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrix proteins. Under normal physiological conditions, the activities of these enzymes are well-regulated by endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Chronic stimulation of MMP activities due to an imbalance in the levels of MMPs and TIMPs has been implica Read More

RNase P is an ubiquitous and essential endonuclease in tRNA biogenesis, which generates the mature 5'-termini of tRNAs. RNase P activities have been identified in all three kingdoms of life (Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya). Most forms of RNase P are ribonucleoproteins, i.e., they consist of an essential RNA and protein subunits. In bacteria and in some archaea, the catalytic function of this enzyme resides entirely in its RNA sub Read More

Perceiving a pharmacophore is the first essential step towards understanding the interaction between a receptor and a ligand. Once a pharmacophore is established, a beneficial use of it is 3D database searching to retrieve novel compounds that would match the pharmacophore. As the 3D searching technology has evolved over the years, it has been effectively used for lead optimization, combinatorial library focu Read More

Non-Toxic doses of tetrakis-μ-3,5-diisopropylsalicylatodicopper(II) [Cu(II)2(3,5-DIPS)4] have been found to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-ulcer, anti-colitis, anti-convulsant, anti-cancer, antimutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-diabetic activities and, in addition, facilitates recovery from lethal irradiation and ischemia-reperfusion injuries. The goal of this research was to determine the time-dependent tissue distributi Read More

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) is a decapeptide (pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2) hypothalamic hormone that acts upon 7-trans membrane spanning GnRH receptors in the pituitary. This action leads to the secretion of the gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) that in turn act on the reproductive organs regulatin Read More