Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 12, Issue 16, 2005

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is widely considered as the molecular target of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, due to the harmful side effect frequently observed following chronic use, the development of new anti-inflammatory agents is the matter of many studies. Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) are a family of nuclear proteins mediating the action of a number of cytokines. Amon Read More

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a fundamental mechanism in the pathogenesis of several significant toxicities in mammals, especially those associated with the liver, skeletal and cardiac muscle, and the central nervous system. These changes can also occur as part of the natural aging process and have been linked to cellular mechanisms in several human disease states including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as ischemic perf Read More

Recent advances in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics in the fields of recombinant biochemistry, solid phase peptide synthesis as well as in galenical research have resulted in highly specific and efficient components. Presently, millions of patients can profit from these new therapeutic modalities. The application of an effective anti-tumor dose of drugs can lead to marked toxicity in patients. Therefore, safe Read More

Activation of mast cells and basophils is accompanied by the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that regulate diverse signaling pathways leading to the release of inflammatory mediators and production of a variety of cytokines. Although the functional pathways of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in vivo are not completely understood, some novel metabolic pathways can be envisioned based on recent Read More

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most devastating diseases primarily due to several decades of neglect, and presents a global health threat of escalating proportions. TB is the second leading infectious cause of mortality today behind only HIV/AIDS. The impetus for developing new structural classes of anti-tuberculosis drugs comes from the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains to commonly used drugs, s Read More

This review covers the design and development of B cell Toleragens, compounds developed for the treatment of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases by antigen-specific suppression of autoantibodies. Multivalent forms of B cell epitopes consisting of oligonucleotides, peptides, proteins and polysaccharides are under various stages of development for treating systemic lupus nephritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, and org Read More

Milk proteins are precursors of many different biologically active peptides. These peptides are inactive within the protein sequence, requiring enzymatic proteolysis for release of the bioactive fragment from the proteins precursor. It is evident that activated peptides originating from milk proteins should be taken into account as potential modulators of various regulatory processes in the body. Activated peptides are potent Read More

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a central role in the establishment of tolerance/immunity, because they activate naïve T cells (TCs). Therefore, the pharmacological modulation of DCs has become a major field of interest in immunology. A large body of literature has arisen from the studies of DC biology during immunosuppressive drug treatment. Immunosuppressive drugs have improved the therapeutic management of allogr Read More