Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 15, Issue 13, 2008

Fusion of a mammalian sperm cell with an oocyte will lead to the formation of a new organism. As this new organism develops, the cells that construct the organism gradually lose developmental competence and become differentiated, a process which is in part mediated via epigenetic modifications. These mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone tail modifications and association with Polycomb and Trithorax prote Read More

A number of nuclear and mitochondrial mutations have been implicated in non-syndromic hearing loss. Among them, various mutations of mitochondrial SerUCN-tRNA and 12S rRNA genes have been found to be associated with deafness; the A7445G mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in this group is unique, simultaneously affecting two different mitochondrial genes, encoding the SerUCN-tRNA and the first subunit of cytochro Read More

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition as a therapeutic regimen in motor neuron diseases (MND) is generating intense interest in both the scientific and medical areas, with a number of potent compounds having demonstrated good safety profiles and hints of clinical activity on animal models. In this review, we discuss recent developments in dissecting the mechanism of action of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) as a new group of mecha Read More

Epigenetic mechanisms affecting chromatin structure contribute to regulate gene expression and assure the inheritance of information, which are essential for the proper expression of key regulatory genes in healthy cells, tissues and organs. In the medical field, an increasing body of evidence indicates that altered gene expression or de-regulated gene function lead to disease. Cancer cells also suffer a profound change in the g Read More

This article comments on the role of the most important biochemical markers that are already applied in clinical practice or are still under research, in Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS). Cardiac troponin (cTn) is established as the ‘gold standard’ in the diagnosis of ACS. C-reactive protein (CRP) and especially high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) are considered to be the most useful inflammatory markers for clinical practic Read More

Chemotactic cytokines, or chemokines, are a large family of small proteins, which are distinguished from other cytokines in that they are the only members of the cytokine family that act on G-protein coupled receptor superfamily. This minireview tries to answer the title question by structure/function analysis of chemokines, cytokines, and their receptors. We also consider secretion of chemokines/ cytokines in health Read More

Small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SKCa) channels comprise an important subclass of K+ channels. Selective blockade of SKCa channels may find application in the therapy of myotonic muscular dystrophy, gastrointestinal dysmotilities, memory disorders, narcolepsy, and alcohol abuse. In the cyclophanes described herein the two 4-aminoquinolinium groups are joined at the ring N atoms (linker L) and at the exocyclic N ato Read More

The liver plays a key role in glucose homeostasis, lipid and energy metabolism. Its function is primarily controlled by the anabolic hormone insulin and its counterparts glucagon, catecholamines and glucocorticoids. Dysregulation of this homeostatic system is a major cause for development of the metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The features of the underlying dynamic molecular network that coordinates syste Read More

Phellinus Linteus (Berkeley & M. A. Curtis) Teng (PL) is a medicinal mushroom that has been practiced in oriental countries for centuries to prevent ailments as diverse as gastroenteric dysfunction, diarrhea, haemorrhage and cancers. In an effort to translate the Asian traditional medicines into western-accepted therapies, scientists have demonstrated that the extracts from fruit-bodies or mycelium of PL not only stimulate the h Read More

Protein aggregation correlates with the development of several deleterious human disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, prion-associated transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and type II diabetes. The polypeptides involved in these disorders may be globular proteins with a defined 3D-structure or natively unfolded proteins in their soluble conformations. In either case, proteins associated with Read More