Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 17, Issue 20, 2010

Every year, influenza epidemics cause numerous deaths and millions of hospitalizations, but the most frightening effects are seen when new strains of the virus emerge from different species (e.g. the swine-origin influenza A/H1N1 virus), causing world-wide outbreaks of infection. Several antiviral compounds have been developed against influenza virus to interfere with specific events in the replication cycle. Among them, Read More

It is well established that aberrant gene regulation by epigenetic mechanisms can develop as a result of pathological processes such as cancer. Methylation of CpG islands is an important component of the epigenetic code and a number of genes become abnormally methylated during tumorigenesis. Some bioactive food components have been shown to have cancer inhibition activities by reducing DNA hypermethylatio Read More

Numerous studies have indicated oxidative stress as a key pathological factor in ischemic brain injury. One of the key links between oxidative stress and cell death is excessive activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), which plays an important role in the ischemic brain damage in male animals. Multiple studies have also suggested that NAD+ depletion mediates PARP-1 cytotoxicity, and NAD+ administration can de Read More

Implantation of adult human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat neural disorders shows promise. Depending on their microenvironment, MSCs could potentially be used for the repair and/or replacement of neurons in traumatic brain injury or the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This cross-disciplinary review incorporates aspects of neuroscience, stem cell biology, cancer biology and immunology to discuss interactions betw Read More

Background: Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) is a Proteinase K subtype of mammalian subtilases collectively called PCSKs. PCSK9 upregulates plasma-cholesterol level by degrading low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R). As a result, PCSK9 is a major target for intervention of hypercholesterolemia and in this regard PCSK9- inhibitors may find useful therapeutic and biochemical applications Objective: Our objec Read More

L-Asparaginase (L-ASNase, EC 3.5.1.1) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the non-essential amino acid L-Asn to L-Asp and ammonia and is widely used for the treatment of haematopoetic diseases such as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and lymphomas. Therapeutic forms of L-ASNase come from different biological sources (primarily E. coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi). It is well established that the various preparations have different Read More

Trigonelline (TRG) and nicotinic acid (NA), in which the former but not the latter improved the blood glucose level in the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats were tested for anti-diabetic effects in mellitus models of KK-Ay obese mice that had type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose level in OGTT carried out on day 22-23 was lowered after feeding in mice fed TRG and NA than that of the control mice not fed t Read More

Ambient level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain is mediated by neuronal and glial GABA transporters (GATs), members of the sodium and chloride ion-dependent solute carrier family. The neuronal GABA transporter subtype (GAT-1) has already been proven to be the target for the antiepileptic drug Tiagabine. However, druggability of glial GAT-2 and GAT-3 is yet to be est Read More