Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 21, Issue 31, 2014

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, disabling neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive upper and lower motor neuron degeneration, leading to death from respiratory insufficiency after 3-5 years. ALS occurs either in familial (FALS; 10%) or sporadic (SALS; 90%) forms and its worldwide incidence ranges from 1.7 to 2.3 cases per 100,000 persons per year. Despite the identification of several Read More

Despite a number of genetic mutations and molecular mechanisms are recognized to participate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), such a devastating neurological disorder still lacks a substantial cure. The present manuscript rather than a general overview of potential therapeutic approaches focuses on novel research findings detailing novel molecular mechanisms which appear to be promising for developing futu Read More

Although the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remain to be fully elucidated, there have been significant advances in the understanding of ALS pathogenesis, with evidence emerging of a complex interaction between genetic factors and dysfunction of vital molecular pathways. Glutamate- mediated excitoxicity is an important pathophysiological pathway in AL Read More

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder that is believed to have complex genetic and environmental influences in the pathogenesis, but etiologies are unidentified for most patients. Until the major causes are better defined, drug development is directed at downstream pathophysiological mechanisms, themselves incompletely understood. For nearly 30 years, glutamate-induced Read More

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset motor neuron disease characterized by degeneration of motor neuron and glial activation followed by the progressive muscle loss and paralysis. Numerous distinct therapeutic interventions have been examined but currently ALS does not have a cure or an efficacious treatment for the disorder. Glutamate- induced excitotoxicity, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxi Read More

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by damage of motoneurons leading to paralysis state and long term disability. Riluzole is currently the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of ALS. The proposed mechanisms of ALS include glutamate excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein aggregation, SOD1 accumulations, and neuronal death. In this review, Read More

The human chemokine system comprises 19 seven-transmembrane helix (7TM) receptors and 45 endogenous chemokines that often interact with each other in a promiscuous manner. Due to the chemokine system’s primary function in leukocyte migration, it has a central role in immune homeostasis and surveillance. Chemokines are a group of 8-12 kDa large peptides with a secondary structure consisting of a flexible N-t Read More