Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 22, Issue 18, 2016

Proper function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria is essential for cellular homeostasis and the regulation of metabolic pathways. Perturbation of their function has been linked to pathophysiological states, including metabolic and liver diseases. Fatty liver diseases are a major health problem whose prevalence is dramatically increasing, may be induced by several factors (mainly chronic alcohol consumption, dr Read More

Heat preconditioning is a rapid cellular adaptive mechanism shared by many cells/ organs / organisms that results in synthesis and accumulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which are responsible for increased tolerance and survival of animals during and after heat stress (HS). HSPs function as molecular chaperones by restoring cellular homeostasis and promoting cell survival, and their major functions include protection of c Read More

It is generally accepted that mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are related to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Mitochondria use substrates from lipid and glucose metabolism in order to generate ATP, and when mitochondrial O2 consumption is decreased due to an altered metabolism there is an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can impair different types of molecules and cell Read More

Type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of skeletal muscle dysfunction and, consequently, that of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease and stroke. It is also related to a reduced capacity for exercise, but the underlying mechanism is only partially understood. There are several factors that contribute to the development of skeletal muscle dysfunction, of which oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctio Read More

The intent of this article is to summarize current body of knowledge on the potential implication of the xanthine oxidase pathway (XO) on skeletal muscle damage. The possible involvement of the XO pathway in muscle damage is exemplified by the role of XO inhibitors (e.g., allopurinol) in attenuating muscle damage. Reliance on this pathway (as well as on the purine nucleotide cycle) could be exacerbated in conditions of l Read More

Sarcopenia could be currently defined as a geriatric syndrome initially characterized by a decrease in muscle mass that will get worse causing deterioration in strength and physical performance. A negative protein turnover, impaired mitochondrial dynamics and functions, a decreased muscle regeneration capacity, as well as an exacerbation of apoptosis are usually considered to be cellular mechanisms involved in mus Read More

The preservation of mitochondrial function and integrity is critical for cell viability. Under stress conditions, unfolded, misfolded or damaged proteins accumulate in a certain compartment of the organelle, interfering with oxidative phosphorylation and normal mitochondrial functions. In stress conditions, several mechanisms, including mitochondrial unfolded protease response (UPRmt), fusion and fission, and mitophagy are en Read More

Background: Molecular pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma is complex and implies a multistep process involving different genetic and epigenetic alterations, as well as altered molecular pathways. Among these features, oxidative stress and mitochondria dysfunction represent an important trigger to hepatocarcinogenesis regardless of underlying liver disease etiology. An important part of the actual cancer researc Read More

Background: The double stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase PKR is a well-established protein kinase that is activated by dsRNA during viral infection, and it inhibits global protein synthesis by phosphorylating the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2agr;). Recent studies have greatly broadened the recognized physiological activities of PKR by demonstrating its fundamental role in inflammatory sig Read More

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major cause of death and disability worldwide, thus preventing and inhibiting CVD remains a health priority. Several lines of pharmacological interventions have not met with great success, thus inhibition of novel cellular stress pathways could be a novel therapeutic avenue to treat CVD. This review will focus on homocysteine and endoplasmic reticulum stress linked to mitochondria functi Read More

Backgrouund: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a multifaceted disorder with a pathogenetic pathway that is not fully understood yet. Apart from hormonal derangements, insulin signaling defects and adipose tissue dysfunction, oxidative stress, defined as an imbalance derived from excessive formation of oxidants in the presence of limited antioxidants defenses, has been actively implicated in the etiology of the syndrome. Met Read More

In a review [1] published in this journal in 2014 we updated the role of statin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This is an important topic because the prevalence of T2DM is increasing and this disease is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as well as microvascular complications [1]. The relationship between T2DM and statins is further complicated since these drugs can cause new Read More

Nowadays, millions of people worldwide are affected by problems of bones and articulations. These conditions represent about a half of the chronic diseases developed in individuals over 50 years, leading to problems of prolonged pain and physical inability, which usually require surgery, where bone grafts or implants are used. Nonetheless, despite the success of these therapeutic solutions, some drawbacks have been pointed o Read More