Current Signal Transduction Therapy - Volume 4, Issue 3, 2009

Cancer invasion and metastases are the hallmarks of malignant tumors and the cause of most cancer deaths. Molecular alterations that arise during cancer progression and that generate abnormal gene products, activated signal transduction pathways, and altered cancer cell-host stroma interactions can be considered targets of therapeutic drugs. Some of these drugs have already entered clinical trials, while others have Read More

Cerebral ischemia is the third leading cause of death in industrialized countries and an important health system problem with no efficient treatment to date. The reduction in oxygen and glucose supply triggers a cascade of events such as excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and an adjustment of the gene expression program. The hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that mediates the ad Read More

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs), members of the TGF-β superfamily, are pleiotropic growth factors, known for their role in embryogenesis and bone induction. BMPs signal via two types of serine/threonine kinase BMP receptors (BMPRs), type I, and type II receptors. Ligand binding induces activation of the downstream signalling molecules, the SMADs, which regulate the expression of BMP-responsive genes including those i Read More

Since recognition of HIV, many scientists in several branches have attempted to inactive it. Although different methods are available to destroy it, but these methods may damage vital cells too. This paper suggests a theoretical method to paralyze only HIV. The virus contains certain glycoprotein (gp120) which permits HIV to attach receptor host cell (CD4). Applying a sinusoidal electric field with a definite frequency m Read More

In immune-mediated chronic inflammation the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is skewed so that elevated levels of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines of the interleukin (IL), interferon (IFN) protein families and TNF-α is favored. Several of the pro-inflammatory IL-family cytokines, including most prominently, IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, IL-23, as well as IFN-γ, activate the Janus Kinase/Signal T Read More

The immunosuppressive drugs Cyclosporine A (CSA) and prednisolone are widely used to prevent graftversus- host-disease (GVHD) after allogenetic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). However, it remains to be elucidated whether these drugs have an effect on the balance of effector cells and CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) which determines the development of stable allograft tolerance. In the current study, w Read More