Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 4, Issue 16, 2004

Motivation: No details on P2X receptor architecture had been known at the atomic resolution level. Using comparative homology-based molecular modelling and threading, it was attempted to predict the three-dimensional structure of P2X receptors. This prediction could not be carried out, however, because important properties of the P2X family differ considerably from that of the potential template proteins. This paper rev Read More

The P2X7 receptor is involved in several processes relevant to inflammation (cytokine release, NO generation, killing of intracellular pathogens, cytotoxicity), thus, it may be an appealing target for pharmacological intervention. The characterisation of native and recombinant P2X7 receptor continues to be hindered by the lack of specific and subtypeselective agonists and antagonists. BzATP is currently the most potent agoni Read More

Purinergic P2X1 and P2X7 receptors are co-expressed in several cell types such as lymphocytes or epithelial cells. Here we examined whether these two P2X subtypes interact with each other in a manner that results in a mutual alteration of their electrophysiologic behaviour. Furthermore, since specific pharmacological tools are needed to assign distinct effects to a particular receptor subtype in native cells, we assessed a s Read More

The cytochromes P450 are a family of heme-containing proteins with a major role in the oxidation of both xenobiotics (including prescribed drugs) and endogenous compounds. There are at least 57 human P450s (termed isoforms) which are all encoded by separate genes but only 10 of these contribute to drug metabolism, with the major contribution coming from only 3 isoforms, CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C9. It is now well re Read More

The induction of cytochromes P450 (CYPs) has been appreciated for some time but an understanding of the mechanisms involved has been poorly understood until recently. The discovery of the role of nuclear receptors such as the pregnane X receptor (PXR) and the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) has provided a major trigger for research in this area. This work has provided an explanation for species differences in h Read More

The initial view that the cytochrome P450 enzyme system functions simply in the deactivation of xenobiotics is anachronistic on the face of mounting evidence that this system can also transform many innocuous chemicals to toxic products. However, not all xenobiotic-metabolising cytochrome P450 subfamilies show the same propensity in the bioactivation of chemicals. For example, the CYP2C, 2B and 2D subfamili Read More

Our understanding of structure-function relationships have made considerable advances owing to the increasing number of new P450 crystal structures. This is especially true with mammalian P450s. As always, the main bottleneck in a structure determination project is crystallization. While the crystallization techniques used for P450 crystal growth are not much different from that utilized for other proteins, special prot Read More

A large number of computational methodologies have been used to predict, and thus help explain, the metabolism catalysed by the enzymes of the cytochrome P450 superfamily (P450s). A summary of the methodologies and resulting models is presented. This shows that investigations so far have focused on just a few of the many P450s, mainly those that are involved in drug metabolism. The models have evolved from simpl Read More

J. Balzarini, Current Status of the Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Curr. Top. Med. Chem. 2004, 4, 921-944. The correct generic name for TMC125 listed in the abstract, Table 1 and Figure 1 is etravirine, and not dapivirine as listed.