Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 15, Issue 5, 2015

Bipolar disorder is a common, chronic, and complex mental illness. Bipolar disorder is frequently comorbid with primary mitochondrial and metabolic disorders, and studies have implicated mitochondrial dysfunction in its pathophysiology. In the brains of people with bipolar disorder, high-energy phosphates are decreased, lactate is elevated and pH decreased, which together suggest a shift toward glycolysis for energ Read More

The translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) is localized in the outer mitochondrial membrane of many cell types and its expression is found to be up-regulated under various pathological conditions such as cancer, inflammation, mechanical lesions, and neurological diseases, e.g. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Its primary function is to mediate the transport of cholesterol into the inner compartments of mitochondria. More Read More

Mitochondria are organelles that play a central role in processes related to cellular viability, such as energy production, cell growth, cell death via apoptosis, and metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We can observe behavioral abnormalities relevant to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and their recovery mediated by the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin in mouse models. In Tsc2+/- mice, the transcription of multiple ge Read More

The development and function of neuronal synapses are orchestrated by various extrinsic factors through intracellular signaling cascades that often involve protein kinases. One important kinase at the synapse is the proline-directed serine/ threonine kinase Cdk5. Although early pharmacological and genetic studies have pointed out the critical role of Cdk5 in regulating synapse function, the precise mechanisms h Read More

The mitochondrial carnitine/acylcarnitine translocase has been identified, purified and reconstituted in liposomes in 1990. Since that time it has been object of studies aimed to characterize its function and to define the molecular determinants of the translocation pathway. Thanks to these tenacious studies the molecular map of the amino acids involved in the catalysis has been constructed and the roles of critical residues i Read More

Advances in the use of organotin(IV) compounds have gained relevant interest in both the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Tin(IV) form stable complexes with a unique structure and physicochemical properties that are used in organic synthesis as heat stabilizers and catalysts, in drug development as biologically active agents, and in other areas. This review focuses on recent progress in the classical and convenie Read More

Estradiol (E2) is a steroid hormone whose physiological actions are mainly mediated by its interaction with intracellular estrogen receptors (ER) leading to modification on the mRNA and protein synthesis in its target cells. However, estrogens can also activate several intracellular signal transduction cascades by non-genomic mechanisms. Estrogens must be inactivated and removed from blood through its conversion to s Read More