Authors: Jana, Snehasis; Paliwal, Jyoti

Source: Current Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 14, Number 22, September 2007 , pp. 2369-2379(11)

Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers

Abstract:

Apoptosis is involved in a wide range of pathologic conditions, including neurodegenerative, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Therefore, the ability to understand and manipulate the cell death machinery is an obvious goal of medical research. Novel therapeutic approaches to modulate disease by regulating apoptosis are being tested in preclinical and clinical settings. Approaches include the traditional use of small molecules to target specific players in the apoptosis cascade. As our understanding of apoptosis increases, further opportunities will arise for tailor-made therapies that will result in improved clinic. From variety of compounds are discovered in this field and only few are found in the preclinical and clinical trials. The lack of specific potent nonpeptide apoptosis inducers and/or inhibitors has limited for a long time the clinical investigation of this target. But in the last few years the renewed interest of pharmaceutical companies has been giving a strong impulse to the research in this area. This review considers the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and their interaction in regulation of apoptosis. We also focus on recent developments of nonpeptide apoptosis modulators and their progress in drug lead discovery.

Keywords: Apoptosis; programmed cell death; caspases; death receptors; Bcl-2; mitochondria; XIAP

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/092986707781745569

Affiliations: 1: Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Division,Ranbaxy Research Laboratories, Gurgaon, India.

Publication date: 2007-09-01

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• Current Medicinal Chemistry covers all the latest and outstanding developments in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design. Each issue contains a series of timely in-depth reviews written by leaders in the field covering a range of the current topics in medicinal chemistry. Current Medicinal Chemistry is an essential journal for every medicinal chemist who wishes to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments.

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