Structure, Function and Interactions of Tau: Particular Focus on Potential Drug Targets for the Treatment of Tauopathies

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 325-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hojjat Borna ◽  
Kasim Assadoulahei ◽  
Gholamhossein Riazi ◽  
Asghar Beigi Harchegani ◽  
Alireza Shahriary
Keyword(s):  
Tau Protein ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Brain Injuries ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Microtubule Network ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
Range Of Functions ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

Background & Objective: Neurodegenrative diseases are among the most widespread lifethreatening disorders around the world in elderly ages. The common feature of a group of neurodegenerative disorders, called tauopathies, is an accumulation of microtubule associated protein tau inside the neurons. The exact mechanism underlying tauopathies is not well-understood but several factors such as traumatic brain injuries and genetics are considered as potential risk factors. Although tau protein is well-known for its key role in stabilizing and organization of axonal microtubule network, it bears a broad range of functions including DNA protection and participation in signaling pathways. Moreover, the flexible unfolded structure of tau facilitates modification of tau by a wide range of intracellular enzymes which in turn broadens tau function and interaction spectrum. The distinctive properties of tau protein concomitant with the crucial role of tau interaction partners in the progression of neurodegeneration suggest tau and its binding partners as potential drug targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusion: This review aims to give a detailed description of structure, functions and interactions of tau protein in order to provide insight into potential therapeutic targets for treatment of tauopathies.

Abstract 4627: The role of human endogenous retroviral proteins in the development of Merlin-deficient tumors and as potential drug targets

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Maze ◽  
Shona Reeves ◽  
David Hilton ◽  
Lucy Provenzano ◽  
Robert Belshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Targets ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

scholarly journals Genomewide Analysis of Mode of Action of the S-Adenosylmethionine Analogue Sinefungin in Leishmania infantum

mSystems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arijit Bhattacharya ◽  
Mansi Sharma ◽  
Charles Packianathan ◽  
Barry P. Rosen ◽  
Philippe Leprohon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Targets ◽  
Protozoan Parasite ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Biosynthetic Pathways ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Pathogenic Parasite ◽  
Potential Drug Targets ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Interventions

The two main cellular metabolic one-carbon donors are reduced folates and S-adenosylmethionine, whose biosynthetic pathways have proven highly effective in chemotherapeutic interventions in various cell types. Sinefungin, a nucleoside analogue of S-adenosylmethionine, was shown to have potent activity against the protozoan parasite Leishmania. Here, we studied resistance to sinefungin using whole-genome approaches as a way to further our understanding of the role of S-adenosylmethionine in this parasite and to reveal novel potential drug targets. These approaches allowed the characterization of novel features related to S-adenosylmethionine function in Leishmania which could further help in the development of sinefungin-like compounds against this pathogenic parasite.

scholarly journals Mefloquine interferes with glycolysis in schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni via inhibition of enolase

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
pp. 497-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
THERESIA MANNECK ◽  
JENNIFER KEISER ◽  
JOACHIM MÜLLER
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Schistosoma Mansoni ◽  
Sodium Fluoride ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Glycolytic Enzyme ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Crude Extracts ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

SUMMARYThe antimalarial drug mefloquine has promising antischistosomal properties killing haematophagous adult schistosomes as well as schistosomula. The mode of action and involved drug targets of mefloquine in Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula are unknown. In order to identify mefloquine-binding proteins and thus potential drug targets, mefloquine affinity chromatography with S. mansoni schistosomula crude extracts was performed. We found one specific mefloquine-binding protein that was identified by mass spectrometry as the glycolytic enzyme enolase (Q27877). Enolase activity assays were performed on schistosomula crude extracts and on the recombinant enolase Q27877 expressed in Escherichia coli. In schistosomula crude extracts enolase activity was inhibited by mefloquine and by the enolase inhibitor sodium fluoride, while activity of the recombinant enolase was not affected. In contrast to enolase from crude extracts, recombinant Q27877 did not bind to mefloquine-agarose. Using isothermal microcalorimetry, we next investigated the metabolic inhibition of mefloquine and 3 known glycolytic inhibitors in Schistosoma spp., namely sodium fluoride, 3-bromopyruvate and menadione on schistosomula in the presence or absence of glucose. We found that in the presence of glucose, schistosomula were less affected by mefloquine, sodium fluoride and 3-bromopyruvate, whereas glucose had no protective effect when schistosomula had been exposed to menadione. These results suggest a potential role of mefloquine as an inhibitor of glycolysis, at least in stages where other targets like haem degradation are not relevant.

scholarly journals New directions for drug discovery in psychiatric disease

2002 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-341
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Drug Discovery ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
Psychiatric Disease ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

Although many new potential drug targets have been discovered subsequent to the cloning of the human genome and the discovery of most of the relevant receptors, the role of these receptors in psychiatric disease is still not clear. We argue that research into the disease process leading to new animal models that can be transposed to man is critical to drug discovery, and present an example of an animal model for schizophrenia using electroencephalography.

scholarly journals Potassium channels as potential drug targets for limb wound repair and regeneration

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
Wengeng Zhang ◽  
Pragnya Das ◽  
Sarah Kelangi ◽  
Marianna Bei
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Potassium Channels ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Wound Repair ◽  
Limb Regeneration ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Mouse Limb ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

Abstract Background Ion channels are a large family of transmembrane proteins, accessible by soluble membrane-impermeable molecules, and thus are targets for development of therapeutic drugs. Ion channels are the second most common target for existing drugs, after G protein-coupled receptors, and are expected to make a big impact on precision medicine in many different diseases including wound repair and regeneration. Research has shown that endogenous bioelectric signaling mediated by ion channels is critical in non-mammalian limb regeneration. However, the role of ion channels in regeneration of limbs in mammalian systems is not yet defined. Methods To explore the role of potassium channels in limb wound repair and regeneration, the hindlimbs of mouse embryos were amputated at E12.5 when the wound is expected to regenerate and E15.5 when the wound is not expected to regenerate, and gene expression of potassium channels was studied. Results Most of the potassium channels were downregulated, except for the potassium channel kcnj8 (Kir6.1) which was upregulated in E12.5 embryos after amputation. Conclusion This study provides a new mouse limb regeneration model and demonstrates that potassium channels are potential drug targets for limb wound healing and regeneration.

scholarly journals Beta-3 Receptor Agonists

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erasmus Bachus ◽  
Piotr Ponikowski
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Negative Inotropic Effect ◽  
Inotropic Effect ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Cl 316,243 ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

Beta-3 adrenergic receptors (β3-AR) have a more widespread tissue distribution in the human body as compared to beta1- and beta2 (β1/2)-adrenergic receptors, including in the bladder, brain, adipose tissue and cardiovascular system. Thus, β3- AR are potential drug targets for a wide range of therapeutic areas, both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular including overactive bladder (OAB), depression, metabolic syndrome, obesity and heart failure (HF).  β3-AR agonists that are selective to the β3-AR include CL 316,243, amibegron (SR58611A), mirabegron (YM-178) and vibegron (RVT-901). However, in HF, study results regarding a possible inotropic effect of β3-AR agonists remain equivocal and some authors report a negative inotropic effect in HF and β3-AR antagonists are also under study.

scholarly journals DrugHybrid_BS: Using Hybrid Feature Combined With Bagging-SVM to Predict Potentially Druggable Proteins

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxin Gong ◽  
Bo Liao ◽  
Peng Wang ◽  
Quan Zou
Keyword(s):  
Drug Targets ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Biological Macromolecules ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Predictive Tool ◽  
Hybrid Features ◽  
Cross Covariance ◽  
Key Features ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

Drug targets are biological macromolecules or biomolecule structures capable of specifically binding a therapeutic effect with a particular drug or regulating physiological functions. Due to the important value and role of drug targets in recent years, the prediction of potential drug targets has become a research hotspot. The key to the research and development of modern new drugs is first to identify potential drug targets. In this paper, a new predictor, DrugHybrid_BS, is developed based on hybrid features and Bagging-SVM to identify potentially druggable proteins. This method combines the three features of monoDiKGap (k = 2), cross-covariance, and grouped amino acid composition. It removes redundant features and analyses key features through MRMD and MRMD2.0. The cross-validation results show that 96.9944% of the potentially druggable proteins can be accurately identified, and the accuracy of the independent test set has reached 96.5665%. This all means that DrugHybrid_BS has the potential to become a useful predictive tool for druggable proteins. In addition, the hybrid key features can identify 80.0343% of the potentially druggable proteins combined with Bagging-SVM, which indicates the significance of this part of the features for research.

scholarly journals A rapid CRISPR competitive assay for in vitro and in vivo discovery of potential drug targets affecting the hematopoietic system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunbing Shen ◽  
Long Jiang ◽  
Vaishnavi Srinivasan Iyer ◽  
Bruno Raposo ◽  
Sanjay V. Boddul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Population ◽  
Genetic Heterogeneity ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Sanger Sequencing ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Potential Drug ◽  
Potential Drug Targets

CRISPR/Cas9 can be used as an experimental tool to inactivate genes in cells. However, a CRISPR-targeted cell population will not show a uniform genotype of the targeted gene. Instead, a mix of genotypes is generated - from wild type to different forms of insertions and deletions. Such mixed genotypes complicate analyzing the role of the targeted gene in the studied cell population. Here, we present a rapid experimental approach to functionally analyze a CRISPR-targeted cell population that does not involve generating clonal cell lines. As a simple readout, we leverage the CRISPR-induced genetic heterogeneity and use sequencing to identify how different genotypes are enriched or depleted related to the studied cellular behavior or phenotype. The approach uses standard PCR, Sanger sequencing, and a simple sequence deconvoluting software, enabling laboratories without specific in-depth knowledge to also perform these experiments. As proof of principle, we present examples studying the role of different genes for various aspects related to hematopoietic cells (T cell development in vivo and activation in vitro, macrophage phagocytosis, and a leukemia-like phenotype induced by overexpressing a proto-oncogene). In conclusion, we present a rapid experimental approach to identify potential drug targets related to mature immune cells, as well as normal and malignant hematopoiesis.Highlights‐CRISPR generates genetic heterogeneity at the targeted site.‐Genetic heterogeneity complicates identifying the role of a targeted gene.‐Heterogeneity can be quantified by Sanger sequencing with sufficient sensitivity.‐Enrichment of specific genotypes can be used to identify roles for targeted genes.‐Competitive experiments show the potential of genotype enrichment as a discovery tool.Graphical representation

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