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Translational advances and novel therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: hope or hype?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesSreenivasa Chandana, Daruka Mahadevan, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e34AbstractBiological complexity, inaccessible anatomical location, nonspecific symptoms, lack of a screening biomarker, advanced disease at presentation and drug resistance epitomise pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) as a poor-prognosis, lethal disease. Twenty-five years of research (basic, translational and clinical) have barely made strides to improve survival, mainly because of a fundamental lack of knowledge of the biological processes initiating and propagating PDA. However, isolation of pancreas cancer ste...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 18, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Fetal microchimerism: the cellular and immunological legacy of pregnancyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesDavid M. Lissauer, Karen P. Piper, Paul A.H. Moss, Mark D. Kilby, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e33AbstractDuring pregnancy there is transplacental traffic of fetal cells into the maternal circulation. Remarkably, cells of fetal origin can then persist for decades in the mother and are detectable in the circulation and in a wide range of tissues. Maternal CD8 T cell responses directed against fetal antigens can also be detected following pregnancy. However, the impact that the persistence of allogenic cells of fetal origin and the maternal immune response towards them has on the mother...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 17, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Anticancer activities of artemisinin and its bioactive derivativesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesGary L. Firestone, Shyam N. Sundar, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e32AbstractArtemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone derived from the sweet wormwood plant Artemisia annua, and its bioactive derivatives exhibit potent anticancer effects in a variety of human cancer cell model systems. The pleiotropic response in cancer cells includes growth inhibition by cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, disruption of cell migration, and modulation of nuclear receptor responsiveness. These effects of artemisinin and its derivatives result from perturbations of many cellular signalli...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 12, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Trypanocidal drugs: mechanisms, resistance and new targetsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesShane R. Wilkinson, John M. Kelly, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e31AbstractThe protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi are the causative agents of African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease, respectively. These are debilitating infections that exert a considerable health burden on some of the poorest people on the planet. Treatment of trypanosome infections is dependent on a small number of drugs that have limited efficacy and can cause severe side effects. Here, we review the properties of these drugs and describe new findings on their modes of action and the mec...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - October 30, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST): the clinical implications of cellular signalling pathwaysEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesDaniela Katz, Alexander Lazar, Dina Lev, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e30AbstractMalignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) is a rare malignancy accounting for 3 13% of NF1 patients develop MPNSTs, which are the leading cause of NF1-related mortality. Surgical resection is the mainstay of MPNST clinical management. However, because of invasive growth, propensity to metastasise, and limited sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiation, MPNST has a guarded to poor prognosis. Five-year survival rates of only 20 50% indicate an urgent need for improved therapeutic approaches. Recent wo...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - October 29, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Antibody-based therapy of leukaemiaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesJohn C. Morris, Thomas A. Waldmann, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e29AbstractOver the past decade, monoclonal antibodies have dramatically impacted the treatment of haematological malignancies, as evidenced by the effect of rituximab on the response rate and survival of patients with follicular and diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Currently, only two monoclonal antibodies are approved for treatment of relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia in older patients and B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, respectively. Although not approved for such treatment, alemtuzumab is also activ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 30, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Sarcoglycanopathies: molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic prospectsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesDorianna Sandonà, Romeo Betto, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e28AbstractSarcoglycanopathies are a group of autosomal recessive muscle-wasting disorders caused by genetic defects in one of four cell membrane glycoproteins, -, -sarcoglycan. These four sarcoglycans form a subcomplex that is closely linked to the major dystrophin-associated protein complex, which is essential for membrane integrity during muscle contraction and provides a scaffold for important signalling molecules. Proper assembly, trafficking and targeting of the sarcoglycan complex is of vital importance, and mutations...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 30, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Can we intervene in human ageing?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesRichard G.A. Faragher, Angela N. Sheerin, Elizabeth L. Ostler, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e27AbstractAgeing is a progressive failure of defence and repair processes that produces physiological frailty (the loss of organ reserve with age), loss of homeostasis and eventual death. Over the past ten years exceptional progress has been made in understanding both why the ageing process happens and the mechanisms that are responsible for it. The study of natural mutants that accelerate some, but not all, of the features of the human ageing process has now progressed to a degree that drug t...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 25, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Targeting the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway in cancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesEvon Poon, Adrian L. Harris, Margaret Ashcroft, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e26AbstractThe central component of hypoxia sensing in the cell is the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcriptional complex. HIF activity is deregulated in many human cancers, especially those that are highly hypoxic. Hypoxic tumour cells are usually resistant to radiotherapy and most conventional chemotherapeutic agents, rendering them highly aggressive and metastatic. Overexpression of HIF- , the regulatory subunit of HIF, is associated with increased vascular density, severity of tumour grade, treatment ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 29, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular mechanisms of leukocyte trafficking in T-cell-mediated skin inflammation: insights from intravital imagingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesJames A. Deane, Michael J. Hickey, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e25AbstractInfiltration of T cells is a key step in the pathogenesis of the inflammatory skin diseases atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and psoriasis. Understanding the mechanisms of T cell recruitment to the skin is therefore of fundamental importance for the discovery and application of novel therapies for these conditions. Studies of both clinical samples and experimental models of skin inflammation have implicated specific adhesion molecules and chemokines in lymphocyte recruitment. In particular, recent...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 27, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Low-affinity Fcγ receptors, autoimmunity and infectionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesLisa C. Willcocks, Kenneth G.C. Smith, Menna R. Clatworthy, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e24AbstractLow-affinity Fc Rs) mediate the effects of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies on leukocytes, including recruitment to inflammatory lesions, phagocytosis, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, release of inflammatory mediators and regulation of B cell activation. These functions are an important part of the mammalian response to infection, but if deployed inappropriately can cause autoimmune disease. Although most Fc R that, when bound to IgG immune complexes, is able to downregulate ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 20, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

The molecular basis of frontotemporal dementiaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesManuela Neumann, Markus Tolnay, Ian R.A. Mackenzie, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e23AbstractFrontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a clinical syndrome with a heterogeneous molecular basis. Familial FTD has been linked to mutations in several genes, including those encoding the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT), progranulin (GRN), valosin-containing protein (VCP) and charged multivescicular body protein 2B (CHMP2B). The associated neuropathology is characterised by selective degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes (frontotemporal lobar degeneration, FTLD), usually with the pre...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 13, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular pathogenesis of Parkinson disease: insights from genetic studiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesThomas Gasser, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e22AbstractOver the past few years, genetic findings have changed our views on the molecular pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD), as mutations in a growing number of genes have been found to cause monogenic forms of the disorder. These mutations cause neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration either by a toxic gain of function, as in the case of the dominant forms of monogenic PD caused by mutations in the genes for -synuclein or LRRK2, or by a loss of an intrinsic protective function, as is likely for the recessive PD genes parkin (PRKN...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - July 29, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Stem cell therapy for cardiac repair: benefits and barriersEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article reviews the properties and potential of the various stem cell populations for cardiac repair and regeneration as well as the barriers that might lie ahead. (Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine)
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - July 27, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular mechanisms of endothelial hyperpermeability: implications in inflammationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesPuneet Kumar, Qiang Shen, Christopher D. Pivetti, Eugene S. Lee, Mack H. Wu, Sarah Y. Yuan, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e19AbstractEndothelial hyperpermeability is a significant problem in vascular inflammation associated with trauma, ischaemia cell junctions between endothelial cells as well as cytoskeleton contraction, leading to a widened intercellular space that facilitates transendothelial flux. Such structural changes initiate with agonist cell adhesion, resulting in paracellular hypermeability. Targeting key signalling molecules that mediate endothelial-junction cytoskeleton d...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - July 9, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Emerging strategies for cell and gene therapy of the muscular dystrophiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesLindsey A. Muir, Jeffrey S. Chamberlain, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e18AbstractThe muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of over 40 disorders that are characterised by muscle weakness and wasting. The most common are Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy, which result from mutations within the gene encoding dystrophin; myotonic dystrophy type 1, which results from an expanded trinucleotide repeat in the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene; and facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, which is associated with contractions in the subtelomeric region of human chro...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - June 30, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

The Nrf2–ARE cytoprotective pathway in astrocytesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesMarcelo R. Vargas, Jeffrey A. Johnson, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e17AbstractThe expression of phase-II detoxification and antioxidant enzymes is governed by a cis-acting regulatory element named the antioxidant response element (ARE). ARE-containing genes are regulated by the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a member of the Cap'n'Collar basic-leucine-zipper family of transcription factors. ARE-regulated genes are preferentially activated in astrocytes, which consequently have more efficient detoxification and antioxidant defences than neurons. Astrocytes closely ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - June 6, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Adhesion of Plasmodium falciparum -infected erythrocytes to human cells: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implicationsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesJ. Alexandra Rowe, Antoine Claessens, Ruth A. Corrigan, Mònica Arman, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e16AbstractSevere malaria has a high mortality rate (15 20%) despite treatment with effective antimalarial drugs. Adjunctive therapies for severe malaria that target the underlying disease process are therefore urgently required. Adhesion of erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum to human cells has a key role in the pathogenesis of life-threatening malaria and could be targeted with antiadhesion therapy. Parasite adhesion interactions include binding to endothelial cells (cyto...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - June 6, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

RNAi-mediated functional analysis of pathways influencing cancer cell drug resistanceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesAlvin J.X. Lee, Richard Kolesnick, Charles Swanton, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e15AbstractAcquired drug resistance limits the efficacy of cytotoxics used in the management of haematological and solid tumours and is responsible for the declining clinical benefit following successive treatment regimens in metastatic cancers. Treatment failure has a major impact on quality of life and survival in advanced disease. Defining pathways of intrinsic and acquired drug resistance may provide new targets to prolong drug efficacy and time to disease progression. Predicting the intrinsic drug se...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - May 27, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

The role of macrophages in inflammatory bowel diseasesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesSigrid E.M. Heinsbroek, Siamon Gordon, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e14AbstractThe small and large intestine contain the largest number of macrophages in the body and these cells are strategically located directly underneath the epithelial layer, enabling them to sample the lumen. Such intestinal macrophages have a different phenotype from other tissue macrophages in that they ingest and may kill microbes but they do not mediate strong pro-inflammatory responses upon microbial recognition. These properties are essential for maintaining a healthy intestine. It is generally accepted tha...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - May 21, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Transcription factors in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesAmber Paratore Sanchez, Kumar Sharma, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e13AbstractApproximately a third of patients with diabetes develop diabetic kidney disease, and diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in most developed countries. Hyperglycaemia is known to activate genes that ultimately lead to extracellular matrix accumulation, the hallmark of diabetic nephropathy. Several transcription factors have been implicated in glucose-mediated expression of genes involved in diabetic nephropathy. This review focuses on the transcription factors upstream stimulatory factors ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - May 4, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β: its role in breast cancer and associations with receptor tyrosine kinasesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesCynthia A. Zahnow, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e12AbstractThe CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) are a family of leucine-zipper transcription factors that regulate gene expression to control cellular proliferation, differentiation, inflammation and metabolism. Encoded by an intronless gene, C/EBP activity by post-translational modification, the individual actions of LAP1, LAP2 and LIP, and the functions and downstream targets that are unique to each isoform. The role of the C/EBP isoforms in breast cancer is discussed and emphasis is placed on their interactions with receptor t...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - April 24, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Sperm–egg adhesion and fusion in mammalsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesPeter Sutovsky, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e11AbstractFertilisation is an orchestrated, stepwise process during which the participating male and female gametes undergo irreversible changes, losing some of their structural components while contributing others to the resultant zygote. Following sperm penetration through the egg coat, the sperm plasma membrane fuses with its oocyte counterpart, the oolemma. At least two plasma membrane proteins essential for sperm IZUMO and CD9 on the male and female gametes, respectively oolemma adhesion and fusion include oolemma-anchored integrins a...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - April 18, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Overcoming biological barriers to in vivo efficacy of antisense oligonucleotidesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesPaul J. White, Frank Anastasopoulos, Colin W. Pouton, Ben J. Boyd, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e10AbstractAntisense oligonucleotides as a therapeutic platform have been slow to progress since the approval of the first antisense drug in 1998. Recently, there have been several examples of convincing antisense interventions in animal models and promising clinical trial data. This review considers the factors determining the success of antisense oligonucleotides as therapeutic agents. In order to produce target knockdown after systemic delivery, antisense oligonucleotides must avoid nucl...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - March 29, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) and cardiovascular diseaseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesShi Fang Yan, Ravichandran Ramasamy, Ann Marie Schmidt, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e9AbstractRecent and compelling investigation has expanded our view of the biological settings in which the products of nonenzymatic glycation and oxidation of proteins and lipids form and accumulate. Beyond diabetes, natural ageing and renal failure, AGEs form in inflammation, oxidative stress and in ischaemia the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) -amyloid peptide and reperfusion injury in the heart and great vessels. Experimental evidence is accruing that RAGE ligand generation and release during ischaemia ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - March 23, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

FOXA1 in breast cancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesHarikrishna Nakshatri, Sunil Badve, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e8AbstractBreast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and classification is important for clinical management. At least five subtypes can be identified based on unique gene expression patterns; this subtype classification is distinct from the histopathological classification. The transcription factor network(s) required for the specific gene expression signature in each of these subtypes is currently being elucidated. The transcription factor network composed of the oestrogen (estrogen) receptor ), FOXA1 and GATA3 may contr...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - March 13, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Cholangiocyte proliferation and liver fibrosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesShannon S. Glaser, Eugenio Gaudio, Tim Miller, Domenico Alvaro, Gianfranco Alpini, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e7AbstractCholangiocyte proliferation is triggered during extrahepatic bile duct obstruction induced by bile duct ligation, which is a common in vivo model used for the study of cholangiocyte proliferation and liver fibrosis. The proliferative response of cholangiocytes during cholestasis is regulated by the complex interaction of several factors, including gastrointestinal hormones, neuroendocrine hormones and autocrine or paracrine signalling mechanisms. Activation of bili...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - March 5, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Pharmaceutical approaches to eradication of persistent HIV infectionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesMary-Catherine Bowman, Nancie M. Archin, David M. Margolis, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e6AbstractHighly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has markedly decreased morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals in the developed world. Successful therapy often results in stable plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA below the limits of detection of commercial assays. Nonetheless, HIV-1 has not been cured by HAART. The causes of persistence of HIV infection in the face of current therapy appear to be multifactorial: latent but replication-competent pr...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - February 23, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Melatonin and breast cancer: cellular mechanisms, clinical studies and future perspectivesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesStephen G. Grant, Melissa A. Melan, Jean J. Latimer, Paula A. Witt-Enderby, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e5AbstractRecent studies have suggested that the pineal hormone melatonin may protect against breast cancer, and the mechanisms underlying its actions are becoming clearer. Melatonin works through receptors and distinct second messenger pathways to reduce cellular proliferation and to induce cellular differentiation. In addition, independently of receptors melatonin can modulate oestrogen-dependent pathways and reduce free-radical formation, thus preventing mutation and cellular to...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - February 11, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Membrane transporters and folate homeostasis: intestinal absorption and transport into systemic compartments and tissuesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesRongbao Zhao, Larry H. Matherly, I. David Goldman, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e4AbstractMembers of the family of B9 vitamins are commonly known as folates. They are derived entirely from dietary sources and are key one-carbon donors required for de novo nucleotide and methionine synthesis. These highly hydrophilic molecules use several genetically distinct and functionally diverse transport systems to enter cells: the reduced folate carrier, the proton-coupled folate transporter and the folate receptors. Each plays a unique role in mediating folate transport across epithelia and int...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - February 4, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Emerging role of the cannabinoid receptor CB 2 in immune regulation: therapeutic prospects for neuroinflammationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesGuy A. Cabral, LaToya Griffin-Thomas, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e3AbstractThere is now a large body of data indicating that the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) is linked to a variety of immune events. This functional relevance appears to be most salient in the course of inflammation, a process during which there is an increased number of receptors that are available for activation. Studies aimed at elucidating signal transduction events resulting from CB2 interaction with its native ligands, and of the role of exogenous cannabinoids in modulating this process, are providing novel...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - January 24, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Inflammation and neuropeptides: the connection in diabetic wound healingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesLeena Pradhan, Christoph Nabzdyk, Nicholas D. Andersen, Frank W. LoGerfo, Aristidis Veves, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e2AbstractAbnormal wound healing is a major complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with nonhealing foot ulcerations leading in the worst cases to lower-limb amputation. Wound healing requires the integration of complex cellular and molecular events in successive phases of inflammation, cell proliferation, cell migration, angiogenesis and re-epithelialisation. A link between wound healing and the nervous system is clinically apparent as peripheral neuropathy...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - January 21, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Promiscuous drugs as therapeutics for chemokine receptorsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesRichard Horuk, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 , pp e1AbstractChemokine receptor antagonists that held much promise for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases have recently performed poorly in clinical trials, resulting in disappointment for both pharmaceutical companies and patients. This review focuses on the redundancy of the molecular target as one potential reason for the failure of some of these antagonists to fulfil their initial promise, and discusses the use of drugs that are capable of interacting with more than one drug target as possible approaches to overcome this...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - January 10, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Volume 11Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 11 Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine is an exciting online journal featuring high-quality reviews of the latest developments in this fast-growing field. Coverage includes gene therapy, immunotherapeutics, drug design, vaccines, genetic testing, pathogenesis, epidemiology, genomics, diagnostics and techniques. Reviews are published continually on the website. The journal's innovative functionality allows viewers to access not only the review articles, but also fully abstracted references, figures, photographs, tables, animations and molecular models. Expert Reviews in Molecula...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - January 1, 2009 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Noonan, Costello and cardio–facio–cutaneous syndromes: dysregulation of the Ras–MAPK pathwayEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesWilliam E. Tidyman, Katherine A. Rauen, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e37AbstractA class of developmental disorders caused by dysregulation of the Ras-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade (the Ras Noonan, Costello and cardio cutaneous syndromes MAPK pathway. In vitro studies have determined that the overwhelming majority of these mutations result in increased signal transduction down the pathway, but usually to a lesser degree than somatic mutations in the same genes that are associated with cancer. The Ras facio cutaneous syndrome, and explore possible therapeutic m...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - December 11, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Survival and proliferative roles of erythropoietin beyond the erythroid lineageEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesConstance Tom Noguchi, Li Wang, Heather M. Rogers, Ruifeng Teng, Yi Jia, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e36AbstractSince the isolation and purification of erythropoietin (EPO) in 1977, the essential role of EPO for mature red blood cell production has been well established. The cloning of the EPO gene and production of recombinant human EPO led to the widespread use of EPO in treating patients with anaemia. However, the biological activity of EPO is not restricted to regulation of erythropoiesis. EPO receptor (EPOR) expression is also found in endothelial, brain, cardiovascular and othe...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - December 5, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Manipulation of dendritic cell functions by human cytomegalovirusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesJohn Sinclair, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e35AbstractDendritic cells are the most potent antigen-presenting cells of the mammalian immune system and are central to the initiation and maintenance of the adaptive immune response. They are crucial for the presentation of antigen to T cells and B cells, as well as the induction of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines, which orchestrate the balance of the cell-mediated (Th1) and antibody (Th2) response. This ability of dendritic cells to present antigen and release chemokines and cytokines also bridges the innate and adaptive immune ...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 25, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Pharmacogenetics and breast cancer endocrine therapy: CYP2D6 as a predictive factor for tamoxifen metabolism and drug response?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesVered Stearns, James M. Rae, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e34AbstractThe identification of genetic polymorphisms that influence the efficacy and safety of therapies for breast cancer may allow future treatments to be individualised based not only on tumour characteristics but also on host genetics. Genetic factors that affect the metabolism, efficacy and safety of tamoxifen, one of the most common drugs used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, have received particular attention. Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) is crucial in the metabolism of tamoxifen to its active metabol...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 21, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Therapeutic and prophylactic applications of alphavirus vectorsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesGregory J. Atkins, Marina N. Fleeton, Brian J. Sheahan, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e33AbstractAlphavirus vectors are high-level, transient expression vectors for therapeutic and prophylactic use. These positive-stranded RNA vectors, derived from Semliki Forest virus, Sindbis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, multiply and are expressed in the cytoplasm of most vertebrate cells, including human cells. Part of the genome encoding the structural protein genes, which is amplified during a normal infection, is replaced by a transgene. Three types of vector have been develope...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 21, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Therapeutic potential of HMGB1-targeting agents in sepsisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesHaichao Wang, Shu Zhu, Rongrong Zhou, Wei Li, Andrew E. Sama, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e32AbstractSepsis refers to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome resulting from a microbial infection. The inflammatory response is partly mediated by innate immune cells (such as macrophages, monocytes and neutrophils), which not only ingest and eliminate invading pathogens but also initiate an inflammatory response upon recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The prevailing theories of sepsis as a dysregulated inflammatory response, as manifested by excessive releas...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - November 5, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Cellular and molecular interactions in coinfection with hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesBarbara Roe, William W. Hall, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e30AbstractCoinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with increased HCV replication and a more rapid progression to severe liver disease, including the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the pathogenesis of HCV/HIV coinfection and the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with the accelerated course of liver disease. The strength and breadth of HCV-specific T-cell responses are reduced in HCV/H...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - October 28, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Immune defence mechanisms and immunoenhancement strategies in oropharyngeal candidiasisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesCristina Cunha Villar, Anna Dongari-Bagtzoglou, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e29AbstractThe prevalence of oropharyngeal candidiasis continues to be high, mainly because of an increasing population of immunocompromised patients. Traditional treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis has relied on the use of antimicrobial drugs. However, unsatisfactory results with drug monotherapy and the emergence of resistant strains have prompted investigations into the potential use of adjunctive immunoenhancing therapies for the treatment of these infections. Here we review the host-recognition system...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - October 14, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Hypothalamic orexins/hypocretins as regulators of breathingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesRhîannan H. Williams, Denis Burdakov, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e28AbstractIt was suggested half a century ago that electrical impulses from the lateral hypothalamic area stimulate breathing. It is now emerging that these effects may be mediated, at least in part, by neurons containing orexin neuropeptides (also known as hypocretins). These cells promote wakefulness and consciousness, and their loss results in narcolepsy. Recent data also show that orexin neurons directly project to respiratory centres in the brainstem, which express orexin receptors, and where injection of orexin...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - October 10, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Recent advances in understanding the molecular basis of group B Streptococcus virulenceEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesHeather C. Maisey, Kelly S. Doran, Victor Nizet, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e27AbstractGroup B Streptococcus commonly colonises healthy adults without symptoms, yet under certain circumstances displays the ability to invade host tissues, evade immune detection and cause serious invasive disease. Consequently, Group B Streptococcus remains a leading cause of neonatal pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. Here we review recent information on the bacterial factors and mechanisms that direct host pathogen interactions involved in the pathogenesis of Group B Streptococcus infection. New rese...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 25, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

The pathogenesis of Niemann–Pick type C disease: a role for autophagy?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesChris D. Pacheco, Andrew P. Lieberman, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e26AbstractNiemann Pick type C disease (NPC) is a sphingolipid-storage disorder that results from inherited deficiencies of intracellular lipid-trafficking proteins, and is characterised by an accumulation of cholesterol and glycosphingolipids in late endosomes and lysosomes. Patients with this disorder develop progressive neurological impairment that often begins in childhood, is ultimately fatal and is currently untreatable. How impaired lipid trafficking leads to neurodegeneration is largely unknown. Here we review...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 18, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular medicine of microRNAs: structure, function and implications for diabetesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesErica Hennessy, Lorraine O'Driscoll, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e24AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of endogenous small noncoding RNA molecules, of 19 -cells, diabetic heart conditions and nephropathy. Further analyses of miRNAs in vitro and in vivo will, undoubtedly, enable us determine their potential to be exploited as therapeutic targets in diabetes. (Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine)
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 18, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular pathology of myofibrillar myopathiesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesIsidre Ferrer, Montse Olivé, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e25AbstractMyofibrillar myopathies (MFMs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous muscle disorders that are defined morphologically by the presence of foci of myofibril dissolution, accumulation of myofibrillar degradation products, and ectopic expression of multiple proteins. MFMs are the paradigm of conformational protein diseases of the skeletal (and cardiac) muscles characterised by intracellular protein accumulation in muscle cells. Understanding of this group of disorders has advanced in recent years through the ide...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - September 9, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Molecular medicine of microRNAs: structure, function and implications for diabetesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesErica Hennessy, Lorraine O'Driscoll, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e24AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of endogenous small noncoding RNA molecules, of 19 -cells, diabetic heart conditions and nephropathy. Further analyses of miRNAs in vitro and in vivo will, undoubtedly, enable us determine their potential to be exploited as therapeutic targets in diabetes. (Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine)
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 27, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

New molecular targets in angiogenic vessels of glioblastoma tumoursEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesJoshua C. Anderson, Braden C. McFarland, Candece L. Gladson, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e23AbstractAntiangiogenesis approaches have the potential to be particularly effective in the treatment of glioblastoma tumours. These tumours exhibit extremely high levels of neovascularisation, which may contribute to their extremely aggressive behaviour, not only by providing oxygenation and nutrition, but also by establishing a leaky vasculature that lacks a blood brain barrier. This leaky vasculature enables migration of tumour cells, as well as the build up of fluid, which exacerbates tissu...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 27, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals

Critical molecular abnormalities in high-grade serous carcinoma of the ovaryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Review ArticlesMartin Köbel, David Huntsman, C. Blake Gilks, Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine, Volume 10 , pp e22AbstractOvarian carcinomas show more morphological heterogeneity than adenocarcinomas of any other body site. It has recently become clear that the morphologically defined subtypes of ovarian carcinoma are distinct diseases, with different risk factors, molecular events during oncogenesis, likelihood of spread, responses to chemotherapy, and outcomes. This review focuses on molecular abnormalities (in genes expressing BRCA1/2, TP53 and RB1/CCND1/CDKN2A/E2F) found in high-grade serous carcinomas of the ovary...
Source: Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine - August 27, 2008 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: journals