Development Of Small Inhibitors Research Articles

Design, Synthesis, and Anticancer Activity of a Selenium-Containing Galectin-3 and Galectin-9N Inhibitor.

Galectins are soluble β-D-galactoside-binding proteins whose implication in cancer progression and disease outcome makes them prominent targets for therapeutic intervention. In this frame, the development of small inhibitors that block selectively the activity of galectins represents an important strategy for cancer therapy which is, however, still relatively underdeveloped. To this end, we designed here a rationally and efficiently novel diglycosylated compound, characterized by a selenoglycoside bond and the presence of a lipophilic benzyl group at both saccharide residues. The relatively high binding affinity of the new compound to the carbohydrate recognition domain of two galectins, galectin 3 and galectin 9, its good antiproliferative and anti-migration activity towards melanoma cells, as well as its anti-angiogenesis properties, pave the way for its further development as an anticancer agent.

Small Molecular Inhibitors Targeting Chromatin Regulating Proteins for Cancer.

Chromatin-regulating proteins modulate nucleosome structure by either modifying histones covalently or disrupting DNA-protein interaction directly with ATP hydrolysis. Evidence has shown that chromatin-regulating proteins play critical roles in regulation of molecular processes using DNA as template, including gene expression, DNA replication, DNA damage repair, and chromosome integrity. In most of human malignancies, chromatin-regulating proteins have been shown as functional oncogenes. In some scenarios, chromatin-regulating proteins also could have tumor suppressive functions. Thereby, small molecular inhibitors targeting chromatin-regulating proteins could be used for cancer therapies. Numerous small molecular inhibitors against chromatin-regulating proteins are recently developed by academic and industrial groups. These compounds are evaluated for antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo. Some of them have shown great potential to become a therapeutic drug for cancer, and is currently evaluated in clinical trials. A few compounds have been approved for clinical use in cancer treatment. In this review, we will focus on the recent progress on the development of small inhibitors of chromatin-regulating proteins for cancer therapy.

Recent Developments in Thrombin-Activatable Fibrinolysis Inhibitor Research

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) provides an important molecular link between the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. In this review, recent major advances in TAFI research, including the elucidation of crystal structures, the development of small inhibitors and the role of TAFI in systems other than hemostasis, are described and discussed.