Introduction: Cysteine proteases are involved in a broad range of biological functions, ranging from extracellular matrix turnover to immunity. Playing an important role in the onset and progression of several diseases, including cancer, immune-related and neurodegenerative disease, viral and parasitic infections, cysteine proteases represent an attractive drug target for the development of therapeutic tools.
Areas Covered: Recent scientific and patent literature focusing on the design and study of cysteine protease inhibitors with potential therapeutic application has been reviewed.
Expert Opinion: The discovery of a number of effective structurally diverse cysteine protease inhibitors opened up new challenges and opportunities for the development of therapeutic tools. Mechanistic studies and the availability of X-ray crystal structures of some proteases, alone and in complex with inhibitors, provide crucial information for the rational design and development of efficient and selective cysteine protease inhibitors as preclinical candidates for the treatment of different diseases.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13543776.2024.2327299 | DOI Listing |
Biochemistry
January 2025
Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, United States.
In the wake of the pandemic, peptidyl protease inhibitors with Pro-based rigid Leu mimetics at the P position have emerged as potent drug candidates against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. This success is intuitively attributed to the enhanced hydrophobic interactions and rigidity of Pro-based rigid Leu mimetics in the literature. However, the tertiary amide of proline P derivatives, which hinders the formation of a critical hydrogen bond with the enzyme active site, and the constrained PP conformation, which contradicts the protease preferred β-strand conformation, represent two overlooked disadvantages associated with these inhibitors over traditional inhibitors and, theoretically, should adversely affect their potency.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Cell Mol Med
January 2025
Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Yunnan, China.
Currently, an effective treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) is not available. Due to the irreversible primary injury associated with SCI, the prevention and treatment of secondary injury are very important. In the secondary injury stage, pyroptosis exacerbates the deterioration of the spinal cord injury, and inhibiting pyroptosis is beneficial for recovery from SCI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFASEB J
January 2025
Department of Vascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm represents a critical pathology of the aorta that currently lacks effective pharmacological interventions. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) has been established to be involved in cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure. However, its role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZhejiang Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban
January 2025
School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair, Hangzhou 310015, China.
Objectives: To investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of extract on motor dysfunction in mouse model of Parkinson's disease (PD).
Methods: Eighty C57BL/6 male mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, PD model group, levodopa treatment group (positive control group), low-dose GP treatment group (LD-GP group), and high-dose GP treatment group (HD-GP group), with 16 mice per group. The PD model was induced by injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into the substantia nigra pars reticulata in mice of last 5 groups.
J Ethnopharmacol
January 2025
Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314001, PR China; Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, PR China; College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, PR China. Electronic address:
Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Toona sinensis fruit polyphenols (TSFP) are polyphenols that have been separated and extracted from mature Toona sinensis fruits. TSFP anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties have demonstrated promise. However, the underlying mechanisms require more elucidation.
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