Studies in the past few years have provided compelling evidence for the critical role of aberrant Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Thus, it is...Studies in the past few years have provided compelling evidence for the critical role of aberrant Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Thus, it is now generally accepted that STAT3 is one of the critical players in human cancer formation and represents a valid target for novel anticancer drug design. This review focuses on aberrant STAT3 and its role in promoting tumor cell survival and sup- porting the malignant phenotype. A brief evaluation of the current strategies targeting STAT3 for the development of novel anticancer agents against human tumors harboring constitutively active STAT3 will also be presented.展开更多
Growth factors and their corresponding receptors are commonly overexpressed and/or dysregulated in many cancers including hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Clinical trials indicate that growth factor receptors and their ...Growth factors and their corresponding receptors are commonly overexpressed and/or dysregulated in many cancers including hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Clinical trials indicate that growth factor receptors and their related signalling pathways play important roles in HCC cancer etiology and progression, thus providing rational targets for innovative cancer therapies. A number of strategies including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors ("small molecule inhibitors") and antisense oligonucleotides have already been evaluated for their potency to inhibit the activity and downstream signalling cascades of these receptors in HCC. First clinical trials have also shown that multi-kinase inhibition is an effective novel treatment strategy in HCC. In this respect sorafenib, an inhibitor of Raf-, VEGF- and PDGF-signalling, is the first multi-kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced HCC. Moreover, the serine-threonine kinase of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) upon which the signalling of several growth factor receptors converge plays a central role in cancer cell proliferation, roTOR inhibition of HCC is currently also being studied in preclinical trials. As HCCs represent hypervascularized neoplasms, inhibition of tumour vessel formation via interfering with the VEGF/VEGFR system is another promising approach in HCC treatment. This review will summarize the current status of the various growth factor receptor-based treatment strategies and in view of the multitude of novel targeted approaches, the rationale for combination therapies for advanced HCC treatment will also be taken into account.展开更多
The limited efficacy of conventional cytotoxic treatment regimes for advanced gastrointestinal neuroendocrine cancers emphasizes the need for novel and more effective medical treatment options. Recent findings on the ...The limited efficacy of conventional cytotoxic treatment regimes for advanced gastrointestinal neuroendocrine cancers emphasizes the need for novel and more effective medical treatment options. Recent findings on the specific biological features of this family of neoplasms has led to the development of new targeted therapies, which take into account the high vascularization and abundant expression of specific growth factors and cognate tyrosine kinase receptors. This review will briefly summarize the status and future perspectives of antiangiogenic, mTOR- or growth factor receptor-based pharmacological approaches for the innovative treatment of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. In view of the multitude of novel targeted approaches, the rationale for innovative combination therapies, i.e. combining growth factor (receptor)-targeting agents with chemo- or biotherapeutics or with other novel anticancer drugs such as HDAC or proteasome inhibitors will be taken into account.展开更多
Nucleocapsid(N) protein plays crucial roles in the life cycle of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2), including the formation of ribonucleoprotein(RNP) complex with the viral RNA.Here we report...Nucleocapsid(N) protein plays crucial roles in the life cycle of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2), including the formation of ribonucleoprotein(RNP) complex with the viral RNA.Here we reported the crystal structures of the N-terminal domain(NTD) and C-terminal domain(CTD) of the N protein and an NTD-RNA complex. Our structures reveal a unique tetramer organization of NTD and identify a distinct RNA binding mode in the NTD-RNA complex, which could contribute to the formation of the RNP complex. We also screened small molecule inhibitors of N-NTD and N-CTD and discovered that ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic, can block the binding of RNA to NTD and inhibit the formation of the RNP complex. These results together could facilitate the further research of antiviral drug design targeting N protein.展开更多
文摘Studies in the past few years have provided compelling evidence for the critical role of aberrant Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Thus, it is now generally accepted that STAT3 is one of the critical players in human cancer formation and represents a valid target for novel anticancer drug design. This review focuses on aberrant STAT3 and its role in promoting tumor cell survival and sup- porting the malignant phenotype. A brief evaluation of the current strategies targeting STAT3 for the development of novel anticancer agents against human tumors harboring constitutively active STAT3 will also be presented.
文摘Growth factors and their corresponding receptors are commonly overexpressed and/or dysregulated in many cancers including hepatocellular cancer (HCC). Clinical trials indicate that growth factor receptors and their related signalling pathways play important roles in HCC cancer etiology and progression, thus providing rational targets for innovative cancer therapies. A number of strategies including monoclonal antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors ("small molecule inhibitors") and antisense oligonucleotides have already been evaluated for their potency to inhibit the activity and downstream signalling cascades of these receptors in HCC. First clinical trials have also shown that multi-kinase inhibition is an effective novel treatment strategy in HCC. In this respect sorafenib, an inhibitor of Raf-, VEGF- and PDGF-signalling, is the first multi-kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of advanced HCC. Moreover, the serine-threonine kinase of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) upon which the signalling of several growth factor receptors converge plays a central role in cancer cell proliferation, roTOR inhibition of HCC is currently also being studied in preclinical trials. As HCCs represent hypervascularized neoplasms, inhibition of tumour vessel formation via interfering with the VEGF/VEGFR system is another promising approach in HCC treatment. This review will summarize the current status of the various growth factor receptor-based treatment strategies and in view of the multitude of novel targeted approaches, the rationale for combination therapies for advanced HCC treatment will also be taken into account.
文摘The limited efficacy of conventional cytotoxic treatment regimes for advanced gastrointestinal neuroendocrine cancers emphasizes the need for novel and more effective medical treatment options. Recent findings on the specific biological features of this family of neoplasms has led to the development of new targeted therapies, which take into account the high vascularization and abundant expression of specific growth factors and cognate tyrosine kinase receptors. This review will briefly summarize the status and future perspectives of antiangiogenic, mTOR- or growth factor receptor-based pharmacological approaches for the innovative treatment of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors. In view of the multitude of novel targeted approaches, the rationale for innovative combination therapies, i.e. combining growth factor (receptor)-targeting agents with chemo- or biotherapeutics or with other novel anticancer drugs such as HDAC or proteasome inhibitors will be taken into account.
基金supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation(M21016)Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (2021-I2M-1-003 and 2021-CAMS-JZ004)+1 种基金Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences (045-61020100122)Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology
文摘Nucleocapsid(N) protein plays crucial roles in the life cycle of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2), including the formation of ribonucleoprotein(RNP) complex with the viral RNA.Here we reported the crystal structures of the N-terminal domain(NTD) and C-terminal domain(CTD) of the N protein and an NTD-RNA complex. Our structures reveal a unique tetramer organization of NTD and identify a distinct RNA binding mode in the NTD-RNA complex, which could contribute to the formation of the RNP complex. We also screened small molecule inhibitors of N-NTD and N-CTD and discovered that ceftriaxone sodium, an antibiotic, can block the binding of RNA to NTD and inhibit the formation of the RNP complex. These results together could facilitate the further research of antiviral drug design targeting N protein.