Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0014070 (encephalomyelitis)
 13,017 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a gene family of neutral proteases that are important in normal development, wound healing, and a wide variety of pathological processes, including the spread of metastatic cancer cells, arthritic destruction of joints, atherosclerosis, and neuroinflammation. In the central nervous system (CNS), MMPs have been shown to degrade components of the basal lamina, leading to disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and to contribute to the neuroinflammatory response in many neurological diseases. Brain cells express both constitutive and inducible MMPs in response to cellular stress. MMPs are tightly regulated to avoid unwanted proteolysis. Secreted as inactive enzymes, the MMPs require activation by other proteases and free radicals. The MMPs are part of a larger class of metalloproteinases (MPs), which includes the recently discovered ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain) and ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase thrombospondin) families. MPs have complex roles at the cell surface and within the extracellular matrix. At the cell surface, they act as sheddases, releasing growth factors, death receptors, and death-inducing ligands, making them important in cell survival and death. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are endogenous inhibitors that regulate the activity of the MMPs. Synthetic inhibitors have been developed for the treatment of arthritis and cancer. These hydroxymate-based compounds have been shown to reduce injury in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), experimental allergic neuritis (EAN), cerebral ischemia, intracerebral hemorrhage, and viral and bacterial infections. MPs have both beneficial and detrimental roles; understanding their expression in various CNS insults will allow for the use of MMP inhibitors in the treatment of neurological disorders.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinases in neuroinflammation. 1220 94

ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) proteinases have been implicated in a number of connective tissue pathologies including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VII C, Weill-Marchesani syndrome, encephalomyelitis, and arthritis. These proteinases therefore represent potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of such conditions. The synthesis and activity of ADAMTS proteinases is regulated at multiple levels: transcription, RNA splicing, translation, proteolytic processing, cofactor stimulation and inhibition, each of which represents a possible point of therapeutic intervention. Recent research suggests that, in addition to the direct inhibition of ADAMTS proteinases with low molecular weight non-peptidic inhibitors, targeting the transcription and protein processing of these enzymes could be effective therapeutic approaches.
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PMID:ADAMTS proteinases: potential therapeutic targets? 1647 31

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) plays a role both in the induction of Treg and in the differentiation of the IL-17-secreting T cells (Th17) which drive inflammation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We investigated the role that thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) dependent activation of TGF-beta played in the generation of an encephalitic Th17 response in EAE. Upon immunization with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG(35-55)), TSP-1 deficient (TSP-1(null)) mice and MOG(35-55) TCR transgenic mice that lack of TSP-1 (2D2 x TSP-1(null)) exhibited an attenuated form of EAE, and secreted lower levels of IL-17. Adoptive transfer of in vitro-activated 2D2 x TSP-1(null) T cells induced a milder form of EAE, independent of TSP-1 expression in the recipient mice. Furthermore, in vitro studies demonstrated that anti-CD3/anti-CD28 pre-activated CD4+ T cells transiently upregulated latent TGF-beta in a TSP-1 dependent way, and such activation of latent TGF-beta was required for the differentiation of Th17 cells. These results demonstrate that TSP-1 participates in the differentiation of Th17 cells through its ability to activate latent TGF-beta, and enhances the inflammatory response in EAE.
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PMID:Deficiency of thrombospondin-1 reduces Th17 differentiation and attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. 1918 83