Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P39060 (endostatin)
 2,284 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The lysosomal protease cathepsin B has been implicated in a variety of pathologies including pancreatitis, tumor angiogenesis, and neuronal diseases. We used a tube formation assay to investigate the role of cathepsin B in angiogenesis. When cultured between two layers of collagen I, primary endothelial cells formed tubes in response to exogenously added VEGF. Overexpressing cathepsin B reduced the VEGF-dependent tube response, whereas pharmacologically or molecularly suppressing cathepsin B eliminated the dependence on exogenous VEGF. However, tube formation still required VEGF receptor activity, which suggested that endothelial cells generated VEGF. Indeed, VEGF mRNA and protein was detectable in cells treated with cathepsin B inhibitor, which correlated with a rise in the level of HIF-1alpha. In addition to boosting the level of proangiogenic factors, blocking cathepsin B activity reduced the amount of the antiangiogenic protein endostatin. Thus endothelial cells have the intrinsic capacity to generate pro- and antiangiogenic agents. These observations complement and expand our appreciation of how endothelial cell-derived proteases regulate angiogenesis.
 ...
PMID:Cathepsin B regulates the intrinsic angiogenic threshold of endothelial cells. 1590 32

Although turmeric (Curcuma longa; an Indian spice) has been described in Ayurveda, as a treatment for inflammatory diseases and is referred by different names in different cultures, the active principle called curcumin or diferuloylmethane, a yellow pigment present in turmeric (curry powder) has been shown to exhibit numerous activities. Extensive research over the last half century has revealed several important functions of curcumin. It binds to a variety of proteins and inhibits the activity of various kinases. By modulating the activation of various transcription factors, curcumin regulates the expression of inflammatory enzymes, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and cell survival proteins. Curcumin also downregulates cyclin D1, cyclin E and MDM2; and upregulates p21, p27, and p53. Various preclinical cell culture and animal studies suggest that curcumin has potential as an antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antiangiogenic agent; as a mediator of chemoresistance and radioresistance; as a chemopreventive agent; and as a therapeutic agent in wound healing, diabetes, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and arthritis. Pilot phase I clinical trials have shown curcumin to be safe even when consumed at a daily dose of 12g for 3 months. Other clinical trials suggest a potential therapeutic role for curcumin in diseases such as familial adenomatous polyposis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, hypercholesteremia, atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, psoriasis, chronic anterior uveitis and arthritis. Thus, curcumin, a spice once relegated to the kitchen shelf, has moved into the clinic and may prove to be "Curecumin".
 ...
PMID:Curcumin as "Curecumin": from kitchen to clinic. 1790 May 36