Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Federico Serral, Florencia A. Castello, Ezequiel J. Sosa, Agustin M. Pardo, Miranda Clara Palumbo, Carlos Modenutti, Maria Mercedes Palomino, Alberto Lazarowski, Jeronimo Auzmendi, Pablo Ivan P. Ramos, Marisa F. Nicolas, Adrian G. Turjanski, Marcelo A. Marti, Dario Fernandez Do Porto
Summary: This review discusses the challenges posed by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and the declining private investment in developing new antimicrobials. It highlights the importance of utilizing multi-omics data, structural/functional analysis, and systems biology to prioritize candidate proteins for drug discovery, as well as the use of virtual screening to explore potential inhibitors and guide the development of new drug lead compounds. The advent of omics and the application of bioinformatics strategies in the big-data era have improved target selection and lead compound identification in a cost-effective and shortened timeline.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Danqing Zhu, Hunter J. Johnson, Jun Chen, David V. Schaffer
Summary: Cells receive regulatory signals in a dynamic microenvironment and respond by initiating downstream processes. Conventional methods lack precise control over signaling levels and limited spatial or temporal control. Optogenetics, using light-sensitive proteins, allows for precise control over signaling dynamics and gene expression, facilitating the study of how varying signals modulate gene regulatory networks and cellular behaviors.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Vasily V. Reshetnikov, Sviatlana V. Smolskaya, Sofia G. Feoktistova, Vladislav V. Verkhusha
Summary: Advances in genetic engineering and optical technologies have expanded the possibilities of optogenetics in recent years. However, its application in industries such as biotechnology and biomaterials production is still limited, as specific optogenetic systems need to be engineered for each practical task. This review discusses the latest developments in using optogenetic tools in biofuel and valuable chemical production, biomedical and polymer material synthesis, and plant agrobiology. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of light-controlled and smart biomaterials' properties and industrial applicability, outlining the prospects for future use of optogenetics in the bioindustry.
TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Vinicius M. Alves, Daniel Korn, Vera Pervitsky, Andrew Thieme, Stephen J. Capuzzi, Nancy Baker, Rada Chirkova, Sean Ekins, Eugene N. Muratov, Anthony Hickey, Alexander Tropsha
Summary: This article discusses recent advances in biomedical knowledge mining for drug discovery in rare diseases, emphasizing the effectiveness of machine learning and biomedical knowledge graph mining. The power of these methodologies is illustrated through a case study on chordoma.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Long Nguyen, Carlos Caldas
Summary: Advances in sequencing technology have allowed detailed characterization of human malignancies, but translating this information into clinically relevant outcomes has been slow. Models to study human cancers have been established, leading to the identification of genetic dependencies that can be targeted with drug therapy. However, the discovery of biomarkers for predicting treatment response remains a challenge in many cancers.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Kashish Parnami, Anwesha Bhattacharyya
Summary: Inherited progressive degeneration of photoreceptors, such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), is a common cause of blindness, affecting approximately 1 in 5,000 people worldwide. Optogenetic therapy has emerged as a potential treatment to restore vision by making remaining retinal neurons light-sensitive. Various types of opsins and proteins have been utilized in studies to investigate their effectiveness in vision restoration. While most studies have shown promising results in the retina, achieving functional vision in the visual cortex remains a challenge.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Leonardo L. G. Ferreira, Josue de Moraes, Adriano D. Andricopulo
Summary: Neglected tropical diseases, such as leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis, continue to be a public health challenge in developing countries. However, advancements in drug discovery using modern strategies have shown promise in addressing these diseases by combining medicinal chemistry and parasite biology.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Chun-Ka Wong, Hung-Fat Tse
Summary: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia requiring rhythm control, but current medications have limited efficacy and significant side effects. This review explores potential drug targets and new methodologies, such as gene therapy and stem cell technologies, in the development of more effective treatments for AF. Recent advances in understanding the underlying mechanisms of AF are leading to a shift towards developing therapeutic agents targeting these mechanisms, with promising results in novel treatment approaches.
EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DISCOVERY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yash Gupta, Oleksandr Savytskyi, Matt Coban, Amoghavarsha Venugopal, Vasili Pleqi, Caleb A. Weber, Rohit Chitale, Ravi Durvasula, Christopher Hopkins, Prakasha Kempaiah, Thomas R. Caulfield
Summary: COVID-19 is the first documented pandemic caused by a coronavirus, resulting in over 5 million deaths and nearly 300 million reported cases. It has prompted advancements in technology development and reshaped public health needs and research agendas. Collaboration between previously segregated fields of science and technology has emerged, overcoming the pharmaceutical industry's resistance to repurposing existing drugs. Effective vaccine development, although unprecedented in speed, still took over a year, and the emergence of variants continues to strain healthcare systems. Structural characterization of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and mapping of host pathways have been achieved, thanks to existing technology and new tools such as artificial intelligence. This article focuses on advances in target-based drug discovery and the implications of known target-specific agents on COVID-19 therapeutic management, emphasizing the need for personalized medicine efforts and stratifying patients for different combinations of therapeutics.
MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Victor Sebastian-Perez, Ines Sifaoui, Maria Reyes-Batlle, Angelica Dominguez-De Barros, Atteneri Lopez-Arencibia, Nuria E. Campillo, Jose E. Pinero, Jacob Lorenzo-Morales, Carmen Gil
Summary: The research team targeted the phosphodiesterase RegA of Acanthamoeba that causes keratitis and encephalitis, and identified compounds that can inhibit the growth of Acanthamoeba through virtual screening. These compounds induce apoptosis through ROS-mediated mitochondrial damage, showing promise for producing more effective antiacanthamoebal drugs.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Li-Juan Deng, Wei-Qing Deng, Shu-Ran Fan, Min-Feng Chen, Ming Qi, Wen-Yu Lyu, Qi Qi, Amit K. Tiwari, Jia-Xu Chen, Dong-Mei Zhang, Zhe-Sheng Chen
Summary: Abnormal N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is closely related to cancer development, and finding targeted anticancer drugs is important. Traditional herbs and computer-synthesized compounds are reasonable sources for these drugs. Artificial intelligence has advantages in discovering m6A-targeting anticancer drugs.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Wenzhan Yang, Shobha N. Bhattachar, Phenil J. Patel, Margaret Landis, Dipal Patel, Darren L. Reid, Marieta Duvnjak Romic
Summary: Drug-delivery technologies play a crucial role in drug discovery and development by modulating target engagement and improving therapeutic outcomes through earlier implementation, ultimately enhancing the value of drug products.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabriela Manzano-Nieves, Conor Liston
Summary: The analogue of ibogaine has similar therapeutic effects in treating addiction and depression in animal models, with fewer side effects and a simpler synthesis process.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Jeffrey A. Dewey, Cleimence Delalande, Saara-Anne Azizi, Vivian Lu, Dionysios Antonopoulos, Gyorgy Babnigg
Summary: This article reviews the identification methods and strategies of small-molecule molecular glues and introduces the classification of currently approved glues. The importance of factors such as experimental conditions, software packages, and genetic tools is highlighted, and the curation of this method hopes to inspire diverse research efforts targeting a multitude of human diseases.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Samantha R. De Silva, Anthony T. Moore
Summary: Inherited retinal degenerations, such as retinitis pigmentosa, are a major cause of blindness in working age adults. Optogenetics, a method that uses light to activate retinal cells, shows potential for restoring visual function in patients with advanced retinal degeneration. Several clinical trials are currently underway to investigate this approach.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2022)