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MESOTHELIOMA NEWS
Study Supports Development Potential in Several
Therapeutic Areas
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Zengen, Inc. announced
today that its researchers have discovered that activation of melanocortin
receptors (MCR) subtypes MC1R and MC3R could be a novel strategy to control
inflammatory disorders.
The findings, "Targeting Melanocortin Receptors as a Novel Strategy to
Control Inflammation," appear in the March 2004 issue of Pharmacological
Reviews, a publication of the American Society for Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET).
"MCR activation causes a collective reduction of the major molecules
involved in the inflammatory process," said Anna Catania, M.D., professor of
endocrinology, School of Internal Medicine, University of Milan and lead
author of the study. "This discovery is significant because it shows that
treatment with melanocortin peptides doesn't abolish the inflammatory response
but instead modulates it. An advantage of melanocortins in the treatment of
inflammation is that their influences are broad and are not restricted to a
specific mediator or chemical pathway."
Recognition and cloning of five melanocortin receptors has greatly
improved understanding of peptide-target cell interactions. Preclinical
investigations indicate that activation of certain MCR subtypes, primarily
MC1R and MC3R, could be useful in treatment of localized and systemic
inflammatory disorders. These include: organ transplantation, chronic
inflammatory diseases, acute inflammation, inflammation within the brain and
neurogenerative disorders, peripheral neuropathies, systemic host reactions,
ischemia and reperfusion injury and infections.
"The study results also indicate that certain melanocortin peptides have
antimicrobial effects," said James Lipton, Ph.D., chief scientific officer and
director of Zengen and study author. "Unlike corticosteroids, melanocortins
do not reduce microbial killing activity, but enhance it. We are encouraged
by these findings and will continue our research and development efforts in
peptide technology."
Zengen's researchers also conducted a separate study on melanocortin
receptors that was published in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of
Leukocyte Biology. The study, titled, "Autocrine inhibitory influences of
alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone in malignant pleural mesothelioma,"
showed that activation of express melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) by selective
peptides or peptidomimetics might provide a novel strategy to reduce
mesothelioma cell proliferation by taking advantage of an endogenous
inhibitory circuit based on alpha-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (alpha-MSH),
and its receptor MC1R.
> Visit MesotheliomaHelp.net's Resource Library for
more information on
this new study.
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