Natural Killer T (NKT) cells are special T lymphocyte subpopulations that have important regulatory functions on several autoimmune diseases. They possess the characteristics of both natural killer (NK) cells and T cells. However, NKT cells are heterogeneous and are quite difficult to be defined precisely.

NKT cells can be identified by the NK marker and the specific T cell receptor they express, the specific antigen they recognize in context with the non-conventional major histocompatibility (MHC) molecule. Even though NKT cells exist in humans, they were not studied as extensively as in mice. NKT cells express NK cell surface marker CD161, which ... Read more

Undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (ES cells) and embryonic germ cells (EG cells) can be cultured indefinitely and yet maintain the potential to form most, if not all, of the tissues and organs in the body. Human ES and EG cells also provide an exciting new model for understanding the differentiation and function of human tissue, offer new strategies for drug discovery and the promise of new transplantation therapies.

At the blastocyst stage, the embryo forms an inner cell mass (ICM). Although the cells of the ICM contribute to all adult tissues, these embryonic cells proliferate and replace themselves in the ... Read more

Highlights of the conclusions drawn from findings in recent studies of insulin receptor mutant mice:

1. Better understanding of manifestations of insulin resistance.

2. Enriched the repertoire of potential targets for drug development for diabetes treatment.

3. Treatments to confront insulin resistance in diabetes should selectively target insulin receptors in different tissues.

4. Besides its prominent role in muscle and fat, insulin receptor signaling in liver, brain, and pancreatic β-cells also play a very significant role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

In vivo mutagenesis studies of the insulin receptor in mice

Insulin regulation plays a pivotal role in several ... Read more

In this post-genomic era, there is a consensus that studying the proteome, the realm of proteins and their complex derivatives, ought to be one of the top priorities. Researchers on this frontier, though encouraged by the accomplishments in the efforts of mapping the genome and transcriptome, are challenged by the complexity that a proteome presents. New tools are constantly evolving, such as the emerging field of chemical proteomics, a chemical approach of using organic synthesis to study comparative protein levels and functions at the proteome level.

Advances in chemical approaches are exemplified in three main aspects of a proteome: protein abundance, ... Read more

Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are also referred to as protein chaperones or stress proteins. The expression of HSPs is up-regulated when cells are exposed to stress conditions, such as heat, oxidative stress or glucose starvation. They play a critical role in the regulation of protein folding, sorting and assembly. HSPs are found in all of the cellular compartments that are engaged in protein folding, from the cytosol, mitochondria to endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Based on their molecular weights, HSPs can be divided into 5 major groups, HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90 and HSP110/104.

The relationship between HSPs and tumor immunity was revealed about two ... Read more

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent professional or specialized antigen presenting cells (APCs) that induce and regulate immune responses. Two major pathways in humans lead to the generation of three subsets of DCs. The myeloid pathway, through the CD14+ and CD11C+ intermediates, generates two subsets. One subset is Langerhans cells (LCs), which are found in stratified epithelial tissues or organs such as skin, and secrete IL-12. The other subset is interstitial DCs (intDCs) which are found in all other tissues and make IL-12 and IL-10 and induce differentiation of naive B cells. The lymphoid pathway, through the intermediate CD11C, ... Read more

Other Names: aprepitant, MK-869.

Maker: Merck and Co., Inc.

Disease Prevented: Prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy. EMEND is not effective as a treatment for the nausea and vomiting symptoms that the patient has already had.

Approval Status: Approved by the U.S. FDA on March 26, 2003.

Chemical/Biological Nature: EMEND is a small chemical drug molecule that has a molecular weight of 534.4 daltons.

Administration: EMEND is administered orally. The recommended dosage is 125 mg one hour prior to chemotherapy treatment (Day 1) and 80 mg once daily in the morning on ... Read more

Other Names: Laronidase.

Maker: BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc, and Genzyme Corporation.

Disease Treated: Patients with Hurler and Hurler-Scheie forms of Mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPS I) and patients with the Scheie form who have moderate to severe symptoms.

Approval Status: Approved by the U.S. FDA on April 30, 2003. ALDURAZYME is an orphan drug which enjoyed a priority review process and a market exclusivity for seven years.

Chemical/Biological Nature: ALDURAZYME is a recombinant protein comprised of 628 amino acids that are identical to the human a-L-iduronidase. It is produced by recombinant technology in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The protein is glycosylated and contains 6 N-linked oligosaccharide chains, ... Read more

Other Names: bortezomib, PS-341.

Maker: Millennium Pharmaceuticals.

Disease Treated: Relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma patients who have previously received at least two regimens of chemotherapy and showed disease progression during the course of the latest chemotherapy.

Chemical/Biological Nature: VELCADE is a modified dipeptidyl boronic acid. When reconstituted in solution containing mannitol, it exists in equilibrium with its hydrolysis product — the monomeric boronic acid which has a molecular weight of 384.2 daltons.

Approval Status: Approved by the U.S. FDA on May 13, 2003. The start of phase I trial to FDA approval was only 4.5 years, making it one of the fastest ... Read more

Other Names: ZD1839, gefitinib.

Maker: AstraZeneca.

Disease Treated: Locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer after failure of both platinum-based and docetaxel chemotherapies.

Chemical/Biological Nature: IRESSA is an anilinoquinazoline, a quinozoline derivative with a molecular weight of 446.9 daltons.

Approval Status: Approved by the U.S. FDA on May 5, 2003.

Administration: One 250 mg tablet is administered orally once a day.

Mechanism of Disease: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for almost 80% of lung cancers. There are three subtypes within this group: Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, large-cell undifferentiated carcinoma. NSCLC grows slower than small ... Read more