Interesting,
SAN RAMON, Calif., Dec. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Scientists at Odyssey
Pharmaceuticals have succeeded in visualizing the protein network representing
the TNF response pathway in living cells. TNF (tumor necrosis factor)
signaling is implicated in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease
and other diseases, and Odyssey's results suggest new strategies for
therapeutic intervention. Despite the importance of the TNF pathway, it has
never before been observed in living cells, and the results show that novel
components interact with the network in ways that could not have been
predicted.
Key findings of the study were as follows:
* The process combines genomics, biology and pharmacology. The scientists
introduced genes directly into TNF-responsive cells, and used cell
survival and fluorescence of live cells as a sensitive and rapid
detector of interactions among network components.
* The responses of individual proteins to TNF could be seen under a
microscope within minutes of adding the hormone, and the TNF-induced
movement of protein complexes from the cell membrane to the cytosol, and
from the cytosol to the nucleus, could be observed.
* The process was equally sensitive and specific for a wide variety of
proteins, including proteins representing druggable targets such as
receptors and kinases.
* Novel interactions were found among proteins participating in the TNF
signaling pathway, with implications for new therapeutic strategies for
arthritis and other diseases.
Validation of novel drug targets demands a comprehensive understanding of
the biological functions of the proteins themselves, including their roles in
cell behavior. Odyssey utilizes an integrated process for drug discovery that
combines cells appropriate to disease models with a precise way to map
proteins and small molecules directly to their site of action in the cell.
The company's mission is to rapidly and rationally identify therapeutic
targets, and to simultaneously identify small molecule inhibitors for these
targets. Visit Odyssey on the web at odysseypharma.com . |
