Cell division and differentiation of lymphocytes –Part 2 & Pharmaceutical industry funding for cance

In this Nature review article, Dr. Wells and Dr. Morawski demonstrated that CDKs play important roles in driving specific transcriptional programmes involved in T cell differentiation and function. They also proposed that CDKs could be http://www.selleckchem.com " title="selleck">selleck potential targets for novel immunotherapeutic strategies to treat T cell-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as autoimmunity and organ transplant rejection. For instance, they mentioned that targeting CDK2, 4 and 6 may cause fewer side effects than targeting CDK1 because CDK2, 4 and 6 can be functionally compensated during cell cycle progression.

Several kinase-inhibitory drugs are shown to have reasonable specificity and selectivity for CDK family. Roscovitine (also known as seliciclib and CYC-202 (Cyclacel)) targets CDK2 and is currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of cancer. Some research evidence suggested that roscovitine is able to redirect T helper 17 cells to the peripherally derived Treg cell lineage and to ameliorate graft-versus-host disease in mice. Roscovitine also is able to inhibit CDK7 and CDK9, at higher doses, it can even have inhibitory effects on the entire CDK family.

Total 40 ongoing clinical trials of drugs that target various CDK family members are being actively conducted including 24 Phase I trials, 15 Phase II trials and one Phase III trial. Although CDK’s http://www.selleckchem.com " title="selleckchem">selleckchem effect on treating inflammatory diseases has not been evaluated, their inhibitory drugs may provide an alternative to immunosuppressive modalities, such as rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, calcineurin inhibitors and TNF antagonists. Selective inhibition of CDK2 and CDK5 may represent a new treatment solution for autoimmunity and organ transplant rejection.

Cancer institute across the United States are relying more heavily than ever on pharmaceutical industry funding for research because the proportion of federal support shrinks in recent year. A Globe survey of major cancer institute shows that the shift at a national trend. Even as researchers seek funding from pharmaceutical companies, they raise questions about the increasing role that the pursuit of profits plays in science.

I worry about whether the government is abdicating its responsibility to science because of a result of stagnant federal funding. The NIH research budget has lost almost 25 percent of its purchasing power since 2003. The company’s support allows scientists to explore scientific questions about the immune system, and associated research helps the company better understand their drugs. Most of the therapeutic breakthroughs in cancer research began as basic science observations funded by the federal government. Funding climate is demoralizing for young scientists, with researchers spending the majority of their time writing grant proposals instead of publishing studies. This tendency may change the relationship between pharmaceutical industry and cancer research in the future.

Numerologist Warda is hooked on OG-L002 fishing, collecting. And lastly her encouragement comes from socializing along with her companions.