Targeting Cellular Signalling Pathways In Lung Diseases

The book comprehensively reviews and provides detailed insight into the cellular and molecular signalling mechanisms involved in pathophysiology of various respiratory diseases, towards developing effective therapeutic strategies in the management and treatment of lung disease. It also covers promising advances in the field of therapeutics that could lead to novel clinical therapies capable of preventing or reversing the disease features including novel strategies for targeting chronic lung diseases using advanced drug delivery systems. Importantly, the book examines the significance and relevance of the plant extracts and their constituents with therapeutic efficiencies against lung diseases. As such, the book offers a blend of translational, biological, chemical, and drug delivery aspects relevant to respiratory diseases, thus, offering a valuable resource for pulmonologists and translational researchers working in the field of pulmonary biology and respiratory medicine.

Respiratory diseases share the most complex processes, including various immune reactions, abnormal embryological development, air- or blood-flow mechanical dysfunction, carcinogenesis, and fibrotic proliferation. Metabolic reprogramming has been identified as one of the most critical pathogenic mechanisms for cellular functional maintenance and adaptation under different etiologies. Therefore, intervention targeting metabolic pathways provide a novel therapeutic strategy.

This is the second volume of the comprehensive, two-volume work on oxidative stress in lung diseases. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, it demonstrates the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with ROS (reactive oxygen species)-induced initiation and progression of a variety of lung diseases, such as COPD, emphysema, asthma, cystic fibrosis, occupational pulmonary diseases and pulmonary hypertension and discusses points for therapeutic intervention. The book also covers translational research and the latest research on prevention and therapeutics. Each chapter includes in-depth insights into the mechanisms associated with lung diseases and into identifying targets for drug development. Bridging the gap between fundamental and translational research, and examining applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry, it is a thought- provoking read for basic and applied scientists engaged in biomedical research.

One of the most exciting areas of cancer research now is the development of agents which can target signal transduction pathways that are activated inappropriately in malignant cells. The understanding of the molecular abnormalities which distinguish malignant cells from their normal counterparts has grown tremendously. This volume summarizes the current research on the role that signal transduction pathways play in the pathogenesis of cancer and how this knowledge may be used to develop the next generation of more effective and less toxic anticancer agents. Series Editor comments: "The biologic behavior of both normal and cancer cells is determined by critical signal transduction pathways. This text provides a comprehensive review of the field. Leading investigators discuss key molecules that may prove to be important diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets."

This book presents state-of-the-art information on the molecules of cell signalling pathways that represent actual or future targets for cancer therapy. By giving an update of the most promising approaches in this rapidly evolving field, the book contributes to the translation of the recent advances in the knowledge of intracellular signalling into the generation of innovative biomolecules as specific tools to target the most promising tumour-specific candidates. The book begins logically with the molecules first encountered along the signalling pathways, the membrane receptors for growth factors (Part I). Next, Part II presents several examples of intracellular molecular targets that are situated one step beyond in the pathways, while Part III addresses the difficult task of tuning the delicate balance between cell death and survival. In Part IV, the reader is taken into the practical problems raised by the therapy of specific cancers (glioma, childhood leukaemia), and into an original strategy from the field of nuclear medicine with the potential to generate innovative molecular-targeted cancer therapies.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.

Unravelling the intricate cell signalling networks and their significance in cancer poses major intellectual challenge. Keeping this in mind, the book aims at understanding the mechanism of action of different proteins and their complexes in the cancer signalling pathways. Hence, the proposed book that comprises 20 chapters provides a comprehensive introduction on cell signalling, its alterations in cancer, molecules that have been popular targets as well as the ones that are emerging as targets. In addition, it discusses different forms of therapy that are coming up for its treatment. Other than that, a major portion of the book is focused on studying different disciplines at the interface of biology and other areas of science that are being used to understand cancer biology in depth.

This book is devoted to innovative medicine, comprising the proceedings of the Uehara Memorial Foundation Symposium 2014. It remains extremely rare for the findings of basic research to be developed into clinical applications, and it takes a long time for the process to be achieved. The task of advancing the development of basic research into clinical reality lies with translational science, yet the field seems to struggle to find a way to move forward. To create innovative medical technology, many steps need to be taken: development and analysis of optimal animal models of human diseases, elucidation of genomic and epidemiological data, and establishment of “proof of concept”. There is also considerable demand for progress in drug research, new surgical procedures, and new clinical devices and equipment. While the original research target may be rare diseases, it is also important to apply those findings more broadly to common diseases. The book covers a wide range of topics and is organized into three complementary parts. The first part is basic research for innovative medicine, the second is translational research for innovative medicine, and the third is new technology for innovative medicine. This book helps to understand innovative medicine and to make progress in its realization.