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An Adoptive Transfer Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice
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An Adoptive Transfer Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Mice

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PBEF/NAMPT/visfatin: a promising drug target for treating rheumatoid arthritis?

Mari Nowell1, Laura Evans, Anwen Williams

  • 1Institute of Infection & Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK. nowellma@cf.ac.uk

Future Medicinal Chemistry
|April 26, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitors, primarily developed for cancer, show promise for treating rheumatoid arthritis. This study explores NAMPT

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), also known as visfatin, is implicated in cancer cell survival.
  • NAMPT inhibitors are developed for cancer therapy.
  • The therapeutic potential of NAMPT inhibitors beyond oncology is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the applicability of NAMPT inhibitors for treating rheumatoid arthritis.
  • To review the role of the NAMPT pathway in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.
  • To summarize the current clinical trial status of NAMPT inhibitors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of NAMPT expression in healthy and diseased tissues.
  • Analysis of pathological mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis involving the NAMPT pathway.
  • Review of clinical trial data for NAMPT inhibitors.

Main Results:

  • NAMPT is expressed in tissues relevant to rheumatoid arthritis.
  • The NAMPT pathway plays a role in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis.
  • Several NAMPT inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for various conditions.

Conclusions:

  • NAMPT inhibitors represent a potential therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the role of NAMPT in rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Clinical trials of NAMPT inhibitors may provide insights into their efficacy for inflammatory diseases.

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