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Published on: September 29, 2016
Class 3 semaphorins as a therapeutic target
Yoshio Goshima1, Yukio Sasaki, Naoya Yamashita
1Yokohama City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neurobiology, Japan. goshima@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets
|July 28, 2012
Summary
Semaphorins, initially axon guidance molecules, are now recognized for diverse roles in immunity and cancer. Their receptors show promise as therapeutic targets for various diseases.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Oncology
Background:
- Semaphorins were first identified as crucial molecules for guiding axon growth during nervous system development.
- Emerging research indicates semaphorins and their receptors are involved in a wide array of functions, including immune responses, vascular cell motility, and cancer cell invasion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the therapeutic applications of class 3 semaphorins and their inhibitors.
- To explore the potential of semaphorins as therapeutic targets in various disease models.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on class 3 semaphorins.
- Analysis of studies involving semaphorin inhibitors in animal disease models.
Main Results:
- Class 3 semaphorins and their inhibitors have shown potential in treating animal models of various diseases.
- Semaphorins are implicated in immune, cardiovascular, bone metabolism, and neurological systems.
Conclusions:
- Semaphorins and their receptors represent promising therapeutic targets for a range of diseases due to their multifaceted roles.
- Further in-depth research into the pathophysiology and signal transduction of semaphorins is necessary given their complex and sometimes opposing in vivo activities.
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