Tumor necrosis factor-alpha drugs inhibiting

Several agents are now available that inhibit the action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a). TNF-a is a small protein (cytokine) that is released from cells involved in the inflammatory response. TNF-a seems to be a key chemical mediator that promotes inflammation and joint erosion in rheumatoid arthritis.83 Drugs that inhibit this chemical will therefore help delay the progression of this disease by decreasing TNF-a s destructive effects.70... 

Oesch F, Steinberg P (1987) A comparative study of drug-metabolizing enzymes present in isolated rat liver parenchymal, Kupffer and endothelial cells. Biochem Soc Trans 15 372-373 Osawa Y, Nagaki M, Banno Y, Brenner DA, Asano T, Nozawa Y, Moriwaki H, Nakashima S (2002) Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced interleukin-8 production via NF-kappaB and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathways inhibits cell apoptosis in human hepatocytes. Infect Immun 70 6294-6301... 

Bondeson J, Sundler R. Antimalarial drugs inhibit phospholipase A2 activation and induction of interleukin Ibeta and tumor necrosis factor alpha in macrophages imphcations for their mode of action in rheumatoid arthritis. Gen Pharmacol 1998 ... 

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1(3) are proinflammatory cytokines implicated in many inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis. P38a is a mitogen activated protein (MAP) kinase that plays an essential role in the signal transduction pathways leading to the synthesis of TNFa and IL-1(3. Thus, inhibition of p38 MAP kinase has remained a popular drug development target for orally active small molecules. 

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