Targeting Autophagy In Cancer Therapy Focus On Small Molecule Modulators And New Strategies

Autophagy: Cancer, Other Pathologies, Inflammation, Immunity, Infection, and Aging is an eleven volume series that discusses in detail all aspects of autophagy machinery in the context of health, cancer, and other pathologies. Autophagy maintains homeostasis during starvation or stress conditions by balancing the synthesis of cellular components and their deregulation by autophagy. This series discusses the characterization of autophagosome-enriched vaccines and its efficacy in cancer immunotherapy. Autophagy serves to maintain healthy cells, tissues, and organs, but also promotes cancer survival and growth of established tumors. Impaired or deregulated autophagy can also contribute to disease pathogenesis. Understanding the importance and necessity of the role of autophagy in health and disease is vital for the studies of cancer, aging, neurodegeneration, immunology, and infectious diseases. Comprehensive and forward-thinking, these books offer a valuable guide to cellular processes while also inciting researchers to explore their potentially important connections. Presents the most advanced information regarding the role of the autophagic system in life and death Examines whether autophagy acts fundamentally as a cell survivor or cell death pathway or both Introduces new, more effective therapeutic strategies in the development of targeted drugs and programmed cell death, providing information that will aid in preventing detrimental inflammation Features recent advancements in the molecular mechanisms underlying a large number of genetic and epigenetic diseases and abnormalities, including atherosclerosis and CNS tumors, and their development and treatment Includes chapters authored by leaders in the field around the globe—the broadest, most expert coverage available

In this book, leading experts in cancer immunotherapy join forces to provide a comprehensive guide that sets out the main principles of oncoimmunology and examines the latest advances and their implications for clinical practice, focusing in particular on drugs with FDA/EMA approvals and breakthrough status. The aim is to deliver a landmark educational tool that will serve as the definitive reference for MD and PhD students while also meeting the needs of established researchers and healthcare professionals. Immunotherapy-based approaches are now inducing long-lasting clinical responses across multiple histological types of neoplasia, in previously difficult-to-treat metastatic cancers. The future challenges for oncologists are to understand and exploit the cellular and molecular components of complex immune networks, to optimize combinatorial regimens, to avoid immune-related side effects, and to plan immunomonitoring studies for biomarker discovery. The editors hope that this book will guide future and established health professionals toward the effective application of cancer immunology and immunotherapy and contribute significantly to further progress in the field.

This is the first book to assemble the leading researchers in the field of LRRK2 biology and neurology and provide a snapshot of the current state of knowledge, encompassing all major aspects of its function and dysfunction. The contributors are experts in cell biology and physiology, neurobiology, and medicinal chemistry, bringing a multidisciplinary perspective on the gene and its role in disease. The book covers the identification of LRRK2 as a major contributor to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease. It also discusses the current state of the field after a decade of research, putative normal physiological roles of LRRK2, and the various pathways that have been identified in the search for the mechanism(s) of its induction of neurodegeneration.

This first comprehensive overview on nanotechnological approaches to cancer therapy brings together therapeutic oncology and nanotechnology, showing the various strategic approaches to selectively eliminating cancerous cells without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. The strategies covered include magnetic, optical, microwave and neutron absorption techniques, nanocapsules for active agents, nanoparticles as active agents, and active and passive targeting, while also dealing with fundamental aspects of how nanoparticles cross biological barriers. A valuable single source gathering the many articles published in specialized journals often difficult to locate for members of the other disciplines involved.

This book discusses novel concepts and discoveries concerning the regulation of innate immunity by autophagy and autophagy-related proteins. In the past decade, there have been major advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of autophagy and its physiological functions. This book highlights emerging studies on the underlying mechanisms of autophagy regulation of innate immunity, including inflammation, antiviral immunity and anti-bacterial responses and the signaling pathways that prompt or inhibit the initiation and progression of related diseases. It also offers new ideas and strategies for future drugs based on manipulating autophagy, especially selective autophagy mediated by cargo receptors. Providing a comprehensive overview of the autophagy regulation of innate immunity, it is a valuable resource for graduate students and researchers in the fields of immunology, cell biology and translational medicine.

Extensive research into the molecular mechanisms of cancer disease has heralded a new age of targeted therapy. In malignant cells, key proteins that are crucial to tumor growth and survival are now being targeted directly with rationally designed inhibitors. Apart from monoclonal antibodies, small molecule therapeutics such as oncogenic protein kinase inhibitors are attracting a vast amount of investigational attention. This textbook, written by acknowledged experts, provides a broad overview of the small molecules currently used for the treatment of malignant diseases and discusses interesting novel compounds that are in the process of clinical development to combat cancer.

Leading researchers, from the Novartis group that pioneered Gleevec/GlivecTM and around the world, comprehensively survey the state of the art in the drug discovery processes (bio- and chemoinformatics, structural biology, profiling, generation of resistance, etc.) aimed at generating PTK inhibitors for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Highlights include a discussion of the rationale and the progress made towards generating "selective" low molecular-weight kinase inhibitors; an analysis of the normal function, role in disease, and application of platelet-derived growth factor antagonists; and a summary of the factors involved in successful structure-based drug design. Additional chapters address the advantages and disadvantages of in vivo preclinical models for testing protein kinase inhibitors with antitumor activity and the utility of different methods in the drug discovery and development process for determining "on-target" vs "off-target" effects of kinase inhibitors.