Mehta K
Division of Bioimmunotherapy 60, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., 77030 Houston, Texas (USA).
Indian J Clin Biochem. 1997 Dec;12(Suppl 1):23-5. doi: 10.1007/BF02873049.
A rational approach for developing effective filaricides awaits greater knowledge on the biochemical pathways operating in filarial parasites. For example, metabolic pathways or key enzymes that are so pivotal to the parasite that their interruption or inhibition causes spontaneous death, could be exploited to develop effective chemotherapeutic agents. Similarly, developing a safe and nontoxic filaricidal will require precise understanding of whether or not the potential molecular target in the parasite is unique or at least different enough from the host system. Recently, we identified a novel transglutaminase enzyme (EC2.3.2.13; TGase) in filarial parasites that plays an important role during their normal growth and development. Based on these principles, TGase may serve as a new target for the development of effective chemotherapeutic agent and vaccine for controlling and preventing the infections caused by these parasites.
开发有效的抗丝虫药的合理方法有待于对丝虫寄生虫中运行的生化途径有更多了解。例如，对寄生虫至关重要以至于其中断或抑制会导致自然死亡的代谢途径或关键酶，可以被利用来开发有效的化疗药物。同样，开发一种安全无毒的杀丝虫药将需要精确了解寄生虫中的潜在分子靶点是否独特，或者至少与宿主系统有足够的差异。最近，我们在丝虫寄生虫中鉴定出一种新型转谷氨酰胺酶（EC2.3.2.13；TGase），它在寄生虫的正常生长和发育过程中发挥着重要作用。基于这些原理，TGase可能成为开发有效化疗药物和疫苗以控制和预防这些寄生虫引起的感染的新靶点。
