Protein kinases C: potential targets for intervention in diabetic nephropathy.
Protein kinases C are a family of serine threonine protein kinases that play key roles in extracellular signal transduction. Inappropriate activation of protein kinase C has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Indeed, protein kinase C activation may contribute not only to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications such as nephropathy and retinopathy, but also to insulin resistance. Growing awareness that protein kinase C isoforms subserve specific subcellular functions has led to the development of isoform-specific inhibitors, which may be useful investigational tools and therapeutic agents for attenuating the effects of inappropriate protein kinase C activity. Here we review the role played by protein kinases C in diabetic nephropathy and the recent progress that has been made to modulate its activity using specific inhibitors.
Murphy
M
M
University College Dublin, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Ireland.
McGinty
A
A
Godson
C
C
D000818:Animals; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000201:enzymology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011493:Protein Kinase C