title: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors as molecular targets for drug therapy.
abstract: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) are a family of nuclear receptors that regulate lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in response to extracellular fatty acids and their metabolites. They are crucial in the regulation of fat storage, besides having a potential role in insulin resistance syndrome. They have clinical relevance in understanding the cause and in development of drugs in common clinical conditions such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cellular growth and neoplasia. Three types of receptors were identified: PPAR alpha, gamma and delta. Fibrate group of lipid lowering agents bind to the alpha isoform and glitazone group of insulin sensitizers to gamma isoform. Further advances can result in new drugs for atherosclerosis, malignancies and diabetes mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine and Diabetes Centre, 15-12-16 Krishnanagar, Visakhapatnam, 530 002.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sridhar
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000639:trends; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014157:Transcription Factors