title: PPARgamma as a therapeutic target in central nervous system diseases.
abstract: Diseases of the central nervous system present a challenge for the development of new therapeutic agents. Nuclear receptors are ligand-activated transcription factors that have proven to be valuable targets for development of new drugs owing to their ability to directly regulate gene expression. The nuclear receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), has been investigated for its action in ameliorating the development and progression of a number of CNS diseases. PPARgamma agonists exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effects and appear to have direct neuroprotective actions. PPARgamma agonists have been shown to be efficacious in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The availability of FDA-approved agonists of this receptor will facilitate the rapid translation of these findings into clinical trials for a number of CNS diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4928, United States.
authors.forename: Sophia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sundararajan
authors.forename: Qingguang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heneka
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Landreth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000819:agonists* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma