title: HMGB1-directed drug discovery targeting cutaneous inflammatory dysregulation.
abstract: Extracellular cytokine function of the non-histone nuclear protein high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has recently been recognized as an important drug target for novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Accumulating evidence supports the mechanistic involvement of the alarmin HMGB1 in skin response to microbial infection and ultraviolet-induced solar damage. Moreover, HMGB1 modulation of inflammatory signaling and tissue remodeling is now emerging as a causative factor in wound repair, autoimmune dysregulation, and skin carcinogenesis, representing cutaneous pathologies that affect large patient populations with unmet therapeutic needs. Recent structure-based drug discovery efforts have aimed at increasing the number of small molecule- and biologics-based prototype therapeutics targeting HMGB1. Small molecule drugs that may provide therapeutic benefit through HMGB1-directed mechanisms involve HMGB1 inhibitory ligands, Toll-like receptor antagonists, RAGE antagonists, alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists, G2A antagonists, serine protease inhibitors, and alpha-dicarbonyl-based soft electrophiles. Using some of these agents, pharmacological modulation of HMGB1-associated cutaneous pathology has been achieved with an acceptable toxicity profile, and preclinical proof-of-concept experimentation has demonstrated feasibility of developing HMGB1-modulators into novel systemic and topical therapeutics that target cutaneous inflammatory dysregulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lamore
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cabello
authors.forename: Georg T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Wondrak
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods*; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D018836:Inflammation Mediators