title: Pathological changes in tight junctions and potential applications into therapies.
abstract: Epithelial cells are pivotal in the separation of the body from the outside environment. Orally administered drugs must pass across epithelial cell sheets, and most pathological organisms invade the body through epithelial cells. Tight junctions (TJs) are sealing complexes between adjacent epithelial cells. Modulation of TJ components is a potent strategy for increasing absorption. Inflammation often causes disruption of the TJ barrier. Molecular imaging technology has enabled elucidation of the dynamics of TJs. Molecular pathological analysis has shown the relationship between TJ components and molecular pathological conditions. In this article, we discuss TJ-targeted drug development over the past 2 years.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bio-Functional Molecular Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Masuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: Hidehiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watari
authors.forename: Kiyohito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D055808:Drug Discovery; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D062725:Tight Junction Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D062725:Tight Junction Proteins