title: Small molecules in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Advances in the understanding of the cellular biological events that underlie systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have led to the identification of key molecules and signaling pathways that are aberrantly expressed. The parallel development of small molecule drugs that inhibit or interfere with the specific perturbations identified, offers perspective for more rational, effective and less toxic therapy. In this review, we present data from preclinical and clinical studies of such emerging novel therapies with a particular focus on kinase inhibitors and other compounds that modulate signal transduction. Moreover, we highlight the use of chromatin-modifying medications, bringing attention to the central role of epigenetics in SLE pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markopoulou
authors.forename: Vasileios C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Kyttaris
mesh_terms: D000077329:Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase; D000818:Animals; D054734:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000072377:Syk Kinase; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D061988:Proteasome Inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D000077329:Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase; D053612:Janus Kinases; C000606896:SYK protein, human; D000072377:Syk Kinase; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D054734:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 4