title: Recent progress in the chemotherapy of human fungal diseases. Emphasis on 1,3-β-glucan synthase and chitin synthase inhibitors.
abstract: Systemic fungal infections of humans and economically important animals are increasingly common throughout the world. These infections are severe and often hard to treat with existing safe, oral medications. Thus there has been increasing research on alternatives resulting in study of natural and synthetic inhibitors of 1,3-β-Glucan synthase (GS) and chitin synthase (CS)-enzymes important in the biosynthesis of fungal cell walls that are not utilized in human biochemistry. Some such agents have recently been introduced into parenteral clinical use. There is hope that safe agents of this type with oral activity may yet emerge. This active area of research and its historic context with alternative agents is reviewed herein.
authors.affiliation: University Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Kansas University, Lawrence, KS, 66045 USA. lmitscher@ku.edu.
authors.forename: Anwer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basha
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Basha
authors.forename: Syed Kashif
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Lester A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Mitscher
authors.forename: Berl R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Oakley
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001393:Azoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002687:Chitin Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010078:Oxazines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006027:Glycosides; D010078:Oxazines; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; D002687:Chitin Synthase; C020570:1,3-beta-glucan synthase