title: Structural studies reveal thalidomide's mechanism of action and clinical effects: crystal clear or clearly complexed?
abstract: Another piece of the thalidomide puzzle is unraveled through structural studies of thalidomide and its derivatives bound to its protein target cereblon. Two recent studies published in Nature (Fischer et al.) and Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (Chamberlain et al.) have shed light on the drug's mechanisms of action and its complex biological effects.
authors.affiliation: a Genitourinary Malignancies Branch; Center for Cancer Research; National Cancer Institute; National Institutes of Health ; Bethesda , MD USA.
authors.forename: Ariel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.forename: Cindy H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Figg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013792:Thalidomide
keywords: IMiDs; Thalidomide; angiogenesis; cereblon; immunomodulation; lenalidomide; pomalido- mide; teratogenesis; ubiquitin ligase