title: Re-positioning protein-kinase inhibitors against schistosomiasis.
abstract: For decades, Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice against one of the most afflicting helminthic diseases worldwide, schistosomiasis. With respect to the fear of upcoming PZQ resistance, efforts are needed to find new chemotherapeutic options. Protein kinases (PKs) are essential molecules in signaling processes and indispensable to life. Aberrant PK functions take distinctive roles in human diseases and represent targets in chemotherapies. In schistosomes, conserved PKs were found to possess similar pivotal roles contributing not only to reproduction processes, but also to the pathology of schistosomiasis, which is closely associated to egg production. Exploiting the similarity of PKs of humans and schistosomes, PK inhibitors designed to treat human diseases may serve as lead compounds for new drugs against schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: BFS, Institute for Parasitology, Justus-Liebig-University, 35392 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gelmedin
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dissous
authors.forename: Christoph G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Grevelding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058492:Drug Repositioning / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012547:Schistosoma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012556:Schistosomicides; D011494:Protein Kinases