Small Molecule Catalysts with Therapeutic Potential
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioorganic Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (4 December 2017) | Viewed by 74896
Special Issue Editor
Interests: bioorganic chemistry; catalytic sensor/effector agents; epistemology; intracellular diagnostics; nanotechnology; natural products; reactive sulfur and selenium species; redox regulation via the cellular thiolstat
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Most diseases, from trivial infections to serious inflammation and proliferative disorders, exhibit characteristic intracellular disturbances that are notably absent under normal, healthy conditions. These small but significant biochemical differences in metabolites, such as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), pH, or other biomolecules, may enable us to selectively target such disorders. Here, catalysts provide an interesting lead, as they combine high efficiency with considerable selectivity, i.e., are able to “sense” the presence of particular metabolites, such as increased concentrations of ROS in the cell, and selectively develop their activity in the presence, but not in the absence, of such substrates. Placed in a living system, catalysts therefore may well metamorphose into intelligent “sensor/effector” agents, which (a) on their own are virtually inactive, (b) are able to recognize the presence of suitable biochemical substrates and hence distinguish between different cells, (c) act in low to sub-micromolar concentrations, and (d) affect the target cell in a highly-efficient manner.
Indeed, during the last decade, various small molecule catalysts with impressive biological activities and considerable pharmaceutical promise have been reported in the literature. It is now time to take stock of these developments and to consider the chemistry, biochemical action and overall activity of various types of small molecule catalysts, and the kind of disorders they may be employed against. This Special Issue will, therefore, bring together researchers and research from different disciplines focussing on such catalytic agents, and their ability to selectively target certain diseases.
Prof. Dr. Claus Jacob
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- catalyst
- redox modulation
- sensor/effector agent
- selectivity
- therapeutic activity
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