TY - JOUR
T1 - Growth factor signaling
T2 - Implications for disease & therapeutics
AU - Buch, Shilpa
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments I would like to express deep gratitude to Dr. Howard E. Gendelman, Editor-in-Chief, for giving me an opportunity to lead this special issue and for his invaluable advice and encouragement during the process. I would like to thank Ms. Robin Taylor for her assistance in preparation of this special issue. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants MH068212, DA0277729, DA033150, DA036157, DA035203 and DA033614.
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - Cells possess complex growth factor networks that play vital roles in regulating fundamental life processes. Such protein factors exert their action by binding to cognate cell specific receptors resulting in regulation of cell division, differentiation, chemotaxis or apoptosis. Engagement of receptors by their respective ligands results in activation of sequential protein phosphorylation cascades, culminating downstream into activation of gene transcription. These factors are expressed ubiquitously under a variety of conditions by normal as well as transformed cells, thereby underpinning their function in autocrine and paracrine stimulation of cells under several physiological and pathological conditions. Despite major advances in our understanding of growth factors, their paradoxical roles in normal cellular homeostasis and pathologies underpin the need to examine their roles in disease and health. The goal of this special issue is to present emerging trends in the roles that growth factors play in inflammatory disease processes that include cardiovascular, cancer, stroke and neurodegenerative processes associated with aging, viral infection and substance abuse with the ultimate aim to pave the way for future therapeutic breakthroughs.
AB - Cells possess complex growth factor networks that play vital roles in regulating fundamental life processes. Such protein factors exert their action by binding to cognate cell specific receptors resulting in regulation of cell division, differentiation, chemotaxis or apoptosis. Engagement of receptors by their respective ligands results in activation of sequential protein phosphorylation cascades, culminating downstream into activation of gene transcription. These factors are expressed ubiquitously under a variety of conditions by normal as well as transformed cells, thereby underpinning their function in autocrine and paracrine stimulation of cells under several physiological and pathological conditions. Despite major advances in our understanding of growth factors, their paradoxical roles in normal cellular homeostasis and pathologies underpin the need to examine their roles in disease and health. The goal of this special issue is to present emerging trends in the roles that growth factors play in inflammatory disease processes that include cardiovascular, cancer, stroke and neurodegenerative processes associated with aging, viral infection and substance abuse with the ultimate aim to pave the way for future therapeutic breakthroughs.
KW - Brain-derived neurotropic factor
KW - Cell signaling
KW - Growth factors
KW - HIV-associated cognitive disorders
KW - Platelet-derived growth factor
KW - Therapeutics
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U2 - 10.1007/s11481-014-9534-4
DO - 10.1007/s11481-014-9534-4
M3 - Comment/debate
C2 - 24610034
AN - SCOPUS:84896544884
SN - 1557-1890
VL - 9
SP - 65
EP - 68
JO - Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology
JF - Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology
IS - 2
ER -