A Mini-Review on Thalidomide: Chemistry, Mechanisms of Action, Therapeutic Potential and Anti-Angiogenic Properties in Multiple Myeloma

Title:A Mini-Review on Thalidomide: Chemistry, Mechanisms of Action, Therapeutic Potential and Anti-Angiogenic Properties in Multiple Myeloma

Volume: 24 Issue: 25

Author(s): Annalisa Mercurio , Giulia Adriani , Alessia Catalano , Alessia Carocci , Luigia Rao , Giovanni Lentini , Maria M. Cavalluzzi , Carlo Franchini , Angelo Vacca and Filomena Corbo *

Affiliation:

• Department of Pharmacy- Drug Sciences, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari,Italy

Keywords: Thalidomide, angiogenesis, TNF-α, IL-6, VEGF, thalidomide analogs.

Abstract: Thalidomide is a drug with interesting therapeutic properties but also with severe side effects which require a careful and monitored use. Potential immunomodulatory, antiinflammatory, anti-angiogenic and sedative properties make thalidomide a good candidate for the treatment of several diseases such as multiple myeloma. Through an increase in the degradation of TNFα-mRNA, thalidomide reduces the production of TNFα by monocytes and macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide or by T lymphocytes induced by mitogenic stimuli. The decreased level of TNFα alters the mechanisms of intracellular transduction by preventing the activation of NF-kB and by decreasing the synthesis of proteins, in particular IL-6, involved in cell proliferation, inflammation, angiogenesis and protection from apoptosis. Furthermore, thalidomide affects VEGF levels by down-regulating its expression. Nowadays, new safer and less toxic drugs, analogs of thalidomide, are emerging as beneficial for a more targeted treatment of multiple myeloma and several other diseases such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, erythema nodosum leprosum, graft-versus-host disease.

Cite this article as:

Mercurio Annalisa, Adriani Giulia, Catalano Alessia , Carocci Alessia, Rao Luigia , Lentini Giovanni, Cavalluzzi M. Maria , Franchini Carlo , Vacca Angelo and Corbo Filomena*, A Mini-Review on Thalidomide: Chemistry, Mechanisms of Action, Therapeutic Potential and Anti-Angiogenic Properties in Multiple Myeloma, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2017; 24 (25) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867324666170601074646