Work

Anti-Inflammatory Therapy in Chronic Disease: Challenges and Opportunities

Year: 2013

Type: review

Abstract: A number of widespread and devastating chronic diseases, including atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, have a pathophysiologically important inflammatory component. In these diseases, the precise identity of the inflammatory stimulus is often unknown and, if known, is difficult to remove. Thus, there is interest in therapeutically targeting the inflammatory response. Although there has been success with anti-inflammatory therapy in chronic diseases triggered by primary inflammation dysregulation or autoimmunity, there are considerable limitations. In particular, the inflammatory response is critical for survival. As a result, redundancy, compensatory pathways, and necessity narrow the risk:benefit ratio of anti-inflammatory drugs. However, new advances in understanding inflammatory signaling and its links to resolution pathways, together with new drug development, offer promise in this area of translational biomedical research.

Source: Science

DOI: 10.1126/science.1230720

Authors: Ira Tabas, Christopher K. Glass

Institutions: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Inflammatory mediators and NSAID effects

Subfield: Pharmacology (medical)

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases