PPAR-gamma Agonists Rosiglitazone (Avandia) and Pioglitazone (Actos), and Their Effect in Asthma

Animation of thiazolidinediones mechanism of action and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs).

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of nuclear receptor proteins that function as transcription factors regulating the expression of genes.

The medication class of thiazolidinedione (also called glitazones) was introduced in the late 1990s as an adjunctive therapy for diabetes mellitus (type 2). Avandia (rosiglitazone) and Actos (pioglitazone) bind to PPAR-gamma activate them.


PPAR-alpha and -gamma pathways. Image source: Wikipedia, GNU Free Documentation License.

PPARα and PPARγ are the molecular targets of a number of marketed drugs, e.g. fibrates and thiazolidinediones.

One of my current research projects includes The long Avandia endgame - The Lancet, 2011 http://goo.gl/qcMzNThe Effects of the PPAR-gamma Agonist Rosiglitazone on Airway Hyperreactivity, registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00614874. A presentation is embedded below:



References:

The Use of Rosiglitazone to Treat Asthma. ClinicalTrials.gov.
The long Avandia endgame - The Lancet, 2011 http://goo.gl/qcMzN

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-mediated suppression of dendritic cell function prevents the onset of atopic dermatitis in mice. JACI. http://goo.gl/Ju6Qz

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.