What Are the Therapeutic Implications of Targeting Protein Interactions?
Therapeutic strategies targeting protein interactions offer promising avenues for cancer treatment. For example:
Small Molecule Inhibitors: These are designed to disrupt specific protein-protein interactions. An example is the use of small molecules to inhibit the BCL-2 family of proteins, which are involved in preventing apoptosis in cancer cells. Monoclonal Antibodies: These antibodies can specifically bind to target proteins and disrupt their interactions. For instance, trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets the HER2 receptor and disrupts its signaling in breast cancer. Peptide-based Inhibitors: These are designed to mimic the interface of protein-protein interactions and competitively inhibit the binding of one protein to another. An example is the use of peptides that disrupt the interaction between p53 and MDM2.
