Introduction. Emphysema is characterized by an abnormal, permanent enlargement of airspaces accompanied by destruction of their walls. Up to now, there is no cure for emphysema and animal models may be important for new drug discovery. Areas covered. Herein, the authors review animal models of emphysema since the protease-antiprotease hypothesis as well as the results obtained with compounds tested in these models. Of particular importance are animal models of cigarette smoke (CS) exposure, since CS is the most important risk factor of emphysema. The authors also analyze two approaches to drugs testing, i.e. the approach aimed at preventing emphysema and the one aimed at reversing it. Expert opinion. It has been suggested that early and late interventions do not have the same protective effect and that late interventions are much more likely to reveal treatments beneficial in humans. However, this is not always the case and a compound which prevents emphysema when administered as an early intervention can also have the same protective effect when given as a late intervention. Furthermore, the fact that a compound detected by means of early intervention is now in clinical practice shows that early intervention studies can be predictive for efficacy in humans.

Gardi, C., Stringa, B., P. A., M. (2015). Animal models for anti-emphysema drug discovery. EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DISCOVERY, 10(4), 399-410 [10.1517/17460441.2015.1016871].

Animal models for anti-emphysema drug discovery

GARDI, CONCETTA;STRINGA, BLERTA;
2015-01-01

Abstract

Introduction. Emphysema is characterized by an abnormal, permanent enlargement of airspaces accompanied by destruction of their walls. Up to now, there is no cure for emphysema and animal models may be important for new drug discovery. Areas covered. Herein, the authors review animal models of emphysema since the protease-antiprotease hypothesis as well as the results obtained with compounds tested in these models. Of particular importance are animal models of cigarette smoke (CS) exposure, since CS is the most important risk factor of emphysema. The authors also analyze two approaches to drugs testing, i.e. the approach aimed at preventing emphysema and the one aimed at reversing it. Expert opinion. It has been suggested that early and late interventions do not have the same protective effect and that late interventions are much more likely to reveal treatments beneficial in humans. However, this is not always the case and a compound which prevents emphysema when administered as an early intervention can also have the same protective effect when given as a late intervention. Furthermore, the fact that a compound detected by means of early intervention is now in clinical practice shows that early intervention studies can be predictive for efficacy in humans.
2015
Gardi, C., Stringa, B., P. A., M. (2015). Animal models for anti-emphysema drug discovery. EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DISCOVERY, 10(4), 399-410 [10.1517/17460441.2015.1016871].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11365/972000
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