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Thalidomide is a medication used to treat cancers, particularly newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, and erythema nodosum leprosum.
Thalidomide is a medication used to treat cancers, particularly newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, and erythema nodosum leprosum.
The mechanism of action of thalidomide is not fully understood. Previous research indicate that thalidomide binds to cerebron, a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, to selectively degrade the transcription factor IKZF3 and IKZF1. These 2 transcription factors are vital for the proliferation and survival of malignant myeloma cells. Regarding TNF-alpha, thalidomide seems to block this mediator via a variety of mechanism. Thalidomide can inhibit the expression myeloid differentiating factor 88 (MyD88), an adaptor protein that is involved in the TNF-alpha production signalling pathway, at the protein and RNA level. Additionally, thalidomide prevents the activation of Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-kB), another upstream effector of the TNF-alpha production pathway. Finally, some evidences suggest that thalidomide can block alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP), a known inducer of the NF-kB/MyD88 pathway, thus inhibiting the expression of TNF-alpha . The down-regulation of NF-kB and MyD88 can also affect the cross talk between the NF-kB/MyD88 and VEGF pathway, resulting in thalidomide's anti-angiogenic effect.
Thalidomide is primarily used for the acute treatment and maintenance therapy to prevent and suppress the cutaneous manifestations of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL).
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