Protein kinases of the innate immune system as drug targets

Infection by bacteria and viruses triggers cells of the immune system to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and interferons that mount the responses to fight the invading pathogen. However these defence mechanisms are a double edged sword because the uncontrolled production of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF, is a cause of chronic inflammatory diseases. In this talk I will present our recent research aimed at dissecting the protein kinase cascades involved regulating in this process and in understanding how they "talk" to each other via feedback control loops and other devices.  The protein kinases that have emerged from these studies as potentially attractive drug targets will be highlighted.

P. Cohen¹*

¹Medical Research Council Protein Phosphorylation Unit, University of Dundee, The Sir James Black Centre, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK.