Research / Scientific departments / Structural Biology and Chemistry / Units and Groups / Cellular and Structural Biochemistry / General Summary
General Summary
The cells of our body communicate between each other and with the environment in order to coordinate and control the function of our organs. For example, cells belonging to the inflammatory-immune system are activated in response to specific compounds released from pathogens and/or neighboring cells. Once detected through “receptor” molecules located at the surface of target cells, these extracellular signals elicit an intracellular signal which is forwarded to the nucleus of the responsive cell. This process is called « signal transduction».
Similarly, in the field of neuroendocrinology, hormones and neurotransmitters are extracellular messengers which act through membrane-bound receptors on specific target cells of the body to modulate their function, for example on nervous cells for the control of pain perception.
Our laboratory has two major projects covering each of the above summarized fields. In the « NEMO group » (PI, Fabrice AGOU), we study the molecular properties of a protein called NEMO (the acronym of NF-κB Essential Modulator), also evoking its role as captain of an important intracellular signal transduction pathway named NF-κB, involved in the inflammatory-immune response and in cancer progression. In the « Opiorphin group » (PI, Catherine ROUGEOT), we study two hormonal peptide messengers recently discovered in the laboratory. These physiological mediators of pain perception named Sialorphin and Opiorphin in rats and in humans, respectively, are also involved in behavioral responses to stress.
Both of these projects have important application potentials as they could lead to new therapeutic drugs. Thus, in association with pharma companies, we have isolated inhibitors of the NEMO protein which could lead to new anti-cancer drugs, and we develop synthetic derivatives of Opiorphin that could have better analgesic properties and less secondary effects than morphine.
Similarly, in the field of neuroendocrinology, hormones and neurotransmitters are extracellular messengers which act through membrane-bound receptors on specific target cells of the body to modulate their function, for example on nervous cells for the control of pain perception.
Our laboratory has two major projects covering each of the above summarized fields. In the « NEMO group » (PI, Fabrice AGOU), we study the molecular properties of a protein called NEMO (the acronym of NF-κB Essential Modulator), also evoking its role as captain of an important intracellular signal transduction pathway named NF-κB, involved in the inflammatory-immune response and in cancer progression. In the « Opiorphin group » (PI, Catherine ROUGEOT), we study two hormonal peptide messengers recently discovered in the laboratory. These physiological mediators of pain perception named Sialorphin and Opiorphin in rats and in humans, respectively, are also involved in behavioral responses to stress.
Both of these projects have important application potentials as they could lead to new therapeutic drugs. Thus, in association with pharma companies, we have isolated inhibitors of the NEMO protein which could lead to new anti-cancer drugs, and we develop synthetic derivatives of Opiorphin that could have better analgesic properties and less secondary effects than morphine.