Tetrapyrroles as Endogenous TSPO Ligands in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes: Comparisons with Synthetic Ligands

Tetrapyrroles as Endogenous TSPO Ligands in Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes: Comparisons with Synthetic Ligands

The 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is highly 0conserved in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Since its discovery in 1977, numerous studies established the TSPO's importance for life essential functions. For these studies, synthetic TSPO ligands typically are applied. Tetrapyrroles present endogenous ligands for the TSPO. Tetrapyrroles are also evolutionarily conserved and regulate multiple functi...

Targeting mitochondrial energy metabolism with TSPO ligands.

The translocator protein (18 kDa) (TSPO) resides on the outer mitochondrial membrane where it is believed to participate in cholesterol transport and steroid hormone synthesis. Although it is almost ubiquitously expressed, what TSPO does in non-steroidogenic tissues is largely unexplored. Recent studies report changes in glucose homoeostasis and cellular energy production when TSPO function is ...

Exogenous and Endogenous TLR Ligands

Endogenous TLR ligands and autoimmunity.

Based on an evolutionary conserved repertoire Toll-like-receptors (TLRs) donate specificity to innate immune cells. Therefore, TLRs are considered as paradigmatic for "self" versus "non-self" discrimination. This view, however, needs to be modified since TLR's also appear to recognise "endogeneous", that is host-derived ligands, examples being host-derived DNA and -RNA. Here I discuss physiolog...

TSPO PIGA Ligands Promote Neurosteroidogenesis and Human Astrocyte Well-Being

The steroidogenic 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) is an emerging, attractive therapeutic tool for several pathological conditions of the nervous system. Here, 13 high affinity TSPO ligands belonging to our previously described N,N-dialkyl-2-phenylindol-3-ylglyoxylamide (PIGA) class were evaluated for their potential ability to affect the cellular Oxidative Metabolism Activity/Proliferation i...