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subunit.bsky.social
Subunit
@subunit.bsky.social
A little passion project to make biological information about medications more accessible to the public. Work in progress.

We ❤️ protein structures.

Check it out at subunit.org
Vismodegib is a medication that binds to SMO and inactivates it. This turns off the constant signals transmitted by SMO, halting cancer growth.

[10/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
However, in certain types of cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma, mutations in SMO allows it to bypass PTCH and enter the primary cilium. Alternatively, mutations in PTCH prevents it from blocking the entry of SMO into the primary cilium.

[8/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
On the other hand, when HH binds to PTCH, PTCH is inactivated and is transported into the cell. This allows SMO to enter the primary cilium, where it is able to transmit signals for the cell to grow and differentiate.

[6/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
Three key proteins are involved in the hedgehog pathway: smoothened (SMO), patched (PTCH), and hedgehog (HH).

[4/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
A primary cilium is a single antenna-like structure that protrudes out of most cells in our body. It functions as a signaling hub that receives and transmits a variety of signals inside and outside the cell.

[2/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
Vismodegib (marketed as Erivedge) is a medication used to treat adults with metastatic or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma.

How does it work?

[1/10]
November 23, 2024 at 6:41 PM
Belzutifan is a drug that disrupts the interaction between HIF-2α and HIF-1β. This turns off the constant expression of survival genes, halting cancer growth.

[9/9]
November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
As a result, HIF-2α accumulates and constantly activates survival genes, leading to uncontrolled cellular growth, i.e., cancer.

[8/9]
November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
However, patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease possess mutations in the gene encoding VHL protein that prevent functional VHL proteins from being produced. Therefore, HIF-2α is not degraded under normal oxygen levels, even when its prolines are hydroxylated.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Hydroxylated prolines are recognized by a protein called VHL, which then marks HIF-2α for degradation. This ensures that the HIF complex-associated genes are not active when oxygen levels are normal.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
On the other hand, under normal oxygen levels, a protein called PHD uses the amply available oxygen molecules to modify the prolines in HIF-2α. This modification results in hydroxylated prolines.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
This complex then seeks out specific segments of DNA, where it activates genes involved in cellular adaptation to low oxygen levels and survival.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
When oxygen levels are low, HIF-2α binds to another protein called HIF-1β to form an active HIF complex.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
HIF-2α is a protein that orchestrates cellular response and adaptation to low oxygen levels. Notably, it contains proline motifs that are crucial for regulating its activity.

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November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Belzutifan (marketed as Welireg) is a medication used to treat cancers associated with von-Hippel Lindau (VHL) disease.

How does it work?

[1/9]
November 16, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Ikaros is a protein essential for the development of B cells, a type of immune cell. Some cancers that originate from B cells, such as multiple myeloma, rely on Ikaros to drive their uncontrolled growth.

[5-a/5]
November 8, 2024 at 7:24 PM
Lenalidomide is a drug that binds to cereblon at its target protein-binding site. This alters the target protein specificity of cereblon towards another family of proteins called Ikaros. As a result, Ikaros proteins are marked with ubiquitin and degraded.

[4/5]
November 8, 2024 at 7:22 PM
Ubiquitination is one of the pathways cells utilize to degrade proteins. In this pathway, a protein called ubiquitin ligase tags a target protein with ubiquitin, which serves as a signal for protein degradation.

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November 8, 2024 at 7:19 PM
Protein degradation is an important process that enables cells to eliminate abnormal or unnecessary proteins, recycle protein components, and adapt to changing cellular conditions.

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November 8, 2024 at 7:16 PM
Lenalidomide is a medication used to treat multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and more.

How does it work?

[1/5]
November 8, 2024 at 7:14 PM