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Hedgehog Pathway Agonism: Therapeutic Potential and Small‐Molecule Development
Author(s) -
Hadden M. Kyle
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemmedchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.817
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1860-7187
pISSN - 1860-7179
DOI - 10.1002/cmdc.201300358
Subject(s) - hedgehog , hedgehog signaling pathway , small molecule , signal transduction , agonism , smoothened , biology , vismodegib , signalling pathways , pharmacology , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , cancer research , genetics , politics , political science , law
The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a developmental signaling pathway that plays multiple roles during embryonic development and in adult tissues. Constitutive Hh signaling has been linked to the development and progression of several forms of cancer, and the application of small‐molecule pathway inhibitors as anticancer chemotherapeutics is well studied and clearly defined. Activation of the Hh pathway as a therapeutic strategy for a variety of degenerative or ischemic disorders has also been proposed; however, the development of small‐molecule Hh agonists has received less attention. The goal of this review is to highlight the recent evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of Hh pathway activators and to provide a comprehensive overview of small‐molecule pathway agonists.