Pharmacology & therapeutics
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Proteolytic enzymes may serve as promising targets for novel therapeutic treatment strategies seeking to impede cancer progression and metastasis. One such enzyme is cathepsin L (CTSL), a lysosomal cysteine protease. ⋯ In addition, CTSL has been implicated to contribute to cancer-associated osteolysis, a debilitating morbidity affecting both life expectancy and the quality of life. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms by which CTSL contributes to tumor progression and dissemination and discuss the therapeutic utility of CTSL intervention strategies aimed at impeding metastatic progression and bone resorption.
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Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are the leading worldwide risk factors for mortality. The inextricably interlinked pathological progression from excessive weight gain, obesity, and hyperglycemia to T2DM, usually commencing from obesity, typically originates from overconsumption of sugar and high-fat diets. Although most patients require medications, T2DM is manageable or even preventable with consumption of low-calorie diet and maintaining body weight. ⋯ Human trials showed that D-allulose attenuates postprandial glucose levels in healthy subjects and in borderline diabetic subjects. The anti-hyperlipidemic effect of D-allulose, combined with its anti-inflammatory actions on adipocytes, is beneficial for the prevention of both obesity and atherosclerosis and is accompanied by improvements in insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Therefore, this review presents brief discussions focusing on physiological functions and potential benefits of D-allulose on obesity and T2DM.