Itshak Golan
D&D Novel Therapeutics Ltd., UK
Title: The role of CD44 and its ligand galectin-8 in the induction of apoptosis in the arthritic joints: Routes to new therapies for autoimmune and cancer diseases
Biography
Biography: Itshak Golan
Abstract
Autoimmune inflammatory and cancer diseases are intractable disorders, involving pathological activities mediating tissue
destruction. In Europe, and other parts of the world, these diseases cause immense human suffering and inflict on society
an annual economic burden of hundreds of billions of euros, associated with direct and indirect medical costs resulting from
lost work time, disability payments and premature death. Traditional treatments and drugs for various autoimmune and cancer
diseases either produce undesirable side effects or provide a relief of symptoms or delay in deterioration rather than a cure. Most,
if not all, have the deleterious effect of destroying normal cells as well as the cells involved in pathological activities. Results of
efforts made to develop improved treatments for autoimmune and cancer diseases using disease specific cell surface chemical
entities have been disappointing until now. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic inflammatory arthropathy, leading
to joint destruction and disability as a consequence of the chronic inflammatory processes. The etiology is unknown and the
pathogenesis of this disorder is not well understood, yet the molecular events leading to tissue inflammation resulting with
cartilage and bone destruction are now better defined. As a result there is a better chance now than ever before to develop new
therapeutic modalities; an example of such an effort will be presented here. We have found new variant of human galectin-8
protein expressed in the joints of arthritic patients. This protein induces apoptosis in treated cells and has approximately 80%
therapeutic effect in CIA mouse model.