In molecular biology

Molecular biology

Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...

, immunophilins are endogenous cytosolic peptidyl-prolyl isomerases that interconvert between the cis and trans positions.

Immunophilins are targeted by immunosuppressive drug

Immunosuppressive drug

Immunosuppressive drugs or immunosuppressive agents are drugs that inhibit or prevent activity of the immune system. They are used in immunosuppressive therapy to:...

s such as rapamycin

Sirolimus

Sirolimus , also known as rapamycin, is an immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection in organ transplantation; it is especially useful in kidney transplants. A macrolide, sirolimus was first discovered as a product of the bacterium Streptomyces hygroscopicus in a soil sample from Easter...

, ciclosporin

Ciclosporin

Ciclosporin , cyclosporine , cyclosporin , or cyclosporin A is an immunosuppressant drug widely used in post-allogeneic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the immune system, and therefore the risk of organ rejection...

, and tacrolimus

Tacrolimus

Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressive drug that is mainly used after allogeneic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the patient's immune system and so lower the risk of organ rejection...

. For these drugs in particular, known immunophilins such as cyclophilin

Cyclophilin

Cyclophilins are a family of proteins from vertebrates and other organisms that bind to cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant which is usually used to suppress rejection after internal organ transplants...

 catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of peptide bond

Peptide bond

This article is about the peptide link found within biological molecules, such as proteins. A similar article for synthetic molecules is being created...

s, particularly X-Pro peptide bonds. This isomerase

Isomerase

In biochemistry, an isomerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the structural rearrangement of isomers. Isomerases thus catalyze reactions of the formwhere B is an isomer of A.-Nomenclature:...

activity can be inhibited by immunosuppressive drugs.

External links

• "Plant immunophilins and signal transduction" at berkeley.edu