Medical Implications of the Relationships among Protein Denaturation, Necrosis and Inflammation: An Intriguing Story

Abstract

This story deals with the role of protein denaturation in inflammation. The starting point was the description of the necrotizing action of inflammatory proteins, followed by the discovery of the antidenaturant action of NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Hence, the idea is that the antidenaturant action accounted for the action of NSAIDs. This hypothesis was dropped following the discovery of the antiprostaglandin action of NSAIDs, which shifted the focus to the arachidonic acid cascade. It was revived by assuming that protein denaturation is a process in its own, suitable for separate medical treatment. This approach led to bendazac and bindarit, the first selective antidenaturant drugs. This experience shows that protein denaturation has two main pathological sequelae. The first concerns the so-called primary (innate) inflammation. The second sequela concerns the so-called secondary (acquired) inflammation. Natural antidenaturant agents represent a promising alternative to the synthetics bendazac and bindarit. Within this framework, tendinitis finds a separate but significant place.