REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1640090
This article is part of the Research TopicTranslational Potential of Novel Biomarkers and Molecular Targets in Lifestyle DisordersView all 3 articles
ADAM17 as a Promising Therapeutic Target: From Structural Basis to Inhibitor Discovery in Human Diseases
Provisionally accepted
Juan Li1,2*
Lisa Liu2Erkang Tian2Shuqi Quan2Chongying Su2Jiawei Zhou2Sijia Hu2Nanyan Bian2Shufang Du2*- 1Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- 2Sichuan University West China School of Stomatology, Chengdu, China
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) is a transmembrane protease that regulates diverse physiological processes by shedding membrane-bound proteins, including cytokines, their receptors, and adhesion molecules. A mounting body of evidence has emerged linking ADAM17 to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including inflammation, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the molecular structure and biological functions of ADAM17, emphasizing its role in human diseases and therapeutic strategies that target ADAM17 activity. Recent advances in the development of ADAM17-targeting agents, including small-molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and endogenous regulatory proteins, are discussed with a focus on the structural basis of their activity, with the aim of informing and guiding future drug discovery efforts.
Keywords: ADAM171, Therapeutic target2, inflammation3, cancer4, Cardiovascular diseases5, neurological disorders6, Small-molecule inhibitors7
Received: 03 Jun 2025; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Liu, Tian, Quan, Su, Zhou, Hu, Bian and Du. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Juan Li, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
Shufang Du, Sichuan University West China School of Stomatology, Chengdu, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.