Authors' reply

Viroj Wiwanitkit

 Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

Correspondence Address:
Viroj Wiwanitkit
Wiwanitkit House, Bangkhae, Bangkok 10160
Thailand

Sir,

The accuracy of prediction of relative or absolute ligand-binding affinities is challenging in both theoretical and practical aspects. ^[1] Receptor-ligand docking simulation for membrane proteins is widely used in structural bioinformatics. ^[2] Ligand-binding site prediction is useful in antagonist-type drug search. ^[3],[4] Ligand-binding site prediction for ErbB2, a membrane protein, was discussed in a previous report. ^[5]

The generation of highly effective signalling inhibitors targeting members of the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases, EGFR and ErbB-2 has been discussed for a few years. ^[6] Of interest, Rambukkana et al. mentioned that during Microbacterium leprae -induced demyelination, Schwann cells proliferated significantly and generated a more nonmyelinated phenotype, thereby securing the intracellular niche for M. Leprae. ^[7] Recently, Tapinos et al. provided evidence that M. leprae -induced demyelination was a result of direct bacterial ligation to and activation of ErbB2 receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) without ErbB2-ErbB3 heterodimerization, a previously unknown mechanism that bypasses the neuregulin-ErbB3-mediated ErbB2 phosphorylation. ^[8] Therefore, it might be concluded that an ErbB2 antagonist could be useful in leprosy therapy, especially as a dedifferentiation signal in leprosy. ^[9]

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