Endogenous enzymes

Endogenous enzymes are protein-based biocatalysts synthesized within an organism to accelerate specific biochemical reactions necessary for maintaining life (StatPearls, 2023). They are involved in nearly all cellular processes, including the regulation of metabolic pathways, signal transduction, and the synthesis or degradation of biomolecules (NCBI, 2021). In the context of drug discovery, endogenous enzymes represent one of the largest classes of therapeutic targets, with many drugs designed to bind to their active or allosteric sites to modulate their function (PubMed, 2022). These interactions can lead to the inhibition or activation of specific pathways to achieve a therapeutic effect. However, the term "Endogenous enzymes" is a collective descriptor for thousands of unique proteins rather than a single molecular entity. Consequently, it is considered too broad to be a specific target for drug development without further specification of the individual enzyme involved. Targeting these molecules allows for the precise control of physiological states, though it requires high specificity to avoid disrupting non-target metabolic processes (UniProt, 2023). Effective drug design must account for enzyme isoforms and tissue-specific expression to minimize adverse effects. Overall, they remain a cornerstone of modern pharmacology and a primary focus for treating diverse human diseases.

Other names

BiocatalystsCellular enzymesMetabolic enzymesEndogenous biocatalysts

Drugs targeting endogenous enzymes primarily function through competitive inhibition, where the drug competes with the natural substrate for the active site, or non-competitive/allosteric modulation, where the drug binds to a different site to alter enzyme activity (NCBI, 2021).