Sulfotransferases as targets for therapeutic intervention.

Sulfated biomolecules regulate a diverse array of normal and pathological cellular communication events. The participation of these bioconjugates in a variety of disease states has sparked interest in the enzyme class that installs the sulfate esters: the sulfotransferases. Recent advances in the cloning and characterization of sulfotransferase enzymes and our understanding of the role of sulfated biomolecules in disease states have prompted the search for specific sulfotransferase inhibitors. Evidence for the participation of sulfated carbohydrates and proteins in acute and chronic inflammation, tumor progression and microbial pathogenesis is presented herein, followed by a discussion of sulfotransferase mechanism and approaches to inhibiting sulfotransferase activity.