Abstract: A benzophenone derivative represented by the following formula: wherein R1 represents, for example, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or a substituted phenyl group; Z represents, for example, an alkylene group; R2 represents, for example, a carboxyl group optionally protected with alkyl; R3 represents, for example, an optionally protected hydroxyl group; R4 represents, for example, an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group; and R5 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom, or a salt thereof has anti-arthritic activity, inhibits bone destruction caused by arthritis, and provides high safety and excellent pharmacokinetics and thus is useful as therapeutic agent for arthritis. These compounds have inhibitory effect on AP-1 activity and are useful as preventive or therapeutic agent for diseases in which excessive expression of AP-1 is involved.

Abstract: A compound comprising the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, said atoms constitute the pharmacophore represented by the following formula: wherein N1 represents an atom to which a donative hydrogen atom in a hydrogen-bond donating group is bonded or a hydrogen-bond accepting atom in a hydrogen-bond accepting group; N3 represents a hydrogen-bond accepting atom in a hydrogen-bond accepting group; and N2, N4 and N5 independently represents an arbitrary carbon atom constituting a hydrophobic group and defined by the interatomic distances between N1, N2, N3, N4 and N5; and, in the optimized three-dimensional structure thereof, the distances between the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, in the optimized steric structure thereof, are the interatomic distances in a pharmacophore; or a salt thereof; inhibits the activity of transcription factor AP-1 and is useful as an agent for preventing and treating the diseases i

Abstract: A compound or a salt thereof having the atom corresponding to N3 and the two or more atoms selected from N1, N2, N4 and N5, said atoms constitute the pharmacophore represented by the following formula: and inhibits the activity of transcription factor AP-1 and is useful as an agent for preventing and treating the diseases into which over expression of AP-1 participates and as an AP-1 inhibitor.

Abstract: With compounds for drugs, agricultural chemicals, etc., the invention provides a novel method for superposing molecular structures of those compounds.

Abstract: A benzophenone derivative represented by the following formula: wherein R1 represents, for example, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or a substituted phenyl group; Z represents, for example, an alkylene group; R2 represents, for example, a carboxyl group optionally protected with alkyl; R3 represents, for example, an optionally protected hydroxyl group; R4 represents, for example, an optionally substituted cycloalkyloxy group; and R5 represents, for example, a hydrogen atom, or a salt thereof has anti-arthritic activity, inhibits bone destruction caused by arthritis, and provides high safety and excellent pharmacokinetics and thus is useful as therapeutic agent for arthritis. These compounds have inhibitory effect on AP-1 activity and are useful as preventive or therapeutic agent for diseases in which excessive expression of AP-1 is involved.

Abstract: The invention provides a technique for finding out compounds with potential to become leads in the compounds of medicinal drugs, agricultural chemicals, etc.

Abstract: With compounds for drugs, agricultural chemicals, etc., the invention provides a novel method for superposing molecular structures of those compounds.

Abstract: The spiro compounds of the present invention represented by the general formula: wherein A, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and n are as defined in the specification, exhibit an AP-1 activity inhibitory action and, based on the AP-1 inhibitory action, suppresses the expression of a wide variety of genes and are useful as an agent for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases with lessoned side reactions.

Abstract: A method of superposing molecular conformations of a plurality of compounds containing a plurality of characteristic groups is provided involving the steps of:(1) dividing the plurality of characteristic groups into four types selected from hydrophobicity, hydrogen-bonding donor, hydrogen-bonding acceptor and hydrogen-bonding donor/acceptor;(2) fixing a molecule of a first compound from the plurality of compounds having a largest molecular volume and translating, rotating or both a center of mass of each of the remaining compounds of the plurality of compounds to superpose the remaining compounds with the first compound to provide a superposed group of compounds, such that characteristic groups of the same type are overlapped;(3) assigning a score to combinations of characteristic groups present in the superposed group of compounds;(4) summing scores from (3) for the superposed group of compounds to provide a score value for the superposed group of compounds; and(5) repeating steps (1) to (4) until a highest

Abstract: A hepatocyte growth factor comprising a proteinous substance derived from human blood and showing the following physicochemical properties and physiologic activity:(i) its molecular weight is estimated to be approximately 76,000 to 92,00 by SDS-PAGE analysis (under non-reductive conditon);(ii) it possesses HGF activity;(iii) the HGF activity is inactivated by heat treatment for 10 minutes at 80.degree. C.;(iv) the HGF activity may be lost by digestion with trypsin or with chymotrypsin; and(v) it has a high affinity for heparin.