DeCure's autonomous Rare AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for sebaceous gland disease — screening already-approved drugs against its 41-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleSebaceous gland disease maps to a 41-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for sebaceous gland disease is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
protein C receptor (PROCR) — PROCR is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet ptydrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 1LQV · 1.6 Å · ligand PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE (PTY). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Sebaceous gland carcinoma accounts for 1–5.5% of eyelid malignancies and is the third most common eyelid malignancy after basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, though some reports place it second. It usually affects elderly women and has high rates of local recurrence, regional and distant metastases. Delay in diagnosis is common because the tumour can masquerade as more benign conditions. For extraocular sebaceous carcinoma, which accounts for about 25% of cases, the most common site is the parotid gland; the chest wall is a rare site. One case report describes a 45-year-old African male with HIV who presented with a large anterior chest wall tumour that had grown over two years. Surgical excision with wide margins is the standard treatment, and early diagnosis with wide excision and negative margins improves survival.
The sebaceous gland is renewed throughout adult life and its homeostasis is controlled by hormones, cytokines, signalling molecules and mediators of lipid metabolism. Normal homeostasis and functional lipid metabolism of sebocytes is crucial for maintenance of the skin barrier. Abnormal regulation of sebaceous glands is involved in the pathogenesis of acne, one of the most prevalent human diseases, and can lead to sebaceous hyperplasia and tumours. Development of sebaceous glands begins at the 13th–16th week of embryogenesis, in parallel with hair follicles and epidermis. Their activity is controlled by genetic predisposition, environmental factors, hormones, non-hormonal factors, neuropeptides, and pharmacological agents that affect sebum production.
A literature review notes that research on sebaceous glands is carried out on biological material, laboratory animals, and cell and tissue cultures. Recent advances include immunocytochemical methods and immunofluorescence markers. The review states that 10,967 publications were found for the search term "sebaceous gland", of which 51 were selected for deeper study. The authors report growing interest in sebaceous glands because they are involved in regeneration, aging, neurotransmitter interactions, hormone and neuropeptide transformations, and perform neuroendocrine and immunological functions.
No drug treatment is mentioned in any of these abstracts. What is missing is any clinical trial testing a drug for sebaceous gland carcinoma or for sebaceous gland dysfunction beyond the standard surgical approach. There is no evidence on patient stratification by molecular subtype, no randomised controlled data, and no funding directed at pharmacological intervention for these conditions.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Oman Journal of Ophthalmology · 2010 · 72 citations · open access
Sebaceous gland carcinoma of the eyelid
AbstractSebaceous gland carcinoma, commonly arises in the periocular area, is an uncommon condition. It represents 1-5.5% of eyelid malignancies and is considered to be the third most common eyelid malignancy after basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, although few reports placed this tumor as second most common after basal cell carcinoma. It usually affects elderly women and characterized by high rate of local recurrence, regional, and distant metastases. A delay in diagnosis, which can be attributed primarily to ability of this tumor to masquerade as more benign conditions, often leads to inappropriate management with increased morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, the authors discuss key elements of the primary disease and therapeutic options available to treat such devastating problem.
Dermato-Endocrinology · 2009 · 64 citations · open access
Differentiation of the sebaceous gland
AbstractThe sebaceous gland is renewed throughout adult life and homeostasis of this particular organ is controlled by a precise interplay of hormones, cytokines, signalling molecules and mediators of the lipid metabolism. Although the true function of sebaceous glands has yet to be fully determined, recent evidence demonstrates that normal homeostasis of the sebaceous gland and functional lipid metabolism of sebocytes is crucial for maintenance of the skin barrier. In addition, analysis of mutant mouse models revealed a close interdependency of the sebaceous gland with hair follicles because abnormal morphogenesis of sebaceous glands often results in degeneration of hair follicle structures. Anomalous regulation of sebaceous glands is involved in the pathogenesis of acne, one of the most prevalent human diseases, or could lead to formation of sebaceous hyperplasia and tumours. This review highlights some of the recent findings on the importance of signalling pathways controlling morphogenesis and differentiation of the sebaceous gland in vivo.
International Journal of Surgery Case Reports · 2019 · 8 citations · open access
A rare giant extraocular, anterior chest wall sebaceous carcinoma
AbstractBACKGROUND: Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is a rare aggressive cutaneous malignant tumour. It accounts for less than 1 % of all cutaneous malignant tumours. Sebaceous carcinomas are divided into ocular and extraocular constituting 75 % and 25 % respectively. The most common extraocular site is parotid gland. Chest wall is a rare site of this tumour. CASE PRESENTATION: In line with SCARE criteria (Agha et al., 2018 [1]), this report is a case of a 45-year-old African male patient who presented with a two-year history of a large right anterior chest wall tumour. He reported that the tumour started as a small lump, which grew gradually over a two-year period. The patient reported no history of visceral malignancy and radiation exposure. However, his risk factors were age and immunosuppression in the form of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The tumour was initially diagnosed as sebaceous adenocarcinoma by incisional biopsy before the patient had been referred to the treating team a year before. Excision of the tumour with wide margins was undertaken, and histology results confirmed sebaceous carcinoma. DISCUSSION: Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare and aggressive adnexal tumour. It is categorized as ocular and extraocular. Of these two, the more common is extraocular. The chest wall is a rare site for this tumour. The definitive diagnosis of this kind of tumour is done by tissue biopsy. In dealing with this tumour, surgical excision with wide margins is the standard treatment. CONCLUSION: Sebaceous carcinoma is a rare aggressive malignant tumour originating from sebaceous gland. Early diagnosis and wide excision with negative margins improves survival.
British Journal of Dermatology · 1970 · 2 citations
Sebaceous Gland Secretion
AbstractJournal Article Sebaceous Gland Secretion Get access Bill Cunliffe, Bill Cunliffe Department of Dermatology Royal Infirmary, Leeds Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Sam Shuster Sam Shuster University Department of Dermatology, Newcastle upon Tyne Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 82, Issue 4, 1 April 1970, Pages 420–421, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1970.tb06846.x Published: 01 April 1970
Development, structure and regulation of sebaceous glands at present stage (literature review)
AbstractThis article provides a literature review on the development and regulation of sebaceous glands, which have been actively studied in recent decades. Research is carried out on biological material, laboratory animals, cell and tissue cultures. Recent advances in diagnostic techniques, the use of immunocytochemical research methods and immunofluorescence markers have expanded the opportunities for studying the skin. The purpose of the review is to systematize information about human sebaceous glands according to domestic and foreign sources using modern research methods. This article provides information on the development, structure and regulation of human sebaceous glands, which are among the most important skin derivatives and have a unique holocrine type of secretion. They secrete sebum, which forms a water-lipid mantle on the surface of the epidermis. The development of sebaceous glands begins on the 13th–16th week of embryogenesis and occurs in parallel with the development of hair follicles and epidermis. Their activities are controlled by various factors. These are genetic predisposition and environmental factors, hormones and non-hormonal factors, neuropeptides, and pharmacological agents that affect sebum production. The analysis of literary sources was carried out in PubMed and eLibrary.RU databases, CyberLeninka, which are large aggregators of scientific publications around the world. At the request "sebaceous gland", 10,967 publications were received. For a deeper study, 51 publications from various domestic and foreign scientific publications were selected. Scientific reviews and original studies have been reviewed, which present the results of studying sebaceous glands. Currently, there is a growing interest in studying various skin structures, especially sebaceous glands, which are involved in regeneration, aging processes, neurotransmitter interactions, transformations of hormones and neuropeptides and perform complex neuroendocrine and immunological functions.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
