Receiving the Synaptic Message

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy Mason
Keyword(s):  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Metabotropic Receptors ◽  
Second Messenger Systems ◽  
Psychotropic Effects ◽  
G Protein Coupled ◽  
Ionotropic And Metabotropic Receptors

Ionotropic and metabotropic receptors differ in their speed of action, the variety of effects produced after ligand-binding, and in the number of types present in the nervous system. The participation of two ionotropic glutamate receptors in synaptic plasticity is thought to be the cellular basis of learning. The actions of acetylcholine on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors present at the neuromuscular junction are described. The pharmacological profile of the GABAA receptor, central to most neural functions, is introduced. The properties of metabotropic receptors that are coupled to G proteins, termed G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), are detailed. Three canonical second-messenger systems through which GPCRs act are briefly described. An introduction to clinical pharmacology focused on how drugs acting on muscarinic and adrenergic receptors produce peripheral and central psychotropic effects is provided. Finally, the role of connexins and gap junctions in myelination and hearing is introduced.

scholarly journals Dopamine D3 Receptor Heteromerization: Implications for Neuroplasticity and Neuroprotection

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Bono ◽  
Veronica Mutti ◽  
Chiara Fiorentini ◽  
Cristina Missale
Keyword(s):  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
D3 Receptor ◽  
Pharmacological Targets ◽  
Receptor Heteromers ◽  
Dopamine D3 ◽  
Functional Features ◽  
G Protein Coupled

The dopamine (DA) D3 receptor (D3R) plays a pivotal role in the control of several functions, including motor activity, rewarding and motivating behavior and several aspects of cognitive functions. Recently, it has been reported that the D3R is also involved in the regulation of neuronal development, in promoting structural plasticity and in triggering key intracellular events with neuroprotective potential. A new role for D3R-dependent neurotransmission has thus been proposed both in preserving DA neuron homeostasis in physiological conditions and in preventing pathological alterations that may lead to neurodegeneration. Interestingly, there is evidence that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) located on DA neurons also provide neurotrophic support to DA neurons, an effect requiring functional D3R and suggesting the existence of a positive cross-talk between these receptor systems. Increasing evidence suggests that, as with the majority of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), the D3R directly interacts with other receptors to form new receptor heteromers with unique functional and pharmacological properties. Among them, we recently identified a receptor heteromer containing the nAChR and the D3R as the molecular effector of nicotine-mediated neurotrophic effects. This review summarizes the functional and pharmacological characteristics of D3R, including the capability to form active heteromers as pharmacological targets for specific neurodegenerative disorders. In particular, the molecular and functional features of the D3R-nAChR heteromer will be especially discussed since it may represent a possible key etiologic effector for DA-related pathologies, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), and a target for drug design.

Role of endocytosis in signalling and regulation of G-protein-coupled receptors

2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 500-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. von Zastrow
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Vesicular Carriers ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein ◽  
Effector Pathways ◽  
Endocytic Vesicles ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Many G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) undergo agonist-induced endocytosis. Endocytosis contributes to distinct processes that regulate the number and functional activity of receptors present in the plasma membrane, contributing to the well described processes of receptor sequestration and down-regulation. Emerging evidence suggests additional functions of endocytosis in mediating GPCR signalling via certain effector pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase modules. The diverse functions of endocytosis raise fundamental questions about the nature of the vesicular carriers and membrane pathways that mediate the endocytic trafficking of specific GPCRs. Insights into the biochemical and functional properties of endocytic vesicles containing internalized opioid and adrenergic receptors will be discussed. Progress towards understanding the mechanisms that control the specificity with which distinct GPCRs are sorted to specialized sub-populations of endocytic vesicles will be highlighted.

scholarly journals β2-adrenergic receptor regulates ER-mitochondria contacts

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngshin Lim ◽  
Il-Taeg Cho ◽  
Helmut G. Rennke ◽  
Ginam Cho
Keyword(s):  
Adrenergic Receptors ◽  
Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Cellular Environment ◽  
Downstream Effectors ◽  
Β2 Adrenergic Receptor ◽  
Physiological Demands ◽  
G Protein Coupled

AbstractInteractions between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria (Mito) are crucial for many cellular functions, and their interaction levels change dynamically depending on the cellular environment. Little is known about how the interactions between these organelles are regulated within the cell. Here we screened a compound library to identify chemical modulators for ER-Mito contacts in HEK293T cells. Multiple agonists of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), beta-adrenergic receptors (β-ARs) in particular, scored in this screen. Analyses in multiple orthogonal assays validated that β2-AR activation promotes physical and functional interactions between the two organelles. Furthermore, we have elucidated potential downstream effectors mediating β2-AR-induced ER-Mito contacts. Together our study identifies β2-AR signaling as an important regulatory pathway for ER-Mito coupling and highlights the role of these contacts in responding to physiological demands or stresses.

scholarly journals Novel Three-Finger Neurotoxins from Naja melanoleuca Cobra Venom Interact with GABAA and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 164
Author(s):  
Lina Son ◽  
Elena Kryukova ◽  
Rustam Ziganshin ◽  
Tatyana Andreeva ◽  
Denis Kudryavtsev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Gabaa Receptors ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Nicotinic Acetylcholine ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Central Loop ◽  
Acetylcholine Binding Proteins ◽  
Α7 Nachrs

Cobra venoms contain three-finger toxins (TFT) including α-neurotoxins efficiently binding nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). As shown recently, several TFTs block GABAA receptors (GABAARs) with different efficacy, an important role of the TFTs central loop in binding to these receptors being demonstrated. We supposed that the positive charge (Arg36) in this loop of α-cobratoxin may explain its high affinity to GABAAR and here studied α-neurotoxins from African cobra N. melanoleuca venom for their ability to interact with GABAARs and nAChRs. Three α-neurotoxins, close homologues of the known N. melanoleuca long neurotoxins 1 and 2, were isolated and sequenced. Their analysis on Torpedocalifornica and α7 nAChRs, as well as on acetylcholine binding proteins and on several subtypes of GABAARs, showed that all toxins interacted with the GABAAR much weaker than with the nAChR: one neurotoxin was almost as active as α-cobratoxin, while others manifested lower activity. The earlier hypothesis about the essential role of Arg36 as the determinant of high affinity to GABAAR was not confirmed, but the results obtained suggest that the toxin loop III may contribute to the efficient interaction of some long-chain neurotoxins with GABAAR. One of isolated toxins manifested different affinity to two binding sites on Torpedo nAChR.

Steroids as the novel class of high-affinity allosteric modulators of muscarinic receptors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Dolejší ◽  
Eszter Szánti-Pintér ◽  
Nikolai Chetverikov ◽  
Dominik Nelic ◽  
Alena Randáková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscarinic Receptors ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Allosteric Modulation ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Allosteric Modulators ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Stress Control ◽  
Structure Activity ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Abstract The membrane cholesterol was found to bind and modulate the function of several G-protein coupled receptors including muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. We investigated the binding of 20 steroidal compounds including neurosteroids and steroid hormones to muscarinic receptors. Corticosterone, progesterone, and some neurosteroids bound to muscarinic receptors with an affinity of 100 nM or greater. We established a structure-activity relationship for steroid-based allosteric modulators of muscarinic receptors. Further, we show that corticosterone and progesterone allosterically modulate the functional response of muscarinic receptors to acetylcholine at physiologically relevant concentrations. It can play a role in stress control or in pregnancy, conditions where levels of these hormones dramatically oscillate. Allosteric modulation of muscarinic receptors via the cholesterol-binding site represents a new pharmacological approach at diseases associated with altered cholinergic signalling.

scholarly journals Role of Taste Receptors as Sentinels of Innate Immunity in the Upper Airway

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil N. Patel ◽  
Alan D. Workman ◽  
Noam A. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Airway Epithelium ◽  
Taste Receptor ◽  
Upper Airway ◽  
Airway Disease ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Taste Receptors ◽  
Taste Sensation ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Evidence is emerging that shows taste receptors serve functions outside of taste sensation of the tongue. Taste receptors have been found in tissue across the human body, including the gastrointestinal tract, bladder, brain, and airway. These extraoral taste receptors appear to be important in modulating the innate immune response through detection of pathogens. This review discusses taste receptor signaling, focusing on the G-protein–coupled receptors that detect bitter and sweet compounds in the upper airway epithelium. Emphasis is given to recent studies which link the physiology of sinonasal taste receptors to clinical manifestation of upper airway disease.

scholarly journals The Role of G Protein-Coupled Receptors in the Right Ventricle in Pulmonary Hypertension

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayathri Viswanathan ◽  
Argen Mamazhakypov ◽  
Ralph T. Schermuly ◽  
Sudarshan Rajagopal
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Hypertension ◽  
Right Ventricle ◽  
G Protein ◽  
G Protein Coupled Receptors ◽  
The Right ◽  
G Protein Coupled
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