Topic: G-protein coupled receptors

Chronic pain affects nearly 20% of the Canadian population and is now recognized as a disease by the World Health Organization. Moderate to severe pain is currently treated with opioids which are known to cause various side effects (constipation, nausea, respiratory depression, drowsiness) and strong dependence. A promising alternative is neurotensin, an endogenous neuromodulator peptide which induces analgesia by interacting with its two G-protein coupled receptors NTS1 and NTS2. However, NTS1 activation is also associated with hypotension and hypothermia. Selectivity towards NTS2 is, therefo

G-Protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are among the most prominent receptors in the central nervous system. Their malfunction is implicated in various neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, making them a common target for medical treatment. Thus, it is crucial to gain a comprehensive understanding of GPCR functions and mechanisms to develop more effective and targeted medical treatments with fewer side effects.This study examines the potential interplay between the serotonin receptors 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C, which play a significant role in the pathology of depression. Experiments were performe

The к-Opioid receptor (OPRK) belongs to the family of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), is mainly localized at axon terminals in different brain regions, and is involved in e.g., nociception, consciousness, or mood. Like all GPCRs, OPRK mediates downstream signaling via e.g. heterotrimeric G proteins, consisting of Gα-, Gβ-, and Gγ-subunits, or β-arrestins. OPRK is reported to primarily signal via the inhibitory Gαi/o family and also exhibits interactions with Gα12, however, how OPRK mediates this preference has not yet been elucidated.In this project we therefore aim to explore the molecul

In all metazoans, neural circuit function is subject to regulation by state-specific neuromodulation. Here, we mapped the expression of neuromodulatory systems in the zebrafish telencephalon to ultimately understand their contributions to memory formation. We first generated a comprehensive single-cell RNA sequencing dataset of the telencephalon of adult zebrafish and mapped the diversity of neuronal cell types to anatomical brain areas. Gene expression data of G-protein coupled receptors were mined to embed individual cell types in neuromodulatory networks, allowing inference about which modu