Search Health-Diet-Alternative-Medicine-Info Article Directory:

Home | Cancer

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Cancer Articles Via RSS!

Print This Article

Post Comment Add To Favorites Email to Friends Ezine Ready

GPCRs: Exploring New Paradigms
By: Stephen Jones

As one of the largest and most diverse protein families in nature, the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily play important roles in a variety of biological and pathological processes such as development and proliferation, neuromodulation, angiogenesis, metabolic disorders, inflammation, and viral infection. Not surprisingly, it is one of the most targeted protein families in pharmaceutical research today (Schlyer 2006).

All members of this superfamily share a similar seven transmembrane domain, but are grouped on the basis of shared sequence motifs into the following broad classes:

Class A Rhodopsin-like
Class B Secretin-like
Class C Metabotropic glutamate/pheromone
Class D Fungal pheromone
Class E cAMP receptors
Frizzled/Smoothened
Vomeronasal receptors
Putative/unclassified

The pharmaceutical industry has focused on development of modulators to this protein family, but GPCRs also represent an attractive target as biomarkers. Recent studies have implicated endothelin receptors, chemokine receptors and lysophosphatidic acid receptors in tumorgenesis and metastasis, and a recent in silico analysis found a number of GPCRs that were up-regulated in various cancers which suggests not only targets of therapeutic value, but of diagnostic and prognostic value as well. A summary of these up-regulated receptors is below.

Lung cancer
Edg2, P2Y purinoceptor 6, PAR-2, PAR-3, GPR68
Breast cancer
CCR1, CXCR-4, PAR-2
Prostate cancer
Beta 2 adrenergic receptor, CXCR-3, CXCR-4, GPR68
Melanoma
Edg6, PAR-2, mGluR1
Gastric cancer
CXCR-4, P2Y purinoceptor 5
Lymphoma
Beta 2 adrenergic receptor, Edg1, CCR7

While research continues, it is evident that GPCRs are critical in countless biological functions--and disfunctions. While the emphasis is on their role in drug development, it is becoming increasingly clear that G-protein coupled receptors will play a critical role as indicators of disease with diagnostic and prognostic potential. IMGENEX carries over 900 IHC, WB, and flow validated GPCR antibodies. View our complete GPCRs antibody list grouped by class and family. Also see our complete list of Tissue Microarray slides--perfect for GPCR localization.

Article Source: http://health-diet-alternativemedicine-info.co.uk/health_articles

IMGENEX India Pvt Ltd. the only biotech company in Orissa and one of its kinds in Eastern India. IMGENEX India started in Oct as an outsourcing branch of IMGENEX Corporation,San Diego, USA. Find out more information about GPCRs or G-protein coupled receptor.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated


Affiliate Classroom, For More Traffic Affiliate and Sales Classroom
The magazine about building an affiliate business...not just small checks
Newbie Survival Tactics, Startup Budget, Smart ROI, First Site Tips, Staying Sane.



Copyright 2005 by www.cjpwebdesign.co.uk Affordable Web Sites Designed

Powered by Article Dashboard