Hijacked receptors.
Pharmacological receptors are typically defined by their selectivity of ligand recognition, including where appropriate stereoselectivity of interaction. It is increasingly clear that receptors may, in fact, be promiscuous species. This promiscuity arises at several levels of organization: two appear to be of particular importance. A given ligand-receptor complex may couple with different effectors and may generate quite different physiological responses: this is particularly common, although not uniquely so, for G protein-coupled receptors. Or a single receptor may recognize fundamentally different ligands often of significantly different characteristics: a number of viruses gain entry to cells through their interaction at receptors for neurotransmitters, peptides or hormones.
Triggle
D J
DJ
Graduate School, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260, USA. triggle@buffalo.edu
D000818:Animals; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism
D008024:Ligands; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins