Neurotransmitter receptor heteromers in neurodegenerative diseases and neural plasticity.
Metabotropic receptors for neurotransmitters on the plasma membrane of neurons are forming homo- hetero- dimers and even homo- or hetero-oligomers. Neurotransmission has been studied assuming that these G-protein-coupled receptors were monomers. Then, on considering receptor dimers, we are entering a new era for the understanding how neurotransmitter receptors decode signals originating at the nervous system. At the moment it is becoming clear that receptor homo and hetero-oligomers provide signaling diversity, help to understand synaptic plasticity and open new therapeutic potential as targets for neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases.
Franco
Rafael
R
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. rfranco@unav.es
D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000378:metabolism*; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000378:metabolism; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism
D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1