title: The lipid habitats of neurotransmitter receptors in brain.
abstract: Neurotransmitter receptors, the macromolecules specialized in decoding the chemical signals encrypted in the chemical signaling mechanism in the nervous system, occur either at the somatic cell surface of chemically excitable cells or at specialized subcellular structures, the synapses. Synapses have lipid compositions distinct from the rest of the cell membrane, suggesting that neurotransmitter receptors and their scaffolding and adaptor protein partners require specific lipid habitats for optimal operation. In this review we discuss some paradigmatic cases of neurotransmitter receptor-lipid interactions, highlighting the chemical nature of the intervening lipid species and providing examples of the receptor mechanisms affected by interaction with lipids. The focus is on the effects of cholesterol, glycerophospholipids and covalent fatty acid acylation on neurotransmitter receptors. We also briefly discuss the role of lipid phase states involving lateral heterogeneities of the host membrane known to modulate membrane transport, protein sorting and signaling. Modulation of neurotransmitter receptors by lipids occurs at multiple levels, affecting a wide span of activities including their trafficking, sorting, stability, residence lifetime at the cell surface, endocytosis, and recycling, among other important functional properties at the synapse.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnología en Polímeros y Nanotecnología (ITPN) Av. Las Heras 2214 C1127AAQ Buenos Aires Argentina.
authors.forename: María Virginia
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Borroni
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Bahía Blanca, B8000FWB Bahía Blanca, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ana Sofía
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Vallés
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Biomedical Research Institute, UCA-CONICET, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Catholic University of Argentina, Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 1600, C1107AFF Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: rtfjb1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Barrantes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D054878:Lipoylation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin
keywords: Cholesterol; Lipid domains; Lipid-protein interactions; Membrane proteins; Neurotransmitter receptors; Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels; Synapses