Tag Archives: receptor
BC007, first steps of this new drug on the way for future treatment of patients with cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the heart in which the heart chambers stretch and thin (dilate). Under this condition, the heart and cannot pump enough blood needed by the other organs need. DCM presents as
Another prince awakened Sleeping Beauty?
Tumor suppressor genes are one of the body’s defenses against uncontrolled growth of tumor cells. When these genes are ‘silenced,’ or prevented from doing their work, the abnormal cells grow unchecked, usually with fatal consequences to the
A synaptic receptor with a dual personality
Learning and storage of information in the brain at the cellular level involves dynamic modification of synapses, the place where information passes from a neuron to another. The efficacy of this transmission of information changes and depends
Hosts and pathogens: war without end
Theodosius Dobzhansky once famously remarked that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”. Nowhere is this truer than in the never ending struggle between animals and the pathogens (viruses, bacteria and parasites) which
Active-state of AT1 receptor attenuates inverse agonism of ARBs through changes in specific ligand-receptor interactions
G protein – coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest gene superfamilies in the human genome. The angiotensin II ( Ang II ) type 1 receptor ( AT1R ) belongs to G – protein coupled receptor
Keys to unlocking human dopamine D1 receptor signal transduction
Our body organs, such as the brain, are made of different cells that talk to each other by releasing natural chemicals outside the cells. The free chemicals then attach to specialized proteins named receptors, which are anchored
Kidney angiotensinogen as a cardinal risk factor in hypertension
High blood pressure is prevalent in over 30% of the adult population and accounts for approximately one fourth of patients with heart failure, especially the elderly. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is of critical importance in the regulation
AntiVEGF therapy: hidden changes on heart and vessels
VEGF (Vascular endothelial growth factor) is a protein normally present in our organism that promotes the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. Cancer cells produce this substance in large quantity, obtaining a continuous
Liver X receptor beta, the link between thyroid hormone regulation and the browning of white fat
Everyone agrees that when our intake of sugar, fat and protein exceeds the body’s need for nutrition, excess is stored as fat. Fat in the form of white adipocytes is the body’s reserve of energy, which is
Receptors as drug targets
According to the latest count, human body has 37.2 trillion cells. They all have the same genetic material, half deriving from a sperm cell, the other half from an egg cell. Consequently, all the cells are in
Sweetness of recombinant human lysozyme
Here, we reported that lysozyme found in human milk elicits sweet taste as well as chicken lysozyme with 20-folds more sweetness than sucrose by weight. Lysozyme is an enzyme that degrades the bacterial cell wall and thereby
The role of the thalamic submedius nucleus histamine in modulation of formalin-induced orofacial pain
Pain is one of the most common and disturbing of human experiences. While it has many causes, the appreciation of painful sensation depends on the stimulation of pain receptors (nociceptors) and the conduction of the nerve impulses
The binding of mGluR4 targeting drugs could help the finding novel treatments for PD
One of the key features of drugs is an ability to find the corresponding target molecule (eg. protein) from the body. The target protein has unique structural sites that could be loaded with specific chemicals (drugs). The
Evolution of innate T cells
As a part of adaptive immunity, T cells identify and respond to products or antigens derived from pathogens. These antigens are seen by T cells in the form of short fragments or peptides presented by classical major
The drug that can inhibit infection by reovirus
Cellular diversity is, to some extent, determined by the molecules present within specific cells. For example, cells that make up the endothelium, the part of blood vessels that come in contact with blood, make specific proteins that
A potential harmless food bio-preservative — pediocin PA-1
Food safety issues are always around us for food-borne pathogen and spoilage bacteria exist in many kinds of food. Chemical preservatives are added to prevent food spoilage, however, most of them are cancerogen and unsafe for us.
Characterizing the whac-a-mole concept of a bispecific antibody targeting cancer cells
One of the great promises of antibodies is to be magic bullets that specifically target diseased cells without affecting normal cells. Oncology researchers identify targets on tumor cells that are unique, overexpressed, or oncogenic drivers that can
Exploring the amazing capacity of many bacteria to swim towards specific chemicals
Many bacteria possess flagella, which are flexible filaments attached to the bacterial surface. These filaments can rotate which in turn propels the bacterium forward and enables them to swim. However, this swimming behavior does not simply occur
The number of AMPA receptors on the cell surface is abnormally increased in the brain of Cln3-knock-out mice
Nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other by electrical and chemical signals. The amino acid, glutamate is the main stimulatory chemical signal in the brain. When a nerve terminal releases glutamate, it binds and activates
