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Insights into Receptor Function and New Drug Development Targets
G-Protein Coupled receptors (GPCRs) and other receptors are significant targets for drug discovery, due to their roles in fundamental physiological processes. Among these roles are: regulation of growth, food intake, reproduction, water balance, sensory perception, blood pressure and heart rate. GPCR-directed drugs account for approximately $40 billion in sales and, of drugs at market, approximately 70% target GPCR function. The availability of combinatorial chemistry coupled with high throughput screening techniques have facilitated discovery of peptidic and non-peptidic ligands of membrane receptors. Mutant receptor models have revealed their role in health and disease and provided insight to new therapeutic approaches, based on control of protein trafficking. Understanding receptor-receptor interactions has provided one mechanism for receptor cross-talk and revealed unexpected interactions.
Inhibitory Regulation of Excitatory Neurotransmission
This book reviews aspects of GABAA receptor function, as well as the properties of a variety of other important inhibitory proteins, such as GABAC receptors, G-protein coupled receptors (specifically, GABAB receptors, metabotropic glutamate receptors and neuropeptide receptors), glycine receptors, GABA transporters and potassium channels. In addition, the consequences of mutations that disrupt the regulation of excitatory neurotransmission, and efforts to target the GABAergic system for therapeutic benefit, are discussed.
