scholarly journals G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) in Insects—A Potential Target for New Insecticide Development

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 2993
Author(s):  
Nannan Liu ◽  
Ting Li ◽  
Yifan Wang ◽  
Shikai Liu

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play important roles in cell biology and insects’ physiological processes, toxicological response and the development of insecticide resistance. New information on genome sequences, proteomic and transcriptome analysis and expression patterns of GPCRs in organs such as the central nervous system in different organisms has shown the importance of these signaling regulatory GPCRs and their impact on vital cell functions. Our growing understanding of the role played by GPCRs at the cellular, genome, transcriptome and tissue levels is now being utilized to develop new targets that will sidestep many of the problems currently hindering human disease control and insect pest management. This article reviews recent work on the expression and function of GPCRs in insects, focusing on the molecular complexes governing the insect physiology and development of insecticide resistance and examining the genome information for GPCRs in two medically important insects, mosquitoes and house flies, and their orthologs in the model insect species Drosophila melanogaster. The tissue specific distribution and expression of the insect GPCRs is discussed, along with fresh insights into practical aspects of insect physiology and toxicology that could be fundamental for efforts to develop new, more effective, strategies for pest control and resistance management.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5260
Author(s):  
Nannan Liu ◽  
Yifan Wang ◽  
Ting Li ◽  
Xuechun Feng

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are known to play central roles in the physiology of many organisms. Members of this seven α-helical transmembrane protein family transduce the extracellular signals and regulate intracellular second messengers through coupling to heterotrimeric G-proteins, adenylate cyclase, cAMPs, and protein kinases. As a result of the critical function of GPCRs in cell physiology and biochemistry, they not only play important roles in cell biology and the medicines used to treat a wide range of human diseases but also in insects’ physiological functions. Recent studies have revealed the expression and function of GPCRs in insecticide resistance, improving our understanding of the molecular complexes governing the development of insecticide resistance. This article focuses on the review of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways in insect physiology, including insects’ reproduction, growth and development, stress responses, feeding, behaviors, and other physiological processes. Hormones and polypeptides that are involved in insect GPCR regulatory pathways are reviewed. The review also gives a brief introduction of GPCR pathways in organisms in general. At the end of the review, it provides the recent studies on the function of GPCRs in the development of insecticide resistance, focusing in particular on our current knowledge of the expression and function of GPCRs and their downstream regulation pathways and their roles in insecticide resistance and the regulation of resistance P450 gene expression. The latest insights into the exciting technological advances and new techniques for gene expression and functional characterization of the GPCRs in insects are provided.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (16) ◽  
pp. 1464-1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng He ◽  
Wenbo Zhou ◽  
Mingyao Liu ◽  
Yihua Chen

The great clinical success of chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) and PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitor therapies suggests the drawing of a cancer immunotherapy age. However, a considerable proportion of cancer patients currently receive little benefit from these treatment modalities, indicating that multiple immunosuppressive mechanisms exist in the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we mainly discuss recent advances in small molecular regulators targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) that are associated with oncology immunomodulation, including chemokine receptors, purinergic receptors, prostaglandin E receptor EP4 and opioid receptors. Moreover, we outline how they affect tumor immunity and neoplasia by regulating immune cell recruitment and modulating tumor stromal cell biology. We also summarize the data from recent clinical advances in small molecular regulators targeting these GPCRs, in combination with immune checkpoints blockers, such as PD-1/PDL-1 and CTLA4 inhibitors, for cancer treatments.


Author(s):  
Valentine Suteau ◽  
Valérie Seegers ◽  
Mathilde Munier ◽  
Rym Ben Boubaker ◽  
Cécile Reyes ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancers have poor outcomes and limited therapeutic options, i.e tyrosine kinase inhibitors, due to transient efficacy and toxicity of treatments. Therefore, combinatorial treatments with new therapeutic approaches are needed. Many studies link G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) to cancer cell biology. Objective To perform a specific atlas of GPCRs expression in progressive and refractory thyroid cancer to identify potential targets among GPCRs aiming at drug repositioning. Method We analyzed samples from tumor and normal thyroid tissues from 17 patients with refractory thyroid cancer (twelve papillary thyroid cancers (PTC) and five follicular thyroid cancers (FTC)). We assessed the GPCR mRNA expression using the NanoString technology with a custom panel of 371 GPCRs. The data were compared with public repositories and pharmacological databases to identify eligible drugs. The analysis of prognostic value of genes was also performed with TCGA datasets. Results With our transcriptomic analysis, 4 receptors were found down regulated in FTC (VIPR1, ADGRL2/LPHN2, ADGRA3 and ADGRV1). In PTC, 24 receptors were deregulated, seven of which identified also by bioinformatics analyses of publicly available dataset on primary thyroid cancers (VIPR1, ADORA1, GPRC5B, P2RY8, GABBR2, CYSLTR2 and LPAR5). Among all the differentially expressed genes, 22 GPCRs are the target of approved drugs and some GPCRs were also associated with prognostic factors. Conclusions For the first time, we performed GPCR mRNA expression profiling in progressive and refractory thyroid cancers. These findings provide an opportunity to identify potential therapeutic targets for drug repositioning and precision medicine in radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (17) ◽  
pp. 1952-1963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhong Jiang ◽  
Xin Zhuo ◽  
Canquan Mao

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are highly expressed on a variety of tumour tissues while several GPCR exogenous ligands become marketed pharmaceuticals. In recent decades, cancer stem cells (CSCs) become widely investigated drug targets for cancer therapy but the underlying mechanism is still not fully elucidated. There are vigorous participations of GPCRs in CSCs-related signalling and functions, such as biomarkers for CSCs, activation of Wnt, Hedgehog (HH) and other signalling to facilitate CSCs progressions. This relationship can not only uncover a novel molecular mechanism for GPCR-mediated cancer cell functions but also assist our understanding of maintaining and modulating CSCs. Moreover, GPCR antagonists and monoclonal antibodies could be applied to impair CSCs functions and consequently attenuate tumour growth, some of which have been undergoing clinical studies and are anticipated to turn into marketed anticancer drugs. Therefore, this review summarizes and provides sufficient evidences on the regulation of GPCR signalling in the maintenance, differentiation and pluripotency of CSCs, suggesting that targeting GPCRs on the surface of CSCs could be potential therapeutic strategies for cancer therapy.


2004 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Chini ◽  
M Parenti

This review describes the advances in our understanding of the role of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) localisation in membrane microdomains known as lipid rafts and caveolae. The growing interest in these specialised regions is due to the recognition that they are involved in the regulation of a number of cell functions, including the fine-tuning of various signalling molecules. As a number of GPCRs have been found to be enriched in lipid rafts and/or caveolae by means of different experimental approaches, we first discuss the pitfalls and uncertainties related to the use of these different procedures. We then analyse the addressing signals that drive and/or stabilise GPCRs in lipid rafts and caveolae, and explore the role of rafts/caveolae in regulating GPCR trafficking, particularly in receptor exo- and endocytosis. Finally, we review the growing evidence that lipid rafts and caveolae participate in the regulation of GPCR signalling by affecting both signalling selectivity and coupling efficacy.


1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
DANIEL K. ROHRER ◽  
BRIAN K. KOBILKA

Rohrer, Daniel K., and Brian K. Kobilka. G-Protein Coupled Receptors: Functional and Mechanistic Insights Through Altered Gene Expression. Physiol. Rev. 78: 35–52, 1998. — G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise a large and diverse family of molecules that play essential roles in signal transduction. In addition to a constantly expanding pharmacological repertoire, recent advances in the ability to manipulate GPCR expression in vivo have provided another valuable approach in the study of GPCR function and mechanism of action. Current technologies now allow investigators to manipulate GPCR expression in a variety of ways. Graded reductions in GPCR expression can be achieved through antisense strategies or total gene ablation or replacement can be achieved through gene targeting strategies, and exogenous expression of wild-type or mutant GPCR isoforms can be accomplished with transgenic technologies. Both the techniques used to achieve these specific alterations and the consequences of altered expression patterns are reviewed here and discussed in the context of GPCR function and mechanism of action.


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