Scientists have made a major breakthrough in the study of serotonin

Serotonin (also called serotonin) is one of the most important neurotransmitters and hormones in the human body. In the central nervous system, serotonin (also called serotonin) controls brain nerve activities such as cognition, learning, feelings, and emotions; In the peripheral nervous system, serotonin controls physiological functions such as reproduction, metabolism, vasoconstriction, and bone development. Therefore, the serotonin system has always been a hotspot in drug research and development. The drugs acting on this system are widely used in diseases such as anti-schizophrenia, migraine, anti-vomiting and obesity. However, because of the complex functions of serotonin, there are many receptors [a total of 14 different serotonin receptors in the human body, 13 of which belong to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)], clinical serotonin modulators are non-specific, Often cause toxic side effects, leading to failure of clinical medication. The molecular mechanism of the binding of serotonin receptors to ligands is the key premise for solving the molecular specificity of serotonin modulators. However, because the serotonin GPCR receptor is a seven-time transmembrane protein with greater flexibility, its protein expression, purification and crystallization are extremely difficult. The long-term lack of serotonin receptor structure has inhibited the biological understanding of serotonin receptors and the development of their drugs.

Xu Huaqiang's research group has long insisted on the study of the structure and function of GPCR receptors, developed mammalian membrane protein expression and purification systems, conducted systematic research on serotonin (also called serotonin) receptors, and joined forces with GPCR structural authority in early 2012 RayStevens, co-leading Jiang Yi, a doctoral staff member of the Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ma Jinming, a postdoctoral fellow at the VanAndel Institute in the United States, Wang Chong and DanielWacker, Ph.D. Crystal structure.

On this basis, they collaborated with Jiang Hualiang's research group of Shanghai Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, using computational biology to systematically summarize the ligand recognition mechanism of the serotonin receptor system, and further elaborated the molecular mechanism of serotonin receptor-ligand binding . At the same time, most of the existing GPCR structures are inhibitor structures. In contrast, the two serotonin receptor structures are both agonist complex structures. Based on structural determination, they collaborated with Bryan Roth of the University of North Carolina (UNC-ChapelHill) to use point mutations and downstream signaling analysis to reveal the specificity of serotonin receptor subtype signaling in detail. These two research results represent a key milestone in the field of serotonin research. Therefore, Science published these two results as two papers at the same time. These research results will have a profound impact on the biological development of serotonin system and drug research, especially on how to enhance the specificity of serotonin ligands and reduce their side effects. The structure of serotonin 1B and 2B will have important guiding value for drug development of schizophrenia, migraine, obesity, heart disease and other important diseases.

At the same time, the structural analysis of serotonin receptor 1B and 2B subtypes will have important practical significance for the development of China's pharmaceutical industry. GPCRs are the most important and successful targets for drug research and development. About 50% of currently marketed drugs act on GPCRs, but only about 30 GPCRs among more than 800 members are known drug targets (about 4% of GPCRs). ), The remaining 96% of GPCRs are still waiting for drug development. Therefore, the drug development prospects of GPCRs are broad. GPCR structure and function research has always been a research hotspot in biology and drug research and development. The 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was also awarded to two scientists studying GPCRs. Due to the broad prospects for drug research and development, GPCR structure and function research has become a fiercely competitive field for major international pharmaceutical companies.

In response to the opportunities and challenges of GPCR-based drug research and development, the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has established a receptor structure and function research center. Provide new structure, new functions, new mechanisms and new targets for the source innovation of China's drug research and development. In the past two years, important progress has been made in laboratory construction, talent introduction, and scientific research. Xu Huaqiang was introduced as the laboratory director through the national "Thousand Talents Program", as well as the internationally renowned GPCR structural biologist Professor RayStevens (winning the national first Granted by the "Thousand Talents Program" of foreign experts, and also introduced two young GPCR structural biologists Wu Beili and Zhao Qiang through the "Hundred Talents Program" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The introduction of these talents has filled the gaps in the research on receptor structural biology of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. They quickly established a good cooperative relationship with the original pharmaceutical chemists and pharmacologists of the Institute of Medicine in GPCR structure determination, functional research and pharmaceutical research. Significant progress has been made. These achievements will have an important impact on the development of GPCR-targeted drugs in China.

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