Researchers at University of California San Diego have identified a new signaling process involving G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a cellular target already exploited by hundreds of diverse drugs. The discovery, published in the October 26, 2022, issue of Nature, opens the possibility of new therapies, including for multiple forms of cancer.

GPCRs are the largest and most diverse group of membrane receptors in eukaryotes -- cells containing a nucleus and other organelles. Residing on the cell's surface, they act as an inbox for messages arriving in the form of sugars, proteins, lipids and peptides, and play myriad roles in body functions, including fundamentally in regulating communications between cells.

As a result, they have become an important therapeutic target for treating everything from high blood pressure to asthma to acid reflux, with ongoing investigations of their potential in moderating conditions like diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer's disease. It is estimated that more than one-third of all current Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs target one or more members of the GPCR family.

Know more: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221026134921.htm

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