TY - JOUR
T1 - Illuminating the Path to Target GPCR Structures and Functions
AU - Nielsen, Christian D.T.
AU - Dhasmana, Divya
AU - Floresta, Giuseppe
AU - Wohland, Thorsten
AU - Cilibrizzi, Agostino
PY - 2020/10/13
Y1 - 2020/10/13
N2 - G-Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous within eukaryotes, responsible for a wide array of physiological and pathological processes. Indeed, the fact that they are the most drugged target in the human genome is indicative of their importance. Despite the clear interest in GPCRs, most information regarding their activity has been so far obtained by analyzing the response from a "bulk medium". As such, this Perspective summarizes some of the common methods for this indirect observation. Nonetheless, by inspecting approaches applying super-resolution imaging, we argue that imaging is perfectly situated to obtain more detailed structural and spatial information, assisting in the development of new GPCR-targeted drugs and clinical strategies. The benefits of direct optical visualization of GPCRs are analyzed in the context of potential future directions in the field.
AB - G-Protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous within eukaryotes, responsible for a wide array of physiological and pathological processes. Indeed, the fact that they are the most drugged target in the human genome is indicative of their importance. Despite the clear interest in GPCRs, most information regarding their activity has been so far obtained by analyzing the response from a "bulk medium". As such, this Perspective summarizes some of the common methods for this indirect observation. Nonetheless, by inspecting approaches applying super-resolution imaging, we argue that imaging is perfectly situated to obtain more detailed structural and spatial information, assisting in the development of new GPCR-targeted drugs and clinical strategies. The benefits of direct optical visualization of GPCRs are analyzed in the context of potential future directions in the field.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092944583&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00606
DO - 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00606
M3 - Article
C2 - 32956586
AN - SCOPUS:85092944583
SN - 0006-2960
VL - 59
SP - 3783
EP - 3795
JO - Biochemistry
JF - Biochemistry
IS - 40
ER -