Signaling molecules

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Steroid hormones are crucial signal molecules in mammals. (The details of their physiological effects are described in Chapter 34.) Their biosynthesis begins with the desmolase reaction, which converts cholesterol to preg-... 

The antiinflammatory effects of statins likely result from their ability to inhibit the formation of mevalonic acid. Downstream products of this molecule include not only the end product, cholesterol, but also several isoprenoid intermediates that covalently modify ( pre-nylate ) certain key intracellular signaling molecules. Statin treatment reduces leukocyte adhesion, accumulation of macrophages, MMPs, tissue factor, and other proinflammatory mediators. By acting on the MHC class II transactivator (CIITA), statins also interfere with antigen presentation and subsequent T-cell activation. Statin treatment can also limit platelet activation in some assays as well. All these results support the concept that in addition to their favorable effect on the lipid profile, statins can also exert an array of antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory actions. 

Functionally, the Dl-like receptors (Dl, D5) are coupled to the G protein Gas and thus can stimulate adenylyl cyclase. The D2-like receptors (D2, D3, and D4) couple to pertussis toxin sensitive G proteins (Gai/0), and consequently inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity. While the Dl-like receptors almost exclusively signal through Gas-mediated activation of adenylyl cyclase, the D2-like receptors have been reported to modulate the activity of a plethora of signaling molecules and pathways. Many of these actions are mediated through the G(3y subunit. Some of these molecules and pathways include the calcium channels, potassium channels, sodium-hydrogen exchanger, arachidonic acid release, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. 

Fyn is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase related to Src that is frequently found in cell junctions. Die protein is N-myristoylated and palmitoylated and thereby becomes associated with caveolae-like membrane microdomains. Fyn can interact with a variety of other signaling molecules and control a diversity of biological processes such as T cell receptor signaling, regulation of brain function, and adhesion mediated signaling. 

GPCR function has been shown to be regulated by several different mechanisms. The number of receptors on the plasma membrane may be regulated by transcription, mRNA stability, biosynthetic processing, and protein stability. In addition, the function of receptors in the plasma membrane can be influenced by regulatory phosphorylation and by association with other proteins that determine the subcellular location of receptors relative to other signaling molecules. 

NO-sensitive GC represents the most important effector enzyme for the signalling molecule NO, which is synthesised by NO synthases in a Ca2+-dependent manner. NO-sensitive GC contains a prosthetic heme group, acting as the acceptor site for NO. Formation of the NO-heme complex leads to a conformational change, resulting in an increase of up to 200-fold in catalytic activity of the enzyme [1]. The organic nitrates (see below) commonly used in the therapy of coronary heart disease exert their effects via the stimulation of this enzyme. 

Heme (C34H3204N4Fe) represents an iron-porphyrin complex that has a protoporphyrin nucleus. Many important proteins contain heme as a prosthetic group. Hemoglobin is the quantitatively most important hemoprotein. Others are cytochromes (present in the mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum), catalase and peroxidase (that react with hydrogen peroxide), soluble guanylyl cyclase (that converts guanosine triphosphate, GTP, to the signaling molecule 3, 5 -cyclic GMP) and NO synthases. 

S-acylated proteins include many GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins), including most a subunits of heterotrimeric G-proteins and also many members of the Ras superfamily of monomeric G proteins, a number of G protein-coupled receptors, several nonreceptor tyrosine kinases, and a number of other signaling molecules, -acylation is posttranslational and reversible, a property that allows the cell to control... 

Lipid rafts are specific subdomains of the plasma membrane that are enriched in cholesterol and sphin-golipids many signaling molecules are apparently concentrated in these subdomains. 

CYP26 consists of three enzymes each representing a separate subfamily (Table 1) probably are all involved in retinoic acid hydroxylation. CYP26A1 is an all trans retinoic acid hydroxylase which degrades retinoic acid, an important signalling molecule for vertebrate development. It acts through retinoic acid receptors. The other CYP26 isozymes are also retinoic acid hydroxylases. 

The importance of PI3Ks arises from the fact that numerous important signalling molecules need to be... 

Sebolt-Leopold JS, English JM (2006) Mechanisms of drug inhibition of signalling molecules. Nature 441 457-462... 

Burnstock G (1997) The past, present and future of purine nucleotides as signalling molecules. Neuropharmacology 36 1127-1139... 

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