神经活性甾体激素的快速中枢效应

过去认为甾体激素只能由神经系统外的内分泌组织产生。甾体激素的作用原理为经典的基因作用机制。近年来的研究发现脑组织也能产生神经源性的神经甾体激素,而且神经细胞膜表面存在甾体激素结合位点。神经活性甾体激素和脑源性神经甾体激素可通过调制配基门控离子通道受体、Ｇ蛋白耦联受体产生快速中枢效应。     

组胺H3受体研究进展

组胺H3受体作为突触前自身受体和异身受体,广泛分布于中枢和外周组织,抑制组胺的释放和合成,调节多种神经递质的释放,组胺H3受体是G蛋白偶联受体家族成员,激活后由G蛋白介导,通过调控N型Ca^2 通道,产生生物学效应,组胺H3受体在中枢和外周器官有着重要的生理功能,对心功能,胃酸分泌,觉醒的睡眠,认知和记忆,惊厥抽搐等都有调节作用。     

G蛋白对离子通道的调控

Ｇ蛋白对离子通道的调控鲍国斌濮璐裴钢（中国科学院上海细胞生物学研究所,上海２０００３１关键词Ｇ蛋白Ｇ蛋白偶联受体离子通道Ｇ蛋白（Ｇｐｒｏｔｅｉｎ）由α、β、γ三个亚基组成,位于细胞膜的胞液侧。Ｇα亚基具有ＧＴＰ酶活性,使Ｇ蛋白偶联受体和效应分子发生可...     

受体活性修饰蛋白新功能

受体活性修饰蛋白 (receptoractivitymodifyingproteins ,RAMP)可调节II型G 蛋白偶联受体如降钙素受体样受体 (calcitoninreceptor likereceptor ,CRLR)和降钙素受体 (calcitoninreceptor,CTR)与降钙素基因相关肽家系 [calcitoningene -relatedpeptide 1,2 (CGRP1,2 ) ,amylin ,adrenomedullinandcalcitonin]成员结合 ,并调节CRLR与配体结合的特异性和受体表型 ,介导CGRP家系各成员的生物学效应。RAMPs的上述作用已得到学术界的认可。最近ArthurChristopulos等发现RAMPs除了与CGRP家系受体结合外 ,还可与其它的II型G 蛋白…     

神经活性甾体与GABAA受体

中枢内存在的神经活性甾体能快速改变神经元兴奋性,它们不是与甾体受体发生作用,而是与脑内主要的抑制性神经递质γ－氨基丁酸（ＧＡＢＡ）受体相互作用,调制基介导的突触抑制功能,引发中枢抑制或兴奋性效应的变化,大多数甾体能增强ＧＡＢＡ受体活化ＣＩ＾－通道的通透性,引发中枢抑制或兴奋性效应的变化。该效应与特定的ＧＡＢＡＡ受体亚基α３和γ２有关,有些甾体具与ＧＡＢＡＡ受体拮抗剂类似的惊厥效应,总之,神经活性甾     

G蛋白与神经细胞的跨膜信息传输

动物体中的细胞由其受体分子接收,如激素或递质等信息传递物所携带的信息后,或直接由离子通道给出反应,或通过被称为G蛋白的转传器再传送给效应器分子给出反应。已发现的G蛋白有分子量约为10万和2万的两大类。前者的资料较多,本文扼要叙述它们与受体的功能偶联,以及在神经细胞中调控效应器,特别是离子通道研究的进展。     

与癌症相关的G 蛋白偶联受体及通路的研究进展

G蛋白偶联受体(G protein-coupled receptors,GPCRs)是一类重要的细胞膜表面跨膜蛋白受体超家族,具有7个跨膜螺旋结构。GPCRs的细胞内信号由G蛋白介导,可将激素、神经递质、药物、趋化因子等多种物理和化学的细胞外刺激穿过细胞膜转导到细胞内不同的效应分子,激活相应的信号级联系统进而影响恶性肿瘤的生长迁移过程。虽然目前药物市场上有很多治疗癌症的小分子药物属于G蛋白受体相关药物,但所作用的靶点集中于少数特定G蛋白偶联受体。因此,新的具有成药性的G蛋白偶联受体的开发具有很大的研究价值和市场潜力。本文主要以在癌症发生、发展中起重要作用的溶血磷脂酸(LPA),G蛋白偶联受体30(GPR30)、内皮素A受体(ETAR)等不同G蛋白偶联受体为分类依据,综述其与相关的信号通路在癌症进程中的作用,并对相应的小分子药物的临床应用和研究进展进行展望。     

毒蕈碱样乙酰胆碱受体及其信号转导

毒蕈碱样乙酰胆碱受体（MAChRs）是G蛋白偶联受体（GPCRs）超家族中的一员,具有该家族特性的结构和信号转导方式。GTP结合蛋白（Gproteins）是一类具有GTP酶活性的蛋白质,由α、β、γ三个亚基构成。其中α亚基结合GDP或GTP,分别代表G蛋白的非活化和活化状态。M受体与Gi/Go或Gq／11间的作用机制仍在探讨中,但基本过程与Gs介导的信号转导模式相似。激动剂持续作用后,G蛋白偶联受体激酶和阻滞蛋白导受体脱敏和内吞。     

G蛋白偶联受体的双聚化及其对受体介导信号转导的影响

近年来发现一些G蛋白偶联受体（GPCR）能在细胞膜上形成同源或异源双聚体,并证实受体的双聚化为一些有重要生理功能的GPCR在细胞膜上的表达和信号转导的启动所必需,进一步研究表明,一些GPCR的双聚化不仅可以改变受体与配体结合的特异性和亲和力,而且影响GPCR介导的信号转导的调控,这些结果提示,GPCR之间以及GPCR与其它蛋白在细胞膜上的相互作用是调控GPCR转导信号的一个新途径。     

细胞外钙受体相互作用蛋白的研究进展

细胞外钙受体(CaR)为G蛋白偶联受体超家族中的成员,它的大部分作用是以Gαi,Gαq和Gα12/13为中介的,但由G蛋白α亚基介导的作用并不能完全解释CaR的生物学效应.与CaR相互作用蛋白如抑制蛋白、G蛋白受体激酶、受体激活修饰蛋白、丝蛋白、钾通道、小窝蛋白等结构和信号蛋白赋予CaR独特的信号转导特征,并能够更充分说明CaR在不同组织和细胞中所发挥的作用.本文将对上述几种与其相互作用蛋白及它们所产生的生物学效应做一综述.     

Neuropsychopharmacological properties of neuroactive steroids.

In addition to the well-known genomic effects of steroid molecules via intracellular steroid receptors, certain steroids rapidly alter neuronal excitability through interaction with neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. Several of these steroids accumulate in the brain after local synthesis or after metabolism of adrenal steroids. The 3alpha-hydroxy ring A-reduced pregnane steroids allopregnanolone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone have been thought not to interact with intracellular receptors, but enhance gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated chloride currents, whereas pregnenolone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfate display functional antagonistic properties at GABA(A) receptors. We demonstrated that these neuroactive steroids can regulate also gene expression via the progesterone receptor after intracellular oxidation. Thus, in physiological concentrations these neuroactive steroids regulate neuronal function through their concurrent influence on transmitter-gated ion channels and gene expression. When administered in animal studies, memory-enhancing effects have been shown for pregnenolone sulfate and DHEA. The 3alpha-hydroxy ring A-reduced neuroactive steroids predominantly display anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and hypnotic activities. Sleep studies evaluating the effects of progesterone as a precursor molecule for these neuroactive steroids revealed a sleep electroencephalogram pattern similar to that obtained by the administration of benzodiazepines. These findings extend the concept of a "cross-talk" between membrane and nuclear hormone effects and provide a new role for the therapeutic application of these steroids in neurology and psychiatry.     

Effects on membrane capacitance of steroids with antagonist properties at GABAA receptors

We investigated the electrophysiological signature of neuroactive steroid interactions with the plasma membrane. We found that charged, sulfated neuroactive steroids, those that exhibit noncompetitive antagonism of GABA_A receptors, altered capacitive charge movement in response to voltage pulses in cells lacking GABA receptors. Uncharged steroids, some of which are potent enhancers of GABA_A receptor activity, produced no alteration in membrane capacitance. We hypothesized that the charge movements might result from physical translocation of the charged steroid through the transmembrane voltage, as has been observed previously with several hydrophobic anions. However, the charge movements and relaxation time constants of capacitive currents did not exhibit the Boltzmann-type voltage dependence predicted by a single barrier model. Further, a fluorescently tagged analog of a sulfated neurosteroid altered membrane capacitance similar to the parent compound but produced no voltage-dependent fluorescence change, a result inconsistent with a strong change in the polar environment of the fluorophore during depolarization. These findings suggest that negatively charged sulfated steroids alter the plasma membrane capacitance without physical movement of the molecule through the electric field.     

Effects of neuroactive steroids on myelin of peripheral nervous system

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) possess both classical (e.g. progesterone receptor, PR, androgen receptor, AR) and non-classical (e.g. GABA_A receptor) steroid receptors and consequently may represent a target for the action of neuroactive steroids. Our data have indicated that neuroactive steroids, like for instance, progesterone, dihydroprogesterone, tetrahydroprogesterone, dihydrotestosterone and 3-diol, stimulate both in vivo and in vitro (Schwann cell cultures), the expression of two important proteins of the myelin of peripheral nerves, the glycoprotein Po (Po) and the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22). It is important to highlight that the mechanisms by which neuroactive steroids exert their effects on the expression of Po and PMP22 involve different kind of receptors depending on the steroid and on the myelin protein considered. In particular, at least in culture of Schwann cells, the expression of Po seems to be under the control of PR, while that of PMP22 needs the GABA_A receptor.

Because Po and PMP22 play an important physiological role for the maintenance of the multilamellar structure of the myelin of the PNS, the present observations might suggest the utilization of neuroactive steroids as new therapeutically approaches for the rebuilding of the peripheral myelin.     

Photoaffinity labeling with a neuroactive steroid analogue. 6-azi-pregnanolone labels voltage-dependent anion channel-1 in rat brain

Neuroactive steroids modulate the function of gamma-aminobutyric acid, type A (GABA(A)) receptors in the central nervous system by an unknown mechanism. In this study we have used a novel neuroactive steroid analogue, 3 alpha,5 beta-6-azi-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (6-AziP), as a photoaffinity labeling reagent to identify neuroactive steroid binding sites in rat brain. 6-AziP is an effective modulator of GABA(A) receptors as evidenced by its ability to inhibit binding of [(35)S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate to rat brain membranes and to potentiate GABA-elicited currents in Xenopus oocytes and human endothelial kidney 293 cells expressing GABA(A) receptor subunits (alpha(1)beta(2)gamma(2)). [(3)H]6-AziP produced time- and concentration-dependent photolabeling of protein bands of approximately 35 and 60 kDa in rat brain membranes. The 35-kDa band was half-maximally labeled at a [(3)H]6-AziP concentration of 1.9 microM, whereas the 60-kDa band was labeled at higher concentrations. The photolabeled 35-kDa protein was isolated from rat brain by two-dimensional PAGE and identified as voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1) by both matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight and ESI-tandem mass spectrometry. Monoclonal antibody directed against the N terminus of VDAC-1 immunoprecipitated labeled 35-kDa protein from a lysate of rat brain membranes, confirming that VDAC-1 is the species labeled by [(3)H]6-AziP. The beta(2) and beta(3) subunits of the GABA(A) receptor were co-immunoprecipitated by the VDAC-1 antibody suggesting a physical association between VDAC-1 and GABA(A) receptors in rat brain membranes. These data suggest that neuroactive steroid effects on the GABA(A) receptor may be mediated by binding to an accessory protein, VDAC-1.     

Changes in expression of the neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor gene in the medial amygdala of transgenic mice during pregnancy and after delivery

Long-term administration of progesterone or allopregnanolone was previously shown to increase Y1 receptor gene expression in the medial amygdala of Y1R/LacZ transgenic mice, which harbor a construct comprising the murine Y1 receptor gene promoter and a lacZ reporter. We have now investigated the effects of physiological fluctuations in the cerebrocortical concentrations of neuroactive steroids during pregnancy on Y1R/LacZ transgene expression by quantitative histochemical analysis of beta-galactosidase activity. Cerebrocortical concentrations of progesterone and its metabolites allopregnanolone and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone were increased on day 18 of pregnancy and had returned to control values 2 days after delivery. Transgene expression in the medial amygdala was also increased on day 18 of pregnancy and had returned to control values 2 days after delivery. Similar results were obtained after analysis of Y1R mRNA levels in the medial amygdala of pregnant mice by in situ hybridization. Administration of the 5alpha-reductase inhibitor finasteride to pregnant mice prevented both the increase in the cerebrocortical concentrations of neuroactive steroids as well as the increase in transgene expression. These data suggest that fluctuations in the brain concentrations of endogenous neuroactive steroids during pregnancy are associated with changes in Y1 receptor gene expression in the medial amygdala, further supporting a functional interaction between the GABAergic and NPY-Y1 receptor systems.     

Effects of neuroactive steroids on cochlear hair cell death induced by gentamicin

As neuroactive steroids, sex steroid hormones have non-reproductive effects. We previously reported that 17β-estradiol (βE2) had protective effects against gentamicin (GM) ototoxicity in the cochlea. In the present study, we examined whether the protective action of βE2 on GM ototoxicity is mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER) and whether other estrogens (17α-estradiol (αE2), estrone (E1), and estriol (E3)) and other neuroactive steroids, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and progesterone (P), have similar protective effects. The basal turn of the organ of Corti was dissected from Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured in a medium containing 100 μM GM for 48 h. The effects of βE2 and ICI 182,780, a selective ER antagonist, were examined. In addition, the effects of other estrogens, DHEA and P were tested using this culture system. Loss of outer hair cells induced by GM exposure was compared among groups. βE2 exhibited a protective effect against GM ototoxicity, but its protective effect was antagonized by ICI 182,780. αE2, E1, and E3 also protected hair cells against gentamicin ototoxicity. DHEA showed a protective effect; however, the addition of ICI 182,780 did not affect hair cell loss. P did not have any effect on GM-induced outer hair cell death. The present findings suggest that estrogens and DHEA are protective agents against GM ototoxicity. The results of the ER antagonist study also suggest that the protective action of βE2 is mediated via ER but that of DHEA is not related to its conversion to estrogen and binding to ER. Further studies on neuroactive steroids may lead to new insights regarding cochlear protection.