Scopul nostru este sprijinirea şi promovarea cercetării ştiinţifice şi facilitarea comunicării între cercetătorii români din întreaga lume.
Castor oil is one of the oldest drugs. When given orally, it has a laxative effect and induces labor in pregnant females. The effects of castor oil are mediated by ricinoleic acid, a hydroxylated fatty acid released from castor oil by intestinal lipases. Despite the wide-spread use of castor oil in conventional and folk medicine, the molecular mechanism by which ricinoleic acid acts remains unknown. Here we show that the EP3 prostanoid receptor is
Read moreNicotinic acid (niacin) has been used for decades to prevent and treat atherosclerosis. The well-documented antiatherogenic activity is believed to result from its antidyslipidemic effects, which are accompanied by unwanted effects, especially a flush. There has been renewed interest in nicotinic acid owing to the need for improved prevention of atherosclerosis in patients already taking statins. In addition, the identification of a nicotinic acid
Read moreThe antidyslipidemic drug nicotinic acid and the antipsoriatic drug monomethyl fumarate induce cutaneous flushing through activation of G protein-coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A). Flushing is a troublesome side effect of nicotinic acid, but may be a direct reflection of the wanted effects of monomethyl fumarate. Here we analyzed the mechanisms underlying GPR109A-mediated flushing and show that both Langerhans cells and keratinocytes express GPR109A
Read moreLactate is an important metabolic intermediate released by skeletal muscle and other organs including the adipose tissue, which converts glucose into lactate under the influence of insulin. Here we show that lactate activates the G protein-coupled receptor GPR81, which is expressed in adipocytes and mediates antilipolytic effects through G(i)-dependent inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. Using GPR81-deficient mice, we demonstrate that the receptor is
Read moreG-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the most versatile receptor family as they have the ability to respond to chemically diverse ligands. Despite intensive efforts during the past two decades, there are still more than 100 orphan GPCRs for which endogenous ligands are unknown. Recently, GPR109A, GPR109B and GPR81, which form a GPCR subfamily, have been deorphanized. The physiological ligands of these receptors are the ketone body 3-hydroxy-butyrate,
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