RECEPTORS Flashcards
How much of the genome approximately is gene causing?
10%
Most drugs are small molecules that target proteins. Give examples of some protein drug targets.
Receptors Ion channels Enzymes Transports Microtubules
What are the ways in which a receptor might be classified?
Structure
Pharmacologically
Signalling
To be a good drug target, a receptor must be able to do what?
Recognise a very specific molecule.
How can drugs work in terms of receptor target?
Agonist - bring about a change in cell function
Inverse agonists - bind to the receptor and stabilise it from signalling
Anatagonists - bind to the receptor and do not evoke a response
How can drugs work in terms of ion channel targets?
You can use a drugs as a blocker to stop an ion channel function.
You can use a modulator to change the open probability of an ion channel.
How can drugs work in terms of enzyme targets?
You can use a drug as an enzyme inhibitor.
You can use a false substrate to crease an abnormal metabolite.
Prodrugs can be metabolised into the active drug by enzymes.
How can drugs work in terms of transporter targets?
You can inhibit/block the transporter from working.
You can use a false substrate so an abnormal compound accumulates.
Give other examples of targets that drugs can work on.
Colchicine interferes with the stability of microtubules - used to treat gout.
Paclitaxel is a chemotherapy drug -during division is stabilises microtubules so the cells cannot split.
What are the receptor families?
- Ligand gated ion channel (ionotropic receptors)
- GPCR (metabtropic receptors)
- Kinase linked receptors
- Nuclear receptors
What are the features of ligand gated ion channels?
They have a ligand binding site.
They have multiple TMSD
They are very fast acting
They have a pore
What are the features of GPCR?
They have a ligand binding site.
The have 7 TMSD
Often requires action of other proteins such as GTP binding protein
What are the features of kinase linked receptors?
They have a ligand binding site
They have 1 TMSD
They have a catalytic domain causing signalling cascade
What are the features of nuclear receptors?
They have a DNA binding domain (zinc fingers)
They have no TMSD as they are not located at the cell membrane.
The molecular architecture of ligand gated ion channels identifies distinct families. Name some examples.
- Cys Loop Type
- Ionotropic Glutamate Type
- P2X Type
- Calcium Release Type
What are the features of Cys Loop Type Ligand Gated Ion Channels?
Has 4 TMSD
Pentameric
Eg nACHR, GABA
What are the features of Ionotropic Glutamate Type Ligand Gated Ion Channels?
Tetrameric
Eg NMDA
What are the features of P2X Type Ligand Gated Ion Channels?
Has 2 TMSD
Trimeric
ATP ligand
Eg P2XR
What are the features of Calcium Release Type Ligand Gated Ion Channels?
Is intracellular (found of the ER)
Tetrameric
EG IP3R
Occupancy of a receptor by a drug molecule may or may not bring about activation of the receptor. Why is this?
Occupancy is goverened by affinity to the receptor and not whether the receptor is activated.
Activation is governed by efficacy. What is efficacy?
How well a drug activates a receptor to evoke a response.
What is affinity?
How well a drug binds to a receptor.
What is occupancy?
The proportion of receptors occupied will vary with drug concentration.
= no. receptors occupied/total no. of receptors available
A high occupancy in theory should produce a large response. Why is this not true?
In the case of an antagonist, no reponse is evoked.
In the case of an agonist, occupancy is not directly related to response - it is efficacy that affects response.
What is one way to measure occupancy (and thereby deduce affinity?)
Radioligand Binding Assay.
What does a Radioligand Binding Assay involve?
Measuring a radioactively labelled ligand binding to a protein target.
What is the process of radioligand binding assays?
- Sample that contains protein target of interest.
- Radioactive molecule version of the drug you want to test.
- Incubate mixture until it reaches equilibrium.
- Filter and wash away all non bound (excess) ligand
- Measure the radioactivity left behind ie measure the radioactive drug bound to the receptors
Most ligands bind specifically and non-specificially to its target/filter paper/ test tube etc. This means that in rinsing the filter paper, you are only removing non bound ligand. What is left behind is specifically bound ligand and non specifically bound ligand. How do you discriminate between specific and non specific binding?
A first set of test tubes is set up containing the tissue and radiolabelled ligand.
A second set of test tubes is set up containing the radiolabelled ligand and excess, cold unlabelled ligand.
The radioligand cannot compete with the the unlabelled ligand and is displaced from the recognition sites by cold ligand.
The radioactivity in Test Tube 1 will contain specific and non specific radioactive binding
Test Tube 2 will contain only non specific radiobinding.
From this we can calculate the specific radiobound ligand.
What must be considered for a radioligand binding assay?
The purity, degradation, and labelling of the radioligand.
The tissue and incubation conditions.
Separating bound from free.
Data analysis.
How can you prevent degradation of the radioligand?
- Free radical scavenger.
- Store at low temperatures.
- Avoid light.
- Incorporation of antioxidant.
What are the advantages of labelling with 3H?
It does not affect the ligand.
Long half life.
Good stability.
What are the diadvantages of labelling with 3H?
Specialised labs are needed to work with 3H.
Labelling is expensive and difficult.