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Abstract
Homomerization and heteromerization of 7 transmembrane spanning (7TM)/G-protein-coupled
receptors (GPCRs) have been an important field of study. Whereas initial studies were
performed in artificial cell systems, recent publications are shifting the focus to
the in vivo relevance of heteromerization. This is especially apparent for the field
of opioid receptors. Drugs have been identified that selectively target opioid heteromers
of the delta-opioid receptor with the kappa and the mu-opioid receptors that influence
nociception and ethanol consumption, respectively. In addition, in several cases,
the specific physiological response produced by the heteromer may be directly attributed
to a difference in receptor trafficking properties of the heteromers compared with
their homomeric counterparts. This review attempts to highlight some of the latest
developments with regard to opioid receptor heteromer trafficking and pharmacology.
Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.