Heterodimeric opioid G-protein coupled receptors
AssigneeNew York University
InventorsLakshmi Arehole Devi, Bryen Alexander Jordan
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Abstract
Opioid receptors form functional heterodimers with each other and with other G-protein coupled receptors, such as dopamine receptors, adrenergic receptors, or chemokine receptors. These receptors can be exploited for high throughput screening of compounds to identify heterodimer opioid receptor modulators (agonists and antagonists). The invention also relates to identification of novel heterodimer receptor ligands and synergistic compositions, which can provide strategies for analgesia, narcotic addiction, hypertension, HIV infection, and immune system function.
Claims23
An isolated heterodimeric receptor, wherein said receptor comprises first opioid receptor subunit and a second G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) subunit, and wherein both receptor subunits are expressed in the same cell.
A recombinant host cell that expresses a functional heterodimeric receptor, wherein said receptor comprises an opioid receptor subunit expressed from an expression vector introduced into the host cell, and a second G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) subunit expressed from an expression vector introduced into the same host cell, wherein the host cell does not endogenously express the receptor subunits.
A method of screening for a compound that modulates a property of a heterodimeric receptor, wherein said receptor comprises an opioid receptor subunit and a second G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) subunit, wherein both receptor subunits are heterologously expressed in a host cell, which method comprises observing a change in a property of the heterodimeric receptor contacted with a candidate compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.