Regresar

Biophysical evidences for receptor heteromer formation between the oxitocin and the serotonin 1A receptors

Abstract:

Currently, it is considered that both, the formation of homodimers and heterodimers and the allosteric regulation of receptor-receptor interactions within these macromolecular structures, represent important therapeutic targets for the treatment of psychiatric diseases. Also, it has been reported that cell signaling through the oxytocin receptor and the serotonin 1A receptor are related with the etiology and treatment of mental illness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to demonstrate the formation of a heterodimer between these receptors. In this work, HeLa cells were used for the transient expression of fluorescent-tagged receptors. The microscopic analysis demonstrated that the oxytocin receptor and serotonin 1A receptor were able to colocalize in discrete areas of the cytoplasmic membrane, suggesting the formation of a heterodimer containing these proteins. Additionally, internalization experiments revealed that activation of the serotonin 1A receptor induced specific internalization of the oxytocin receptor, suggesting a possible allosteric regulation in the receptor-receptor interaction. Herein, the results obtained have provided the first experimental evidences of the heteroreceptor formation between these receptors and a possible existence of allosteric modulation in the receptor-receptor interaction. These findings could become a starting point for exploring the use of this heteroreceptor as a new strategy for the treatment of anxiety disorders.