A neuropeptide courier for delta-opioid receptors?
The delta-opioid receptor and the precursor protein of a neuropeptide, substance P, are colocalized in the large dense-core vesicles of pain-sensing neurons. In this issue of Cell, report that trafficking of the delta-opioid receptor to these vesicles depends on its physical interaction with the substance P domain of its precursor polyprotein (protachykinin). Moreover, in mice lacking this precursor, the contribution of the delta-opioid receptor to pain processing is dramatically altered. These observations suggest a new role for peptide precursors as sorting signals in vesicular transport.[1]References
- A neuropeptide courier for delta-opioid receptors? Julius, D., Basbaum, A.I. Cell (2005) [Pubmed]
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