Impact of Intracellular Proteins on μ-Opioid Receptor Structure and Ligand Binding.

ABSTRACT: Chronic pain is a prevalent problem affecting approximately one out of every five adults in the U.S. The most effective way to treat chronic pain is with opioids, but they cause dangerous side effects such as tolerance, addiction, and respiratory depression, which makes them quite deadly. Opioids, such as fentanyl, target the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), which can then bind to the intracellular G_i protein or the β-arrestin protein. The G_i pathway is primarily responsible for pain relief and potential side effects, but the β-arrestin pathway is chiefly responsible for the unwanted side effects. Ideally, an effective pain medication without side effects would bind to MOR, which would bias signaling solely through the G_i pathway. We used the Bio3D library to condu

SUBMITTER: Scott CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11726672 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature