Molecular basis underlying the specificity of an antagonist AA92593 for mammalian melanopsins.

ABSTRACT: Melanopsin functions in intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells of mammals to regulate circadian clock and pupil constriction. The opsinamide AA92593 has been reported to specifically inhibit mouse and human melanopsin functions as a competitive antagonist against retinal; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its specificity have not been resolved. In this study, we attempted to identify amino acid residues responsible for the susceptibility of mammalian melanopsins to AA92593. Our cell-based assays confirmed that AA92593 effectively inhibited the light-induced cellular responses of mammalian melanopsins, but not those of non-mammalian vertebrate and invertebrate melanopsins. These results suggest that amino acid residues specifically conserved among mammalian melanopsi

SUBMITTER: Obayashi K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12051620 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature