In vivo delta opioid receptor internalization controls behavioral effects of agonists.

ABSTRACT:

Background

GPCRs regulate a remarkable diversity of biological functions, and are thus often targeted for drug therapies. Stimulation of a GPCR by an extracellular ligand triggers receptor signaling via G proteins, and this process is highly regulated. Receptor activation is typically accompanied by desensitization of receptor signaling, a complex feedback regulatory process of which receptor internalization is postulated as a key event. The in vivo significance of GPCR internalization is poorly understood. In fact, the majority of studies have been performed in transfected cell systems, which do not adequately model physiological environments and the complexity of integrated responses observed in the whole animal.

Methods and findings

In this study, we used knock-in mice ex

SUBMITTER: Pradhan AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2672171 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature