Neuropeptide signalling systems - An underexplored target for venom drug discovery.

ABSTRACT: Neuropeptides are signalling molecules mainly secreted from neurons that act as neurotransmitters or peptide hormones to affect physiological processes and modulate behaviours. In humans, neuropeptides are implicated in numerous diseases and understanding their role in physiological processes and pathologies is important for therapeutic development. Teasing apart the (patho)physiology of neuropeptides remains difficult due to ligand and receptor promiscuity and the complexity of the signalling pathways. The current approach relies on a pharmacological toolbox of agonists and antagonists displaying high selectivity for independent receptor subtypes, with the caveat that only few selective ligands have been discovered or developed. Animal venoms represent an underexplored source for novel re

SUBMITTER: Mendel HC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7116218 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature