Activation of the Calcium-Sensing Receptor by a Subfraction of Amino Acids Contained in Thyroid Drainage Fluid.

Hypoparathyroidism is a common sequela of thyroid surgery; in this study, we aimed at exploring the pathogenesis behind it. The following premises suggest that wound fluid might be a causative agent. (i) Parathyroid hormone secretion is under feedback control by the calcium-sensing receptor, which responds to a diverse array of activating ligands.

Functional Impact of the G279S Substitution in the Adenosine A-Receptor (AR-G279S), a Mutation Associated with Parkinson's Disease.

In medium-size, spiny striatal neurons of the direct pathway, dopamine D- and adenosine A-receptors are coexpressed and are mutually antagonistic. Recently, a mutation in the gene encoding the A-receptor (AR), AR-G279S, was identified in an Iranian family: two affected offspring suffered from early-onset l-DOPA-responsive Parkinson's disease. The link between the mutation and the phenotype is unclear.

Relax, Cool Down and Scaffold: How to Restore Surface Expression of Folding-Deficient Mutant GPCRs and SLC6 Transporters.

Many diseases arise from mutations, which impair protein folding. The study of folding-deficient variants of G protein-coupled receptors and solute carrier 6 (SLC6) transporters has shed light on the folding trajectory, how it is monitored and how misfolding can be remedied. Reducing the temperature lowers the energy barrier between folding intermediates and thereby eliminates stalling along the folding trajectory.