Screw loosening in angulation-correcting single implant restorations: A systematic review of in vitro studies.

Statement Of Problem: Various options are available to allow angle correction for screw-retained restorations for malaligned implants, including angled abutments, angled screw channel abutments, and angled implants. However, the effect these angle correction components have on prosthetic screw loosening is unclear.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effect of angled abutments, angled screw channel abutments, and angled implants on prosthetic screw loosening.

Ala-scan of ghrelin (1-14): interaction with the recombinant human ghrelin receptor.

Ghrelin, a 28 residues acylated peptide, is the natural ligand of the growth-hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), which also interacts with small synthetic peptides. We investigated the importance of each of the first 14 N-terminal residues by Ala replacement (Ala-scan) and also of the N-terminal positive charge, on the recombinant GHS-R expressed in HEK293 or CHO cells by binding, IP and Ca(2+) assays. Nearly all of the replacements had no significant effect on the ligand binding or IP(3)/Ca(2+) stimulation.

Identification of secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide and glucagon binding sites: from chimaeric receptors to point mutations.

We have identified two basic residues that are important for the recognition of secretin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) by their respective receptors. These two peptides containing an Asp residue at position 3 interacted with an arginine residue in transmembrane helix 2 (TM2) of the receptor, and the lysine residue in extracellular loop 1 (ECL1) stabilized the active receptor conformation induced by the ligand. The glucagon receptor possesses a Lys instead of an Arg in TM2, and an Ile instead of Lys in ECL1; it markedly prefers a Gln side chain in position 3 of the ligand.

Mutational analysis of the glucagon receptor: similarities with the vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)/pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP)/secretin receptors for recognition of the ligand's third residue.

Receptor recognition by the Asp(3) residues of vasoactive intestinal peptide and secretin requires the presence of a lysine residue close to the second transmembrane helix (TM2)/first extracellular loop junction and an ionic bond with an arginine residue in TM2. We tested whether the glucagon Gln(3) residue recognizes the equivalent positions in its receptor. Our data revealed that the binding and functional properties of the wild-type glucagon receptor and the K188R mutant were not significantly different, whereas all agonists had markedly lower potencies and affinities at the I195K mutated receptor.