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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Mimicking the Function of Signaling Proteins: Toward Artificial Signal Transduction Therapy
Published on: September 29, 2016
Entirely artificial signal transduction with adrenaline
Thomas Schrader1, Michael Maue, Manuel Ellermann
1Department of Chemistry, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany. schradet@staff.uni-marburg.de
Abstract:
Multifunctional transmembrane-building blocks with recognition sites for adrenaline on one end and the reaction partners for an SN2 reaction on the opposite end have been embedded in DPPC-liposomes. These doped vesicles can be quantitatively reduced at their disulfide head groups by externally added reducing agents; their composition and chemical processes taking place within can be monitored by NMR spectroscopy and--with limitations--by UV/Vis spectroscopy. Attempted release of thiopyridine as a second messenger into the interior of the liposome on external adrenaline addition could not be proven unambiguously because the detection system does not fulfill the necessary rigorous specificity and sensitivity requirements.
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