REVIEW: Oxytocin: Crossing the bridge between basic science and pharmacotherapy
Cedric Viero1, Izumi Shibuya, Naoki Kitamura
1Department of Cardiology, Wales Heart Research Institute, Cardiff University, UK.
CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics
|July 15, 2010
Summary
Oxytocin, a nine amino acid peptide, influences numerous functions from social bonding to stress and disease. Its receptor (OTR) is a promising target for novel drug therapies, with potential for agonists and antagonists.
Area of Science:
- Neuroendocrinology
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Oxytocin, a nine amino acid peptide, plays a crucial role in diverse physiological and pathological processes.
- These functions include sexual activity, maternal behavior, social bonding, stress response, and various diseases like osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer.
- The oxytocin receptor (OTR) presents a significant target for therapeutic interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent findings on oxytocin and its G protein-coupled receptor, OTR.
- To explore drug design strategies and specificity for OTR.
- To highlight oxytocin's roles in behavior, stress, pain, and its mechanisms of action.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on oxytocin and OTR.
- Discussion of drug design principles and receptor specificity.
- Inclusion of findings from newly generated transgenic rat models for studying oxytocin and vasopressin physiology.
Main Results:
- Oxytocin's involvement in behavior, affectivity, and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis is detailed.
- Mechanisms of oxytocin action, including intracellular Ca²(+) signaling in neurohypophysial system (HNS) cell bodies, are elucidated.
- The peripheral actions of oxytocin on the myometrium, heart, and nervous system are examined.
Conclusions:
- Oxytocin and its receptor are prime candidates for drug development, with potential for agonists and antagonists.
- Regulation of oxytocin synthesis, storage, and release offers therapeutic avenues for pathophysiological states.
- Understanding oxytocin's physiopharmacology is essential for developing effective pharmacotherapies.
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