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Methods for the Discovery of Novel Compounds Modulating a Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Receptor Type A Neurotransmission
Published on: August 16, 2018
Discovery of PACAP and its receptors in the brain
Takahiro Hirabayashi1, Tomoya Nakamachi2, Seiji Shioda3
1Peptide Drug Innovation, Global Research Center for Innovative Life Science, Hoshi University, Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501, Japan.
Abstract:
Pituitary adenylate-cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a 27- or 38-amino acid neuropeptide, which belongs to the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)/glucagon/secretin family. PACAP shows particularly high homology (~ 68%) to VIP. Because of the high homology of the amino acid sequences of PACAP and VIP, these peptides share three class B-G-protein coupled receptors: the PAC1-Receptor (PAC1-R), the VPAC1-Receptor (VPAC1-R) and VPAC2-Receptor (VPAC2-R). These receptors have high homology to each other, and their high homology is utilized for these discoveries. This review provides mainly an overview of the history of the discovery of PACAP and its three receptors.
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