Adrenergic signaling molecular complexes

Adrenaline and noradrenaline bind to membrane receptors of the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) in target cells, where they modulate physiological responses such as metabolism, vasoconstriction, vasodilation and proliferation. Alteration in their function is associated with conditions such as hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia and cardiac hypertrophy. In response to adrenaline, receptors form signaling complexes, which enables adrenergic action to be specific, rapid and efficient. These signaling complexes or signalosomes are composed of kinases, phosphatases, and adapter and scaffold proteins, which together modulate the receptor function. Manipulation of each protein-protein interaction of the adrenergic signaling complex emerges as a promising therapeutic strategy for the design of drugs that modulate adrenergic action and help to define its pathophysiological significance. An important biological model to perform these investigations is the heart, since it expresses all adrenergic receptors; to date, several heart signalosomes have been described. Mass spectrometry (proteomics), genetic manipulation and biochemical assays, such as two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays, are tools that are used in these studies.