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Beyond the Nucleus: Plastic Chemicals Activate G Protein-Coupled Receptors
Molly McPartland1, Sarah Stevens1, Zdenka Bartosova1
1Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7491, Norway.
Plastic chemicals disrupt cell signaling by targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), particularly adenosine receptor 1 (ADORA1) and melatonin receptor 1 (MTNR1A), impacting circadian and metabolic processes.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology and Pharmacology
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are crucial for cell signaling but understudied in toxicology.
- Plastic chemicals are ubiquitous, raising concerns about their potential health impacts.
- Understanding non-genomic pathways of chemical toxicity is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as novel targets for plastic chemicals.
- To investigate the effects of common plastic chemicals and their mixtures on GPCR activity.
- To explore the downstream physiological consequences of GPCR activation by plastic chemicals.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput drug screening assay testing 126 human non-olfactory GPCRs against plastic chemicals and mixtures.
- Confirmatory secondary screening and pharmacological knockdown experiments.
- Gene ontology analysis to predict downstream biological effects.
Main Results:
- Identified 11 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-chemical interactions.
- Plastic chemical mixtures showed significant activity at adenosine receptor 1 (ADORA1) and melatonin receptor 1 (MTNR1A).
- Polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane products were confirmed to contain ADORA1 or MTNR1A agonists.
Conclusions:
- Plastic chemicals can broadly disrupt cell signaling pathways via GPCRs.
- ADORA1 and MTNR1A activation by plastic chemicals may affect circadian and metabolic functions.
- Highlights the importance of exploring nongenomic pathways in chemical toxicology.
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