Novel modes of regulating serotonin 5HT2c receptors.

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The normal function of all living cells depends on how they respond to the multitude of physical and chemical stimuli to which they are constantly exposed. The majority of these stimuli acting on cells do so not by directly entering the cells, but rather by acting on specific types of receiver proteins on the cell's surface that are called receptors. The most important family of cell-surface receptors transmit their message to the inside of the cell by coupling to yet another type of protein known as a G protein, and are therefore commonly referred to as G protein-coupled receptors (or GPCRs). The current proposal focuses on a special family of GPCRs that mediate the actions of the neurochemical, serotonin (or 5HT), in the human brain. These serotonin GPCRs are major targets for antidepressant and antipsychotic medications, and also play a role in anxiety, migraine and the control of appetite. Despite the important role of serotonin GPCRs in health and disease, the mechanism of action of many drugs acting on these receptors remain unknown. Our project will specifically investigate novel molecular mechanisms associated with serotonin GPCR activity that may prove vital in understanding mechanisms of psychiatric illnesses, and how many psychiatric medicines actually work.