Development of a method for the identification of heterodimeric receptors signalling partners

目前用于治疗的大多数药物(包括心脏病的β-受体阻滞剂和其他多种药物)针对的是最大的细胞表面受体家族(将细胞外的信号转化为细胞内的活动)，即七种跨膜受体(7TM-R)。这些药物针对的是内源性化合物与受体相互作用的部位。不幸的是，所有这些药物都会产生显著的副作用。这在一定程度上可能是因为配体结合位点的靶点不够具体，不足以阻止所需的效果。这可能是由于受体的性质以及它实际上是如何在细胞内传递信号的。此外，现在已经知道不同的受体可以结合在一起并形成一个新的受体实体。令人惊讶的是，很少有人关注这些受体的形成方式来允许信号传递，以及是什么带来了信号传递的特异性。

Most of the drugs currently used as therapies (including beta-blockers in heart disease and multiple others) are directed against the largest family of cell surface receptors which transduce signals outside of the cell into activity inside the cell), the seven transmembrane receptors (7TM-Rs). These drugs target the site where endogenous compounds interact with the receptor. Unfortunately, all of these drugs produce significant side effects. This may be in part because the targetting of the ligand binding site is not specific enough to block only the desired effect. This is likely due to the nature of the receptor and how it actually transmits signals inside the cell. Also, it is now known that different receptors can associate together and form a new receptor entity. Surprisingly, very little attention has been given to the way these receptors form to permit signalling and what brings specificity of signalling.